An enhanced capturing voice of the customer methodology is needed within businesses. A voice of the customer (VOC) system needs to be an integral part of an organizational overall business management system.
A business’ survival depends upon effectively reacting and anticipating customer needs; however, businesses need to better answer how to effective track and improve voice of the customer scores. An Integrated Enterprise Excellence (IEE) methodology addresses these business needs, as described in the following linked-to 1-minute video.
The published article (PDF below) titled “Integrating Inputs: A System to Capture and React to VOC Data can Pay Big Dividends” by Forrest Breyfogle describes a voice of the customer methodology for acquiring, processing and deploying voice of the customer inputs.
Organizations need a system that utilizes various sources for Voice of the Customer (VOC) inputs. This information can be very valuable for providing direction to where improvement efforts should focus. A system for effective acquiring processing and deploying voice of the customer inputs can have many inputs.
Enhanced Capturing Voice of the Customer Methodology System
There are various sources for capturing voice of the customer inputs
In addition to determining the source for information, voice of the customer metrics need to be addressed. Metrics drive behavior in an organization. What would be a good voice of the customer metric? Often organizations consider customer satisfaction.
However, is customer satisfaction the best approach? Might one “play games with the numbers” to make a situation appear better than it is when the goal is? This can especially occur when a goal of 100% satisfaction is set. To achieve such a lofty goal, might questions be worded so that an evaluator cannot express their true opinion about the product or service? Most people would respond yes to this question.
Loyalty metric as part of an Enhanced Voice of the Customer Methodology System
Unlike customer satisfaction, a loyalty metric is geared more toward behavior than attitude. Also, this metric would be more difficult to be “gamed” than customer satisfaction. Conditions that are associated with loyalty are retention and total share of the customer’s business. Organizations benefit when these metrics are reported using a predictive 30,000-foot-level metric format.
When voice of the customer originates from multiple sources and is effectively integrated, the organization gains insight to where improvement efforts should focus. Analytical skills taught in high-quality Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Master Black Belt training can be applied to help organizations achieve these objectives.
Chapter 6 of Integrated Enterprise Excellence Volume II, Business Deployment: A Leaders′ Guide for Going Beyond Lean Six Sigma and the Balanced Scorecard describes how a voice of the customer methodology can be integrated into an overall operational excellence business management system.
The article ″Inputs into Action: 9 Steps to a Better VOC-Initiated Improvement Project″ provides a high-level description for of an effective voice of the customer methodology, including predictive measures for both VOC and other metrics throughout the organization. .
The link below provides more information on creating a voice of the customer methodology in an organization. Referenced in the link is the ASQ Quality Progress January 2011 published article by Forrest Breyfogle titled “Integrating Inputs: A System to Capture and React to VOC Data can Pay Big Dividends”
Contact Us to set up a time to discuss with Forrest Breyfogle how your organization might gain much from an IEE Business Management System that can better capture and react to Voice of the Customer (VOC) needs.