From Think Patented The Noodle, Vol. 15 Issue 1
As part of efforts to solicit general feedback from sales and other Voice of the Customer (VoC), Bridgette O’Brien, Senior Director of Brand & Content Strategy for CPC (Colder Products Company), conducts an annual Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey that is distributed to all current customers. The feedback offers insights into the brand experience like whether the company is easy to do business with, how customers view their relationship with CPC and what support areas they value.
During the past survey, O’Brien and her team recognized an opportunity to enhance customer relationships and grow them from a more transactional style to a more intimate and strategic customer relationship. Based on this data, she developed an engagement and reinvigoration strategy to deploy immediately into the market.
Part of the strategy involved a multi-channel engagement program to communicate with, educate and strengthen relationships with its existing customers on a more frequent basis, including an e-newsletter, webinar educational series, and a three-day, in-person training event. Overall, the success of the program helped increase engagement across the board, with higher open rates on CPC e-blasts YOY (year-over-year), stronger attendance for webinars and more than 150 attendees for its in-person event.
“It was important to hear from our customers not only in what areas we succeed, but also areas where we can improve, and that they were willing to build upon our relationships for future growth,” O’Brien says. “And did that pay off. We ended the year with strong commitments heading into 2025 and renewed energy, and our customers saw and appreciated the effort and dedication we poured into communicating and engaging with them in 2024.”
In an age of extreme data overload and continual technological advancements, the art of listening to your customers is becoming both a challenge and a necessity for today’s marketers. This is making strategies that O’Brien implemented even more important for being able to pinpoint customer needs and preferences. The voice of the customer is extremely important to the success of any company—from the marketing and brand, to product development and, ultimately, sales. The key is to go in with an open mind.
Understanding your target audience and optimizing customer experiences is critical to helping drive results. In her quest to capture what customers want, O’Brien employs myriad VoC strategies, including customer interviews, surveys, in-person meetings, online engagement metrics, social media and reviews, and others. “I’ve always found that a blend of methods helps paint a fuller picture of the customer voice and creates better strategies for long-term success. It’s important to get out in the field and engage with our customers on a regular basis.”
One of O’Brien’s priorities is to go through the customer journey from the consumer’s viewpoint, which helps her understand the experience and identify service gaps that need optimization. “Marketing is both an art and a science. Data is extremely helpful in conveying trends and activities, and it is important information for marketers to build strategies from. But, at the end of the day, we are all consumers. Every one of us buys things every day. And while you may not be the target audience for your brand’s products, it’s your job to put yourself through their journey.”
Find more insights in The Noodle, Vol. 15 Issue 1, read the full issue here.
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