t.
General enquiries:
“A diamond is forever”
“It’s good to talk”
“Just do it.”
I would wager that you could name the brand behind at least one of these iconic advertising slogans (and you can check your answers at the end of this blog*). But the way in which companies communicate with their customers is rapidly changing. Consumers don’t want to be talked at or told what they want. They want to tell you what they want.
This has put insights leaders on the frontline of customer relationships. The feedback and opinions they source are critical to the business delivering what their customers want, not what they think they need.
But playing such an important role in customer relationships means that insights leaders have a responsibility to build them in the right way.
Are you listening?
Relationships between brands and consumers are not unlike our personal relationships. We look for many of the same attributes in our brand partners – we expect to be able to trust them, we want to be treated with respect, and we want to be listened to.
This in itself shouldn’t shake the bedrock of any good business. Companies that do not treat their customers in this way are unlikely to last long. However, that is not to say that all companies are doing it well.
Many brands will ask their customers questions to source insights into their product, service, or the experience they offer. But they only hear the response. They don’t listen. They forget that listening – whether in our personal or brand relationships – has to be a two-way process.
Listening to what your customers have to say
So, how can you start listening to your customers?
- Action – The best way to show your customers that you are listening is by taking action. If your most important stakeholders are sharing insights that will help you improve your product, service or their experience of your company, don’t sit on it. Put those insights into action.
- Conversation – Make sure you keep your customers updated on how you are acting on their feedback to demonstrate how much you value them and their input. Building a branded customer community is a great way to establish this two-way discourse. It not only makes it easier to source always-on insights from an engaged group of customers, but you can easily check back in with them to offer updates too!
- Commitment – You can’t poll your customers at one moment in time then assume you understand them. Our wants, needs and opinions are constantly evolving. Listening means committing to a sustained conversation with your customers.
Building lasting relationships
Insights leaders cannot lose sight of the fact that they are on the frontline of customer relationships. They cannot passively see their role as gleaning insights to share with the business. Instead, they must assume the influential role of ensuring that their organisation engages in this two-way process, actively listens to its customers, takes action and then communicates this action back to customers.
If you want to change the way your organisation hears from its customers to show them that you are truly listening, reach out to [email protected] to hear more about how QuMind can help.
*Did you get them? The slogans are for De Beers, BT & Nike
