Voice of Customer (VoC): A Complete Guide to Truly Listening to Your Customers
- Redazione
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
What is voice of the customer, comparison with mystery shopping and customer surveys, examples (QR, columns), a platform for measuring it, and actionable marketing decisions.
Summary
1) What is Voice of Customer (VoC)
The Voice of Customer (VoC) is the set of authentic feedback from your customers: opinions, expectations, needs, emotions .
It's not just a questionnaire: it's a continuous listening system that collects signals across multiple channels (in-store, online, after-sales) and transforms them into concrete improvements in experience, product, and communication.
Unlike one-off searches or internal evaluations, a VoC program:
it is continuous over time and allows you to compare results month after month or year after year;
it is based on short questionnaires , often 4-6 closed or semi-structured questions, so as to guarantee a high response rate;
it is used to measure satisfaction with the actual experience , immediately after the interaction with the brand (purchase, service, contact, etc.);
It allows for quick intervention in the event of repeated problems or critical issues not directly reported by the customer.
In short: it's the simplest, most scalable, and most effective method for obtaining a constant and objective snapshot of the customer experience.
Why VoC is important
A satisfied customer is more loyal, spends more, and is more likely to speak highly of your company. But you can't improve what you don't measure.
This is exactly what VoC is for:
understand objectively and continuously what customers really think;
prevent abandonment or serious disruptions;
Strengthen brand reputation through direct engagement with people.
Furthermore, it can be used as a monitoring tool in ISO 9001 , as it contributes to the systematic evaluation of customer satisfaction.
2) Mystery Shopping vs Customer Survey vs VoC
Mystery shopping
• Covert audits of standards, procedures, and behaviors.
• Great for checking how you perform.
• Higher costs, from a “technical” point of view, not an emotional one.
Customer surveys (CSAT/NPS/CES)
• Post-purchase structured surveys.
• They measure satisfaction, loyalty, perceived effort.
• They depend on the sample, timing and candor.
🔥Voice of Customer (VoC)
• Real, multi-channel feedback, often in real time .
• Captures perceptions and emotions (not just scores).
• Cheaper and more scalable, easily automated.
Here's a brief comparison of the three methodologies 👇🏻
Method | What does it measure? | Pro | Against |
Mystery shopping | Process execution | Objective, operational | Expensive, not “voice of customer” |
Customer survey | Satisfaction/loyalty | Standardizable, clear KPIs | Memory/auto-selection |
VoC | Real perceptions | Authentic, real-time, scalable | Requires channel governance |
Note: often the best solution is to integrate: VoC for perception, surveys for KPIs, mystery to verify the operational standard.
3) Why VoC is a strategic choice
• Economical and continuous : from QR codes to columns, collect lightly and consistently.
• Authentic: not simulations , but real customers in their real context.
• Decision-making: connects “voice” to actions (prices, assortment, messages, training).
• ISO-friendly: it integrates into quality systems (e.g. 9001) as evidence of monitoring and improvement.
• Omnichannel : a single dashboard for stores, e-commerce, assistance, after-sales.
4) How to collect VoC: tools and channels
Online
• Post-purchase email/SMS with mini-survey.
• Widgets on the site (“leave feedback” button, exit survey).
• Social listening (Google reviews, social comments).
In-store
• QR code on receipts, tables, shelf labels.
• Touchscreen columns at the checkout/exit (smiley, NPS, single question).
• Tablets or kiosks in strategic areas (fitting rooms, cash registers, reception).
Qualitative
• 1:1 interviews or focus groups to interpret the “whys”.
• Field observations (real customer journey).
Automations
• Trigger to activate the feedback request when “something” happens : purchase, return, call to customer care, visit to the store.
5) Real-world use cases: QR codes, columns, surveys
• Clothing : columns after the fitting rooms → insights on fit, cleanliness, courtesy.
• Catering : QR code on the table → dish score, waiting time, perceived price, willingness to return.
• Large-scale retail trade : tablet at the exit → cleanliness, product availability, checkout times.
• Beauty/health : post-treatment SMS → quality of service, clarity of explanations, NPS.
• B2B services : post-project survey → clarity of deliverables, punctuality, perceived value.
Tip: A few clicks, one question at a time, 10–30 seconds. Add one open-ended question: this is often the one that unlocks the key insight.
6) Agile and accessible VoC platform? We have it.
Enterprise suites can be oversized (and expensive) for SMBs and retail chains.
For this reason, we offer a flexible and functional Customer/Voice of Customer platform, ideal for continuously and professionally collecting customer feedback.
Main functions:
• Collection via QR code, tablet, touchscreen and web.
• Panels with smileys, NPS, multiple questions and open-ended answers.
• Real-time alerts on critical thresholds (e.g. NPS < X).
• Ready-to-use reports and dashboards (mobile‑friendly).
• Multi-location and multilingual.
• Cloud, no installation, quick start.
• Privacy compliance and easy integration with ISO 9001 flows.
Want to see it? Let's set up a 15-minute demo:
7) From voices to decisions: what marketing choices can you make with VoC?
Gathering feedback is half the battle. The other half is deciding .
Here's what you can set up (right now) using VoC data:
Product and assortment
• Confirm or review recipes, formats, variations.
• Decide on the introduction/elimination of references based on real demand.
• Validate naming and labels (in food & beverage it often makes the difference).
Price & promotions
• Measure perceived price and willingness to pay.
• Understand which offers really shift the choice (not always the discount).
• Avoid unnecessary promotions that erode margins.
Positioning & Messages
• Find out what benefits/evidence customers find credible.
• Eliminate claims that don't “get through” or are misunderstood.
• Align tone and storytelling with customers' actual words (“customer-language” copy).
Channel mix & customer journey
• Understand where customers discover you and where they get stuck.
• Shift budget to channels with a better experience (not just more clicks).
• Activate smart follow-ups (email/SMS) at critical nodes in the journey.
Retail & Service
• Regulate peak hours, shifts and staff training.
• Improve layout, signage, cleanliness (they often have more impact than you think).
• Intervene on waiting times or the payment process.
Digital experience (site/ecommerce/app)
• Reduce friction on checkout, login, payments.
• Optimize product sheets with the information actually requested.
• Test micro-changes (A/B) driven by feedback.
Loyalty & retention
• Identify abandonment drivers and activate recovery (targeted coupons, call back).
• Reward high-value behaviors (referrals, helpful reviews).
• Track NPS/CSAT evolution across key segments (new vs. historical, in-store vs. online).
Governance & quality
• Integrate VoC into management reviews (ISO 9001).
• Link VoC KPIs to company OKRs (e.g. +10% NPS in the North area).
• Close the feedback loop: communicate “what we have improved thanks to you”.
Actionable tip: Create a Priority/Impact matrix. The top right contains the actions to be taken immediately (high impact, low complexity).
8) VoC strategy: operational checklist
• Clear purpose (what do I want to decide with this data?).
• Touchpoint map (where I listen, with which tools).
• Question design: 2–4 closed + 1 open, max 30–60 seconds.
• Frequency: continuous (in-store) + post-event (post-purchase/assistance).
• Privacy governance and consent.
• Dashboard & alerts: who sees what, when an action is triggered.
• Analysis rituals: a monthly meeting with marketing/retail/quality.
• Action log: list of improvements made and measured impact.
• Communication to the customer: “thanks to your feedback we have…”.
9) Frequently Asked Questions
Is VoC only for large companies?
No. With QR codes and charging stations, you can get started in just a few days and on a limited budget.
Do you need enterprise software?
No. You can start small and then grow. We offer a comprehensive and accessible platform.
How often should I ask for feedback?
In-store: continuous (daily sampling). Post-service: hot, within 24-48 hours.
How do I get honest answers?
Clear anonymity, easy questions, minimal friction, micro-incentives if needed.
Does VoC replace surveys?
It complements them. VoC gives you context and insight, the survey gives you repeatable KPIs (CSAT, NPS, CES). Together, they work better.
What about mystery shopping?
Useful for verifying operational standards. VoC tells you how that service is experienced. They are two different lenses on the same reality.
10) Conclusions: how to implement it today
Voice of the Customer brings data to the table that speaks the customer's language. It's cheaper than mystery shopping, more authentic than surveys alone, and above all, it connects listening and decision-making.
What you can do right now:
Place QR codes or columns at key points.
Activate a post-purchase mini-survey.
Centralize in a single dashboard with alerts.
Set a monthly ritual of reading and action.
Communicate what you've improved with the feedback.
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