It has become fashionable for organizations to advertise that they listen to their customers, members and other stakeholders. However, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council says most organizations do not capitalize on the opportunities offered by such feedback.
"Despite overwhelming agreement on the importance of customer experience and word-of-mouth, senior marketers admit their companies are failing to take decisive, company-wide action to integrate customer voice and experience into key business and marketing processes," the CMO Council said in a January 2009 news release.
The CMO Council finding is surprising considering all the technology now available for capturing and measuring feedback, especially on the Internet and in the television recording field.
"Contact Us"
Marketers are certainly requesting feedback. Just about every website has a "Contact Us" button inviting customers to communicate with them. Many organizations use "We Listen" features in their ads to encourage feedback. Examples:
Lala Media advertises: "We listen. Then deliver."
The J.R. Brickman website says "We Listen. We Brew." It then invites viewers to "vote for the next premium beer you want us to brew." It has even named a web page "Welistenwebrew."
Monaco Coach Corporation
"We go to rallies with our customers and we listen to what they want. New features, floor plans and models," CEO Kay Toolson says in the Monaco Coach Corporation website. The site urges readers to "send us your ideas, stories and photos."
Busch’s Fresh Foods rewards customers for their feedback. Its website says "Your honest feedback helps us to measure our performance and understand how we can serve you better. Each time you visit our store and complete this short survey, you will be entered into our monthly drawing for a $250 shopping spree. We appreciate your feedback."
A Rochelle, Wisconsin bank advertises: "At First National Bank, your comments and questions are important to us."
Constructive Criticism
A domaine company advertises: " If you have any feedback for us, constructive criticism, or thoughts on Bido and what you would like to see, our door is always open."
Many organizations, including restaurants, distribute comment cards to customers. The traditional suggestion boxes are built on the premise that the organization wants your opinion.
Some people even make a living listening for other people. The Listener Group, a call center company, advertises that "it is important for you to know what your customer thinks, wants and expects from you. We deliver that information on a timely basis, so you can act on it and increase your success."
CMO Council Survey
Despite all that, senior marketing officers participating in the CMO Council survey said:
- 38% of their companies have no programs "to track or propagate positive word of mouth among customers."
- Only 29% gave their companies good marks for handling and resolving customer problems and complaints.
- 74% of their companies receive customer email feedback, but only 23% track the volume and nature of the messages.
CMO Council executive director Donovan Neale-May said "CMOs must assume ownership for the customer experience and establish enterprise-wide measures and disciplines to ensure continuous improvement.
"We are missing a major opportunity to turn customer pain into competitive gain at every touch point through better use of web and contact center technologies and processes," Neal-May said.
Of course, not all feedback is constructive and the small value of much of it may discourage some organizations to ignore all of it. The marketing council survey indicates that may be a costly mistake.
References:
- Chief Marketing Officer Council (CMO).org, Feb. 1, 2009
- Monaco Coach Corporation.com
- J.R. Brickman website
- First National Bank of Rochelle, Wisconsin
- The Listener Group
- Busch’s Fresh Foods.com
 |
