When considering Voice of the Customer (VOC) initiatives in your organization, are you focused and asking the right questions? Lack of direction and unclear communications create results that produce failure for both the organization and their customers. The real goal of any organization is to be profitable, but when we don’t really listen to the end-users of our product or services, failure is the typical outcome. The simple act of not listening has caused the decline of revenue and profit for organizations, that otherwise offer a superior service or product.

Ask a Customer the Right Questions

Customers simply are looking to satisfy basic human needs with our products or services. In today’s digital age, those communication channels are everywhere, coming into the organization through multitudes of channels. In the course of a simple conversation, a customer will easily divulge information that is vital to the success of the organization. The key is asking the right questions to get the conversation flowing.

To ensure success with the VOC program in an organization, there are three questions that will help you focus the research:

1. What do you want to know? – Have a clear understanding of what information you want from a customer conversation.

2. Who do you want to hear from? – Determining the right group of customers that can answer your questions is crucial.

3. What are you going to do with the information? – Understanding how you are going to take action with the information gathered is critical.

Translating the Conversations

Through these conversations, organizations typically gather generic customer needs. They must take those conversations and go on to translate these generic needs into specific items called critical-to-quality requirements (CTQs). To verify that the CTQs are specific enough, the true test is to ask, Can a formula or detailed operational definition be written to describe this need? The needs should be detailed enough that they allow practitioners to align improvement or design efforts with customer requirements.

If you do not understand what you specifically need to know, you run the risk of not learning anything productive or useful to your VOC efforts.

Check out the “Voice of the Customer and CTQ” video >>>

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We have heard it all before. The customer is always right and what the customer says ¦ goes! Yeah well, that is true ¦ to a point. We will do whatever it takes to make the customer happy, but we are not going to change our core operational process because that is what made our company successful. Does this mantra sound familiar?

Changing the Customer Experience

It should sound familiar, because it is what we do. We address customer concerns and bend over backwards to make them happy, in that specific situation. Then, we go right back to doing what we did before. Core policies and processes rarely change, no matter how many customer concerns are focused on them. The view is typical, since the C-Suite understands the deepest detail of what goes on in the business, customers may be complaining, but they are really out of touch with their expectations. In the dance of customer service, we continue to waltz with our customers to make them happy, without changing what is truly making them unhappy.

The fact is, that if we want to make real, substantive change with the customer experience, we must hear the customers and be willing to make changes to our deepest core processes. Sound like a simple thing? Well, it should be, but making it happen is significantly more difficult. Businesses, no matter the size or the years established, must be willing to change things that just irk our customers. Not listening and making real changes costs businesses in many ways. It significantly frustrates and disenfranchises customers in slow moving herds. As the customers move away, businesses then start to feel the financial impact on their bottom line. Lavishing unhappy customers with deals, discounts and groveling is actually a temporary fix to a long term problem. Before you know it, the customer will be tired of your lip service and the freebies you provide just won’t retain their loyalty.

Making Lasting Change

It is time that business must embrace real change when dealing with their customer experience. That transformation must come through deep and significant change happening with core operational processes. A structured VoC (Voice of the Customer) program, SIPOC diagram or Customer Journey Map, managed by trained and experienced Lean Six Sigma professionals, can achieve the desired results.

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Understanding the Value of Capability Analysis

Understanding the true value of the variables in a process can be defined by the capability analysis. The capabilities and value of a process can be determined by comparing the width of the process spread to the width of the specification spread. When a process is capable, the process spread is smaller than the specification spread. When the process is centered and within the specifications, it is more capable of consistently producing product that meets customer expectations. The benefits is that it offers a key measure of performance that is easily translated in a visual representation that is applicable across all industries. Further value of the capability analysis is that it estimates the proportion of product that does not meet specifications. It provides calculations for the percentage of the time your process will fall above the upper specification, or below the lower specification. This can be compared to the yield, to determine how many failures are due to variation (common cause), and how many are due to outliers and mistakes (special cause). It also provides a summary number that explains how capable the process is of staying within the specification limits (known as Cpk and Ppk).

Here is an example:

If we are collecting data on the weight of cereal boxes, and we have to meet specifications between 85 and 92, then you can see below that we will not always meet those specifications. Sometimes the data falls below 85 (about 2.45%), and sometimes the data goes above 92 (about 7.1%). Therefore, this process is not capable. It will fail to meet specifications about 9.55% of the time. We should expect a yield of only 90% unless we reduce variation, shift the average, or work with our customers to define new specification limits.

If the process specifications were 80 and 100, then you can see below that the process would be capable. There is no chance that we will have data outside the specifications. This is performing close to a Six Sigma level (if the nearest specification is at least six standard deviations away).

Bottom line, it summarizes a significant amount of information in one chart.

Finding Value for Customers

Statistically speaking, you are assessing the capability to make this highest quality product by comparing the width of the variation in your process with the width of the specification limits. The capability analysis is crucial to achieve this with your project. By using this tool, you will be able turn your efforts from just meeting established requirements to applying change that reaps true quality improvements that are consistent. Ultimately, you will be able to offer the highest amount of quality and customer satisfaction from your process with the lowest amount of variation.

Capability Analysis is a valuable tool across the Lean Six Sigma practice.  If you would like to learn more about Capability Analysis, consider the following items we offer: Histogram Generator (free), Process Capability (Intro and Advanced) eBook (Shmula Pro members), and Six Sigma training videos (Shmula Pro members). You can also attend a Green Belt or Black Belt training program, or Minitab training class.

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The food service industry is tough. The challenges of the industry range from food costs and quality, to customer service and effectively using labor. To create the perfect experience, owners must find a delicate balance with these challenges. But to add to those challenges, in today’s digital environment, customers are engaging with social media, which has its own challenges. As an example, the industry estimates customers add approximately 45 minutes to their dining experience through the use of their smartphone. Waitstaff are delayed taking orders because customers are answering emails or texts. The meal time after being served is extended because customers like to take and share images of their meals on social media. Then after the meal, there is another round of texting, emailing and interacting on social media. These delays are expected to increase.

Six Sigma Serves Up Quality For Food Service

Now, if you stop and thinking for a moment, these challenges in the food service industry are really no different than any other industry. They all revolve around product costs, labor challenges and customer service. Just like any other industry that has experienced great success with Six Sigma practices, the food service industry can achieve resolution to their buffet of challenges. From kitchen to table, food service is about process and procedures.

Preparing the food revolves around exact recipes and precise skills used to prepare the food. There are food costs involved and they must be precisely managed. They also require precision and accuracy in recipe measurements, oven temperatures, cook times, food temperature, and discipline around hygiene and health standards.

This also applies to the preparation and service of beverages. Getting the right mixtures for alcoholic drinks, and getting the right sugar and cream mixture in coffee can make or break the customer experience.

If you look at the front of the house, from door to table, it is all about customer experience and service. There are processes and procedures involved that impact every second of the customer experience. Forecasting the number of customers that will arrive each hour and day of the week, along with predicting what they will order can make the most experienced Black Belt throw up their hands in frustration.

Just like other Six Sigma industries, food service requires precision and attention to every detail.

Success For The Future

Food service professionals are starting to embrace Six Sigma practices to create a better industry for their customers and employees. Leaders must look at the core practices and understand how easily they can benefit from Six Sigma.

One of the most crucial opportunities for food service in their customer experience is the Voice of the Customer (VOC) programs. Every second a customer spends in a restaurant is an absolute opportunity for success or failure. If they find service, food and the environment exceptional, their digital raving will bring success. If they fail at any point in the customer experience, that digital transmission will cause significant pain to the business.

One of the templates we offer for free is the Customer Journey Map, which helps you capture the process, moments of truth, and emotional dimension of the customer’s journey.

These food service professionals must find ways to deal with their routine challenges of their industry, along with the new environment of the digital age. Six Sigma can bring great relief and success to this industry.

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Living the Fantasy

Voice of the Customer programs are crucial to the success of your business. The problem is so many think they know exactly what their customers think and feel. You have been in business for 30 years and do things the same way, that’s what your customers want. Are you sure about that? For many businesses, they are either disconnected from their customers or they live with rose colored glasses when it comes to the voice of the customer. Those same businesses are very quick to deal with a vocal, disgruntled customer. Immediately, they are showered with attention, promises and apologies, then a discount to make up for the upset. The customer walks out and everyone breathes a sigh of relief and pats each other on the back, thinking they have saved another customer. Truth be told, what you think just happened is probably not what the customer thinks just happened. This begs the question: do you really know what your customer thinks about you?

What They Really Think of You

Using a solid Voice of the Customer program, you are going to get to the core of what your customers really think of you. For some, it might just be a bit unsettling. Here are some facts you should keep in mind as you begin your journey down the road of truth:

• 78% of customers have walked out on a transaction because of a poor service.
• On average, loyal customers are worth more then 10 times as much as their first purchase.
• It takes up to 12 positive experiences to make up for one negative experience.
• 91% of frustrated customers will not continue to do business with you.
• 40% of customers expressed that if they could improve one thing, they would improve the human element of the service.

These facts are both enlightening and staggering to some. They should disturb organizations enough to happily engage in a viable Voice of the Customer program that is effective. The days of reactive customer service experiences are over. Your customers expect you to be proactive and anticipate their needs and exceed them!

Listening to the Voice of the Customer

The Voice of the Customer is a process used to capture customer expectations and opinions, then provide world class services and products. The key to a successful Voice of the Customer program is to be extremely proactive, not reactive. This will allow your business to grow with your customer base, anticipating their expectations. These expectations are both stated and unstated. A vibrant program will instill a sense of loyalty and satisfaction towards your brand, in a consistent manner.

Resources

Consider downloading our eBook titled Voice of the Customer and Critical to Quality. Shmula Pro membership provides access to 34 other eBooks and reference guides

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Do you feel like you’re just putting out fires with Voice of the Customer (VOC) programs? Always in a defensive, under siege mentality, arbitrarily moving in different directions without real focus or strategy? Well, you probably aren’t alone. If you are thinking it, then you are probably doing it! It’s time to step back, take a deep breath and get control of your VOC program ” especially if you find the following points describe any or all of your program:

Listening Overload Listening and managing more listening posts or sources than is practical or valuable.

Maxed Out Your responsibilities as a VOC Manager have taken on a life of their own and control and keep you reeling and reactive.

Confidence Drains Pressing on with a program that does not present real and measurable results or impact. Energy and effort seem to be just getting poured down a drain in the name of running the VOC program.

Recent surveys indicated 90% of executives understand the importance of VOC programs, and 86% did not expect to see tangible business results from them. If you can relate to these points and feel strongly your program is accurate described in those statistics, then maybe it’s time to step back and reboot.

The first consideration when rebooting your VOC program is to be strategic and stop being a worn out reactionary! When you start anew, start by dreaming big! Have a big vision for success and how you will achieve it. Stop expending energy on the smallest item and focus on the big picture with big results.

One of the strongest elements of rebooting your VOC is creating a shift to actionability. Shift your energy to strategic plans that incorporate your vision and are completely actionable. Change funding from being tied up on eternally broken things to creating real value for customers that are in sync with customer demands. This will give you wins in your program and give managers a level of success that wasn’t experienced before.

Lastly, ensure that your VOC is measuring the expectations of the customer, not just their every complaint. Stop putting out fires and start embracing the true Voice of the Customer. Transforming your program in this manner creates an environment of true value and eliminates those small picky complaints that bogged down your VOC. Managers will then create a tempo of success and responsibility. Actionability and action are the new wisdom for any VOC program.

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