In Listen or Die, I highlighted the distinct purposes of Voice of Customer (VoC) programs and market research.
While VoC focuses on real-time, operational feedback from all customers, market research traditionally delivers strategic insights based on a sample of customers.
In 2017, these two disciplines were starting to converge.
Today, thanks to AI, that convergence has accelerated in ways that I could never have imagined 8 years ago.
The Traditional Divide Between VoC and Market Research
To recap, here’s how VoC and market research historically differed:
- Market Research: Strategic, one-way communication aimed at answering big-picture questions—like pricing strategy, competitive positioning, or brand perception. Surveys are anonymous, sample-based, often lengthy, and delivered via a report in weeks/months.
- VoC: Operational, two-way communication that gathers real-time feedback from all customers, enabling companies to act on individual concerns while improving processes at touchpoints. Surveys are short, continuous, and usually operationally focused.
Both approaches provided value but served different purposes—market research for strategy, VoC for day-to-day operations.
How AI Accelerates the Convergence
AI has blurred the lines making it possible to combine the strategic depth of market research with the speed and scale of VoC. Here’s how:
1. Embedding Strategic Insights Into VoC
AI allows companies to dynamically include market research questions within VoC programs, gathering both operational and strategic data in real time.
Example:
An e-commerce company embeds a question about product design preferences into its post-purchase VoC survey. AI analyzes the responses quickly, providing strategic insights that traditionally would have required a separate market research study.
2. Unified Unstructured Feedback Analysis
AI-powered text analytics processes unstructured data from both VoC and market research, identifying themes and patterns that inform both short-term fixes and long-term strategies.
Example:
A telecom provider integrates feedback from a post call, customer support survey (VoC) and a brand perception survey (market research). AI identifies that customers who rate the CSR poorly view the brand less favorably, leading to improvements in service delivery and adjustments to marketing efforts.
3. Predicting Trends and Prioritizing Actions
AI combines the operational focus of VoC (real-time, customer-level feedback) with the strategic insights of market research (broader, trend-based analysis). This allows companies to predict trends and prioritize actions that address both immediate customer needs and long-term business goals.
Example:
A global airline integrates AI into its VoC platform to analyze real-time passenger feedback from post-flight surveys. Simultaneously, it incorporates market research data from annual brand perception studies. AI identifies a correlation: passengers dissatisfied with baggage handling during layovers are more likely to view the airline as unreliable in the brand perception study. AI predicts that if baggage handling isn’t addressed, overall NPS and brand reputation will decline.
The airline prioritizes improvements in baggage tracking systems and communication during layovers. This not only resolves operational issues flagged in VoC but also aligns with the long-term strategic goal of improving brand trust and reliability.
The Role of Humans in the AI-Driven Convergence
While AI is a powerful enabler, it’s human expertise that ensures insights from VoC and market research are actionable.
Here’s where people come in:
- Strategic Context: Market researchers align VoC insights with broader business objectives.
- Operational Execution: CX professionals translate strategic insights into practical improvements at touchpoints.
- Empathy and Creativity: Humans bring the personal touch to customer interactions, building loyalty in ways AI can’t.
Together, market researchers and CX practitioners ensure both immediate customer needs and long-term strategies are addressed.
The Bottom Line
VoC and market research are no longer siloed disciplines.
With AI’s help, companies can now integrate the continuous, real-time nature of VoC with the strategic depth of market research.
This convergence provides a holistic view of customer feedback, enabling businesses to act faster, save costs, and drive smarter decisions.
But let’s not forget: AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise. It’s the partnership between AI-driven insights and human action that turns feedback into results.
Here’s the takeaway: Use AI to unify VoC and market research, creating a seamless feedback ecosystem. Then, let your team turn those insights into actions that improve CX and inform strategy.
What’s your experience with combining VoC and market research? How has AI impacted your approach, if at all? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.