Smarter Ways to Turn Customer Feedback Into Action

Running a contact centre is tough! And without understanding how your customers truly feel, you’re flying blind – which is why feedback isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s absolutely essential.

Feedback tells you why customers are happy or frustrated, where your team shines, and what needs fixing before small issues turn into big problems. It helps you spot trends early, reduce repeat calls, and improve First Contact Resolution – all of which save time, money, and headaches.

Think you need to up your game with customer feedback? Here’s a recap of everything discussed in our Recorded Webinar: Customer Feedback Tactics You Can’t Overlook – from real-world challenges to smart new approaches that you can implement in your contact centre today.

Customer Feedback Isn’t a Side Project, It’s Culture Fuel!

The webinar opened with Nate Brown, Head of Education and Enablement for Metric Sherpa and Co-founder of CX Accelerator, who ultimately hammered home a fundamental truth: customer feedback isn’t a side project, it’s culture fuel. It’s the engine that drives everything in a customer experience strategy.

But only if it’s done right!

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is jumping straight into “improvements” without checking if they’re solving the right problems.

Too often, well-meaning changes are made that have zero real impact because they’re built on assumptions, not insights. That’s why your Voice of the Customer (VoC) programme needs to be a living, breathing system – not just a box-ticking exercise.

Here are some top tips to help get your programme moving in the right direction:

Don’t Weaponize Your VoC

Mindset is key. VoC should never be a punishment tool. If you’re using customer feedback to simply highlight what’s going wrong, your people will disengage – fast.

Instead, use VoC as a celebration tool. Show agents the positive impact they’re making. Give them the “carrot”, not the “stick”. If you treat people like cogs in a machine, don’t be surprised when the customer experience feels mechanical too.

“The gift your people give your customers is the same gift your organization gives to your people.”

For expert advice on emerging tools, tactics, and cultural shifts impacting Voice of the Customer programmes, read our article: What’s Next for Voice of the Customer (VoC)?

Structure Matters – But So Do Real Conversations

When it comes to feedback channels, it can help to break it down into two main types:

Most organizations are heavy on structured channels, but the majority of valuable insights live in the unstructured world. If you’re not capturing that, you’re missing out on what people really think.

For example, in communities like Slickdeals, where customers rave or rage about products, brands like Gopro show up not to control the conversation but to respectfully participate. And it turns them into heroes.

For advice on harnessing unstructured Voice of the Customer (VoC), read our article: Are You Embracing the Potential of Unstructured VoC Data?

Build Listening Into the Whole Journey

Why not try this? During the webinar, Nate shared a deceptively simple exercise that’s changed the game for many businesses: take a customer persona and map every meaningful touchpoint they have with your brand. Then ask, “how are we listening at each one?”

Colour-code it, structured vs. unstructured – and you’ll quickly see where the gaps are.

The goal? Build a complete listening engine. Because if you’re not present across the full customer journey, you’ll never see the full picture.

It’s Not Just Fast, It’s Meaningful

Challenge your obsession with speed in call centre metrics too! Yes, efficiency matters – customers do want things resolved quickly.

But the real power lies in those moments that go beyond the ticket: guiding customers to success, preventing future issues, helping them feel seen.

“Make the quick parts quick. Make the slow parts meaningful.”

Feedback needs to capture that depth. Don’t just ask, “Did we solve your issue?”. Ask, “Did we help you succeed in the way that matters to you?”

If you want advice on top KPIs to use in your contact centre to measure CX, read our article: Top 10 Customer Experience KPIs

Ownership Doesn’t Matter – Integration Does

It’s also important to be aware that VoC is often fragmented. Marketing has some. Products are doing their own thing. Service has data too. But the customer doesn’t see departments – they see one brand!

So, whilst it almost doesn’t matter who owns VoC, what does matter is that it’s connected. You need one unified system that ties feedback to real business outcomes – like retention, loyalty, even revenue. That’s when VoC stops being a “nice to have” and becomes a strategic advantage.

Activation Is Everything

One of the most poignant parts of the webinar was Nate’s story of turning a negative internal perception of a product into positive energy.

How? He created a fake incident in the break room (complete with a Kool-Aid Man) and turned employees into incident managers. They engaged with the tool hands-on and then saw a customer journey map showing its impact.

“It’s not about the button. It’s about the psychological activation that happened.”

The message is clear: don’t just collect feedback. Bring it to life inside your organization.

VoC done well isn’t a spreadsheet. It’s a mirror, a motivator, and a movement. Use it to unite teams, elevate service, and unlock the real stories your customers are telling – in their own words, on their own terms.

Everyday Customer Interactions Can Become Powerful Moments

Next up was Jason Mckay, Principal Product Manager at CallMiner, who took us on a deep dive into how everyday customer interactions can become powerful brand moments – all by understanding human psychology and making smart, personalized use of customer data.

He kicked off with a reminder we can all relate to: first impressions matter. In fact, they form lightning-fast and stick around far longer than we might expect – as he demonstrated with this great example:

Imagine someone rudely cuts in front of you at the supermarket. You’re annoyed. But then later, the same person offers to share their umbrella in the pouring rain. Do you forgive them? Maybe. Maybe not.

It’s a mental tug-of-war – and it’s the same in CX.

One negative agent experience can undo years of good sentiment. But here’s the flip side: research shows that highly competent actions – like sorting an issue quickly or surprising a customer with proactive support – can carry just as much weight.

That’s the opportunity. Brands can create game-changing moments by stepping in with timely, thoughtful responses when it matters most.

Here are some key things to keep in mind as you refine your customer journey:

Negative Experiences Stick – Unless You Do Something Exceptional

You don’t need to follow up on every single bit of feedback. But when a customer is clearly frustrated or something’s gone wrong? That’s your moment. Don’t wait. Step in with confidence, resolve the issue, and show you’re listening. Those are the moments that turn things around.

Coach Your Agents to Be Consistent, Confident, and Focused on Resolution

Customers lose trust fast when they get different answers from different agents – or worse, when no one seems to know what’s going on.

Rethink Your Surveys (and Your Timing)

Generic, mass surveys aren’t doing much.

Use Tech to Track, Predict, and Respond – in Real Time

With platforms like CallMiner, you can bring together conversations from every channel – phone, email, chat, socials, review sites – and actually understand what customers are feeling. This lets you trigger personalized outreach while the moment still matters.

For example, SiriusXM used this approach to break down data silos, respond faster, and boost customer satisfaction right across their business.

The big takeaway: Don’t just collect feedback – act on it.

• Choose the right outreach at the right time
• Close the loop with purpose
• Coach your teams to resolve, not just respond

Because the strongest impressions are built not just through what you say – but through what you do in the moments that matter most.

It’s All About Clarity, Confidence, and Continuous Improvement

The right feedback tactics can turn everyday interactions into powerful insights that shape better training, stronger processes, and more meaningful service.

For CX leaders, this isn’t just about data – it’s about clarity, confidence, and continuous improvement. So, whether you’re fine-tuning performance or transforming your entire approach, let customer feedback be your compass.

After all, it’s not just what your customers say – it’s what you do with it that will set you apart.

To learn more, watch the full Recorded Webinar: Customer Feedback Tactics You Can’t Overlook here.

If you are looking for more ways to get the most from your customer feedback, read these articles next:

• What’s the Best Way to Reward Customers for Their Feedback?
• Using Customer Feedback to Improve Agent Performance
• Want Your Frontline Staff to Share More Customer Feedback? Try This!

Author: Stephanie Lennox
Reviewed by: Jo Robinson