The issue of the quantity of customer information is exacerbated by the fact that it is often fragmented due to it being collected from multiple sources and not well defined at the source of data collection.

So what is the solution to this problem? Focus.

Over the last 10 years psychology researchers have established that many decisions we make are not rational but based on fast, intuitive and non-conscious thinking. While we might think we are rational beings, we often can’t (or won’t explain) why or how we decide what we do. In 2011, Nobel prize-winning academic Daniel Kahneman brought this idea to the mainstream. His book ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ that popularised the phrases ‘System 1’ and ‘System 2’ to describe how people think and make decisions.

Customer satisfaction and loyalty were the centre of the conversation at the recent CX Exchange for Telecoms event. It was great to hear from speakers across the industry talk about the benefits, challenges and various telecom customer experience strategies. They are all working to ensure that their business places the customer at the heart of their decision making.

The success or failure of the insights industry is entirely dependent on the quality of our relationships with the people who complete our surveys. At Maru/Blue we are committed to treating our respondents like people—people willing to share their time, opinions and experiences with us. We recently conducted video interviews with members of our Maru Voice UK community, and asked them what they like and dislike about doing surveys. We also solicited suggestions for improving the survey experience. The results reveal a need to radically change how the industry conducts research and how it treats respondents.

“Why do you say that?” “How important is value to you when choosing which brand of paint to purchase?” These kinds of questions get asked all the time. The answers they elicit are not just useless, they are misleading. They steer us away from the truth and instead provide us with false information that confirms accepted myths.

Customer feedback is vital for brands looking to protect and grow their market share. Understanding customer’s wants, needs and expectations means providers can better service customers through streamlined services, targeted product offerings and improved experiences. And businesses who work to actively improve customer service can, and will, see revenue grow.