What is VOC in marketing, and why your yacht charter should understand it

• 15.07.2024.
• News, Marketing

Imagine that your yacht charter company can continuously improve its services. Imagine if you actively turned your guests' feedback into action and measured the impact of the changes you made. Read on to learn how to proactively upgrade the customer experience and build a more substantial and resilient business.

How would you know if you are doing what you should as you should?   
You know, are you doing everything properly? Are you on the right path? Is your business thriving? What do your guests think about you?   
  
The most effective way to get answers to these questions is to understand your guests, their thoughts, feelings and desires. 
  
And to understand all of that, you must understand the VOC concept in marketing.   
VOC stands for Voice of the Customer, and for starters, it can help you enhance your services, boost customer satisfaction, and ultimately grow your business.  
   

What is VOC?  

Voice of the Customer (VOC) refers to the process of capturing customers' preferences, expectations, and aversions.   
It's gathering detailed information about what people think about your yacht charter's services and what they truly want.  
  
How do you get that information? Various methods will ensure that you get a better understanding of your clientele:  

• Surveys and questionnaires - send post-charter surveys or email questionnaires to gather feedback on your guests' experiences.  
• Interviews and focus groups – if possible, conduct interviews or organise focus groups with clients to discuss their experiences and expectations.  
• Social media monitoring - analyse comments, messages, and reviews on social media platforms to understand your guests' sentiments.  
• Online reviews – monitor your reviews on various platforms, and Google; identify common themes and areas for improvement.  
• Feedback forms - use feedback forms on your website to collect spontaneous opinions and suggestions.

 

 

The benefits of VOC for yacht charters  

When you know exactly what your guests want, you can refine your services to meet their specific needs, thus enhancing their overall experience.   
  
This implies either one of these things or all of them:   

• Customised itineraries - plan routes that include destinations and activities requested by the client or what you think will suit them best.   
• Personalised onboard experiences - offer bespoke services like gourmet dining tailored to dietary preferences, specialised entertainment, or themed events.  
• Tailored amenities - provide specific amenities such as preferred water sports equipment, luxury bedding, or a selection of favourite beverages.  
    

VOC can improve your service quality  

Customer feedback is also an excellent source of information on areas for improvement in our yacht charter company. Don't worry; everyone has these areas.   
  
VOC data provides the insights needed to make impactful changes, and some examples are:   

• Refining the booking process - simplify online booking interfaces based on feedback about usability issues.  
• Enhancing onboard services - upgrade facilities and services, such as Wi-Fi quality, cleanliness standards, or staff training, in response to given suggestions.  
• Improving customer support- implement more responsive and helpful customer service protocols based on your guests' experiences and complaints.  

 

Use VOC to boost customer retention  

It's said, "Happy customers are loyal customers".   
Actively listen to your guests and make them feel heard so you can build a strong, loyal customer base for your yacht charter company. And, the customer base guarantees repeat bookings.   
  
How do you manage that? Here are some examples:   

• Loyalty programs - create a rewards program for repeat customers, offering discounts, special offers, or exclusive experiences.  
• Personal follow-ups - conduct personal follow-ups with guests after their charter to thank them and solicit feedback, showing that their opinions are valued.  
• Referrals – offer incentives for guests who refer friends and family, such as discounts on future charters or complimentary services.  

 

Methods to collect VOC for your yacht charter  

Conducting surveys and questionnaires is the best way to obtain the valuable information your yacht charter company needs.  
  
Create effective surveys for your guests. Ask about their recent experience, satisfaction levels, and suggestions for improvement.   
  
Well-crafted questions can uncover both what you're doing well and areas where you could enhance your services, like this:   

• Post-charter surveys - send immediately after the charter experience to capture fresh impressions and detailed feedback.  
• Email questionnaires - distribute periodically to gather broader insights about overall customer satisfaction and suggestions for future improvements.  
• In-app feedback forms - incorporate quick  forms within your booking or service app to gather spontaneous feedback at various points of the customer journey.  

 

Interviews and focus groups  

Conducting in-depth interviews with focus groups allows a better understanding of people's preferences and pain points.   
  
These methods can reveal nuanced information that surveys might miss, offering a more personal and detailed perspective:  

• One-on-one interviews with frequent customers - engage with your most loyal customers to understand their experiences and expectations on a deeper level.  
• Small focus groups discussing recent charter experiences - try to organise discussions where your guests can openly discuss their charter experiences, which will provide a wealth of qualitative data.  

 

Social media and online reviews  

Monitoring people's comments on social media platforms and review sites is another great way to gather VOC data.   
  
This real-time feedback offers immediate information into areas that need attention in your company.  
  
Your guests often share sincere thoughts and experiences online. You can obtain unfiltered observation of their satisfaction in the following way:  

• Analyse reviews - regularly review and analyse customer feedback on major review platforms to identify trends and specific areas for improvement.  
• Monitor social media comments and messages - keep an eye on what customers say about your services on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok...   

 

Implementing Changes Based on VOC  

By now, you should have enough information on gathering feedback from your guests. But it's not enough just to collect feedback; you need to act on it.   
Action on it implies that you actually implement specific changes based on your guest's feedback.   
  
This demonstrates to your customers that you value their opinions and are committed to improving their experience.  
  
After implementing changes, you must measure their effectiveness.   
This will help you understand if the changes have positively impacted your customer's satisfaction.   
   
You can monitor repeat booking rates, i.e. track the number of repeat customers over time. An increase in repeat bookings can indicate that changes positively affect customer loyalty.  
  
Continuously analyse new customer feedback to see if the previously raised issues have been resolved or if new concerns are emerging.  
  
Look at financial indicators such as increased revenue from repeat customers or higher overall spending, which can be a sign that the changes have "borne fruit".  
 

The VOC process never stops  

The journey of understanding and responding to the Voice of the Customer (VOC) is a continuous process. It should evolve through time.   
  
Understanding your guests is not a one-time effort, and you should also know that people's expectations are always shifting.  
Your job is to stay attuned to these changes.  

So, encourage your yacht charter team to continuously seek out and respond to customer feedback.   
This means actively seeking feedback through various channels, regularly analysing acquired data, and making adjustments if need be.   
You must create a culture where every member of your yacht charter team understands the value of customer feedback and is committed to using it to drive improvements.  
Equip them with the skills to handle both positive and negative feedback professionally.  
  
Our advice is to keep your communication transparent - keep your guests informed about the changes you're making in response to their feedback. This transparency builds trust and shows that their opinions truly matter.  
  
Soon enough, you'll find that all the insights you gained and all the changes you made paved the way for ongoing growth and success.  
  

Need help understanding what your VOC is?   

Contact us, and we will help you find out what your VOC is.  
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