Scaling the Voice of the Customer: Insights from B2B Marketing Leader

 According to Gartner, only 14% of companies say they have a 360-degree view of their customer. Yet companies that effectively capture and act on the voice of the customer are 60% more profitable than those that don't. So why is this crucial business practice still so challenging for organizations to master?

We interviewed Stacy Leidwinger, a veteran B2B software leader with deep expertise in product marketing, demand generation, and strategic alignment between marketing and sales, to uncover practical approaches for scaling and operationalizing the voice of the customer.

What "Voice of the Customer" Really Means

When we talk about "voice of the customer," we're addressing something more fundamental than customer satisfaction surveys or NPS scores. As Leidwinger explains, it's about "understanding fundamentally what pain the customer has, what solutions they are looking for or potentially never even thought of, but they know they have those pain points. And then understanding when you're driving real value."

This focus on value and outcomes—not just features and capabilities—represents the true power of customer-centricity.

Where Organizations Fall Short

During our conversation, Leidwinger identified a common pitfall that even established organizations encounter: assuming they already know their customers well enough.

"They assume they know the voice of the customer. They don't have to do this work anymore," she explained. "I've been here, I'm out there on sales calls. We have thousands of customers. Of course, we know the voice of our customers."

This overconfidence creates dangerous blind spots because "customer pains are always shifting. Business dynamics are always changing." When organizations become complacent about customer understanding, they create opportunities for competitors who remain actively curious.

Practical Ways to Scale Customer Insights

Not every organization can afford a dedicated Voice of Customer department, so how can busy marketing teams infuse customer insights into their daily work? Leidwinger shared several practical approaches:

1. Maximize customer advocacy opportunities: When conducting customer interviews, have two marketing team members present—one leading the conversation and one taking notes. Rotate these roles so more people hear directly from customers.
2. Make events count: At industry events and roadshows, ensure your team isn't just "working the booth" but actively engaging with customers, listening to conversations at partner booths, and gathering intelligence.
3. Build strong sales relationships: Marketing professionals should have their top-performing salespeople "on auto-dial." Regular check-ins about what they're hearing from customers can provide invaluable insights without requiring additional resources.
4. Schedule deliberate reflection: "Hit pause once a quarter or at least twice a year and go, what shifted? What has changed in the world since we last talked about our customers?"

Breaking Down Sales and Marketing Silos

Perhaps the most compelling insight from our discussion was around creating true alignment between sales and marketing. Leidwinger shared a powerful story from early in her career that reshaped her perspective.

During a quarterly business review where marketing had hit all their metrics but sales had missed their targets, the CEO delivered a wake-up call: "How dare you show up and claim success this quarter when we didn't hit our numbers? I can't believe you just came and said all these great things you did, and then your sales counterpart said, we struggled. Why weren't you talking? Why weren't you helping them? Because if sales isn't successful, we're not successful."

This experience taught Leidwinger that true organizational success requires shared goals and metrics between sales and marketing. Her recommendation? Replace "sales kickoffs" with "go-to-market kickoffs" that bring together everyone responsible for revenue generation.

Leveraging Technology for Customer Insights

The landscape of customer intelligence has transformed dramatically in recent years. Leidwinger highlighted how buyer intent signals are revolutionizing go-to-market strategies:

"Before, you never knew what anyone wanted until they picked up the phone and said, 'I'm ready to talk to you.' Now, there's technology out there that will understand: here's somebody that has engaged with your website, they came to a webinar... these are the 20 accounts that are most likely ready to buy."

In one organization, they discovered that 80% of customers who purchased showed buying signals six months before converting. This intelligence allows teams to focus efforts where they'll have the most impact and create more personalized, relevant experiences.

A Simple Leadership Practice

Leidwinger left us with one transformative practice for leaders at any level: "When you're in any meeting discussing anything about the company, if you haven't heard someone say the word 'customer,' ask why."

This simple check ensures the customer voice remains central to every initiative, decision, and conversation in your organization. "I can't think of anything that really shouldn't center around the customer that you're doing," she added.

Final Thoughts

As businesses navigate increasingly complex landscapes, keeping the voice of the customer at the center becomes both more challenging and more crucial. The organizations that excel will be those that create systematic approaches to capture, share, and act on customer insights across departments.

By breaking down silos between sales and marketing, leveraging available technologies, and maintaining a relentless focus on customer value, companies can build the 360-degree customer view that still eludes so many organizations today.

This post is based on Episode 22 of Some Goodness, where we engage seasoned business leaders and experts to share practical guidance and tips to help new and future C-level leaders maximize their impact.