Why VOC Matters in Auto Retail Software Development

Customer feedback provides a goldmine of information in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), if you know how to use it. The name itself implies a one-way influx of user input: it’s the “Voice of the Customer” after all, where they tell you what’s on their minds. 

But the most robust and effective automotive tech VOC programs represent an ongoing dialogue, complete with bidirectional communication loops and clear performance metrics. 

They require understanding the input and taking action on it. All of which necessitates a systematic approach to collecting, organizing, and distributing learnings. So how do you get started on, or get better at, VOC?

Considerations for Auto Retail Technology Developers

Before we dive into some of the tangible and intangible benefits of strong VOC programs, let’s call out a few factors within the auto dealership tech landscape.

The audience is multi-layered

Not only do you need to pay attention to your direct buyer—the dealership or dealer management system (DMS)—you also need to listen to the end customers, the consumers who buy nearly 16 million cars and trucks each year. Building out your dealership digital tools with this layered perspective in mind is essential.

The buying process is evolving

As the “bricks to clicks” digital transformation ramps up, so too must the software products touching nearly every element of the car and truck buying process. Millennials and younger consumers don’t like the dealer experience—56% would rather clean their home than shop there. From late-night price comparisons to making a service appointment online, users demand efficiency and customization at every turn. This shift highlights the growing importance of auto retail software feedback.

The stakes are rising

Barriers to entry are high for software firms hoping to penetrate the dealership tech ecosystem. Point solutions must fully integrate and deliver a value-add experience to both the dealer and their customers. Can your software boost sales, increase loyalty, and cut overhead? Be ready to prove it.

How VOC Makes You Smarter and Stronger

Implementing VOC into the SLDC is a no-brainer. Beyond obvious use cases like fixing undetected bugs and identifying usability issues, VOC research makes your development roadmap more proactive by revealing unmet needs and opportunities. Here are a few other key benefits:

1. Delight customers (or at least don’t frustrate them)

Ultimately, VOC programs center on giving users what they need and what they want. They help identify what customers truly value, so you can distinguish between features and functionality that are must-haves and not just nice-to-haves. 

“Sometimes the best user experience is no experience,” says Todd Workman, GM & VP of Global Services. “Put another way, if they get through the interface quickly and easily, that’s a win. Look for scenarios where users get stuck, mess up, or drop off.”

 2. Prioritize development initiatives

VOC helps you assign resources to improvements that are closest to the customer and stand to make the biggest impact. Mature programs enhance the principles of user-centered design, which “brings focus back to the user by prioritizing them and framing entire projects around their feelings, needs, and goals.” 

Of course, not every requested feature is feasible or cost-effective, but you’d still rather stay on top of what's working and what’s not for your users. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. Or, your “squeaky wheel” customers will distract you from what’s most important to the most users.

3. Increase user adoption and satisfaction

You’ve heard of the 80/20 rule. In software development, it’s posited that 80% of features in the average software product are rarely or never used. VOC research can help you pinpoint which features are destined to meet the same fate. 

“We’ve all been there. You’ve got what you think is a winning product improvement idea, only to realize your users never asked for it or plan to utilize it,” says Ken Hamkins, VP of Solution Engineering. “Maybe it’s the right idea, wrong time or just the wrong idea, but aligning to user demands increases the use of, and satisfaction with, your software.”

4. Get ahead of market trends

Customer data allows you to look around corners to see what’s coming down the pike, ideally before your competitors do. For example, one VOC program aggregating and analyzing Google reviews for U.S. dealerships found that there was a 32% year-over-year increase in negative reviews regarding the financing department. That’s a useful signal for product development teams to take a closer look at efficiencies in desking processes.

5. Build brand loyalty

Software developers that incorporate VOC into their work stand to benefit from a more favorable brand presence, where customers feel heard and their priorities are embedded into the product roadmap. Bonus: VOC communicates to your internal team that you are a customer-centric firm that exhibits empathy for day-to-day users, so it’s a culture-building tool as well.

Choosing the Right VOC Methods

Auto retail tech developers face a wide range of options when building a VOC program: active and passive, qualitative and quantitative, formal and ad hoc. The type of data you have access to helps determine which approaches are best for your environment. Some questions to consider:

Key questions to ask:

• Do you rely on getting end-customer input from your direct customers, or can you track usage independently?
• Can you incorporate real-time data flow, perhaps from in-app widgets, or do you rely on intermittent reports, such as an annual dealership customer satisfaction survey?
• What level of customer outreach is expected and appropriate, e.g. are active requests additive or just annoying? (Like when your service advisor tells you anything less than a five-star rating is unacceptable.)

Embrace VOC to become a Customer MVP

The auto industry is awash in—some might say drowning in—consumer data. Gathering and researching  it is one thing, putting it into practical use is another. To undertake the necessary prioritization process, establish parameters ahead of time around frequency of mentions, potential return on investment, and resources required to implement changes.  

Additionally, make sure the actions you take in response to user input are getting the attention they deserve, both internally and externally. Share findings and analysis with stakeholders across multiple teams, including product development, sales, marketing, and leadership, to increase collaboration and reduce silos. And use product release notifications and direct communication to close the loop with external customers. 

Finally, recognize that VOC is not a one-and-done initiative, but an ongoing process that requires constant review and refinement. AI will increasingly play a part in enabling firms to analyze and synthesize large VOC data sets, but one-on-one customer interactions offer an easy entry point and tremendous value as well. 

Ready to turn VOC into product success? Our nearshoring professionals are adept at integrating VOC into auto tech roadmaps. Talk to a CodeRoad strategist today.