Discover the real challenges and rewards of collecting the Voice of the Customer (VOC). Koeeru CEO shares hard-won lessons, practical strategies, and human stories behind successful VOC-driven marketing in tourism and beyond.
“Whoever masters the Voice of the Customer, masters marketing.” …Wouldn’t it be cool if that were true? Sadly, reality is not so kind.
My Personal VOC Journey: From Data Deserts to VOC-Driven Decisions
It’s been nearly 20 years since I began collecting VOC data—and over 10 years since I became the CEO of a VOC platform company. I’ve experienced the hellish pain of “data deserts” more times than I can count. I’ve tried countless strategies. Failed just as many times. I’ve even spent sleepless nights staring at the ceiling, wondering, “Why is no one filling out our survey?”
From hotels in Kyoto to bus terminals in Kamakura, even airport convenience stores—I’ve wandered everywhere trying to figure out how to collect VOC on the ground. But what I ultimately realized is that it’s not about the “system.” It’s about people—those who give and those who gather VOC. If people don’t move, VOC doesn’t happen.
🚫 Top 3 Reasons VOC Doesn’t Get Collected
Touchpoint Problem → A “Please take our survey” flyer left in the corner of a store is almost invisible. No one sees it, no one responds.
Lack of Motivation to Respond → Even if you say, “We’d love your feedback,” long surveys or privacy-invading questions scare people away.
Disconnect from the Field → When HQ says “Just run a survey,” frontline staff wonder, “What’s the point of this?” On-site teams don’t have time for meaningless tasks.
Unless you overcome these three barriers, VOC collection remains a distant dream. At Koeeru, we’ve tackled these challenges by increasing survey touchpoints, launching co-creation projects, offering respondent incentives, and introducing actionable dashboards for field teams.
VOC collection starts with location. We aimed to create environments where customers can naturally and easily share their feedback.
Strengthening Our Own Channels Integrated feedback channels across stores, apps, e-commerce sites, and events—making it easy for customers to speak up anywhere.
Partnering with Other Businesses For example, we worked with retailers to gather real-time feedback directly from shoppers—giving us insights we’d never get otherwise.
Collaborating with Local Communities Partnered with local governments and DMOs to collect feedback from inbound tourists across entire regions—revealing the real needs of destinations.
2️⃣ Designed Incentives to Motivate Respondents
Saying “Please take our survey” doesn’t move people. We had to make them want to answer.
Monetary Incentives Coupons, points, giveaways—instant-win mechanics added fun and value for respondents.
Non-Monetary Incentives Exclusive local tips, traveler-only perks, and digital gifts made people feel they were getting something special.
Social Good (Survey for Good) For every response, Koeeru donates to regional charities. It’s an easy way for people to contribute to society—especially effective in getting hard-to-reach or thoughtful respondents.
3️⃣ Dashboards that Turn VOC into Actionable Insights
Even if VOC is collected, it’s useless if ignored. We introduced dashboards that make the data come alive for frontline teams.
Easy-to-Understand Visuals Teams can instantly grasp what customers are thinking.
Built for Action “We saw this feedback—so let’s change the service!” The dashboard bridges data to action.
Different from Online Reviews VOC is not a complaint board—it’s a business asset. Showing this increased motivation and ownership among staff.
🧍♂️ In the End, VOC Comes from People
We’ve tried every tool and tactic. But in the end, what generates VOC is human effort and communication. Three moments that stick with me:
🍮 Kyoto Restaurant Owner: One Kind Ask, Many Responses
“When we serve dessert, we just ask guests directly,” the owner said with a smile. Her team gathered several times more VOC than average—just through a simple, personal ask.
🌱 Tanzanian Farmer: Voice Beyond Literacy
“I can’t read,” he told us—yet he gathered more market information from buyers than anyone else and verbally shared it with fellow farmers. The human connection behind that “data” carried more meaning than any spreadsheet.
🎨 Young Staff at an Art Museum Café: Language Builds Bridges
Driven by a desire to “make tourists fall in love with Japan,” she taught herself several languages, collected feedback naturally, and created a self-sustaining loop of shared customer insights.
🌏 Building a World Where People Want to Give & Collect VOC
By multiplying touchpoints, fostering co-creation, motivating respondents, and equipping field teams, VOC becomes more than just data—it becomes a tool for co-creating value between customers and companies.
“I want to give feedback.” “I want to collect feedback.”
Creating a world where people feel that way might just be the essence of VOC marketing in this increasingly human-centric age.
🏖️ VOC in Kamakura: Year 2 of Our Local Co-Creation Project
In our second year of the Kamakura regional VOC project, we’re expanding beyond hotels to restaurants, transit hubs, and day-trip visitor hotspots.
“Soji! That café is amazing—they gathered over 100 pieces of tourist feedback in just one day!”
Hearing that excitement from one of my team members made me feel, once again, the joy of VOC-driven management.
