“Voice of Customer.” Yes, we know, it sounds like corporate marketing jargon (something we diligently try to avoid here at 5forests). Simply put, it means making a deliberate effort to listen deeply and systematically to your customers’ real thoughts, words, and feelings. If you’ve never heard this phrase, don’t worry; it’s neither as scary nor as cumbersome as it sounds. The concept is straightforward: when you consistently gather, analyze, and genuinely act on feedback from the people who buy and drink your wine, your marketing becomes clearer, smarter, and infinitely more effective.
It’s a strategic superpower—and yet, most wineries completely overlook it. Let’s talk about how you can do better.
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What exactly is Voice of Customer?
Voice of Customer means exactly what it says on the label: listening to your customers’ actual words and experiences. It’s a systematic approach to gathering, analyzing, and acting on real feedback from your customers—not just casual tasting room comments or the occasional email. And it’s definitely not limited to “How did you enjoy your tasting?”
At its core, VoC asks wineries to step away from assumptions (even well-informed ones!) and let customers tell their own stories. It’s not guesswork, and it’s definitely not passive. Think active listening at scale: interviews, thoughtful surveys, social listening, and capturing genuine feedback from every meaningful interaction.
Here’s a quick example. Imagine you consistently hear from customers that your website checkout feels clunky. A typical approach might ignore this if sales are okay. A VoC approach investigates, learns exactly where the friction happens, and fixes it—often dramatically boosting conversion rates.
Why is Voice of Customer important for wineries?
Good question. Here’s the simple truth: wine marketing often happens inside a bubble. Winery teams (even well-meaning ones!) tend to build strategy around internal perspectives—what the winemaker wants, what management likes, or what your distributors prefer. But these internal viewpoints rarely align perfectly with what your customers actually value.
When wineries implement VoC correctly, customer-centric thinking becomes second nature. Suddenly you’re crafting marketing that genuinely resonates, which leads directly to increased loyalty, repeat sales, and organic referrals. And with younger drinkers like Millennials and Gen Z prioritizing authenticity and transparency, VoC-driven marketing isn’t just smart—it’s essential.
How VoC can shape your winery’s marketing strategy
Here’s where it gets strategic. VoC gives you the clarity to craft marketing strategies around real insights, rather than gut feelings or outdated assumptions. Here are four practical ways you can use VoC at your winery right now:
Better-informed customer personas
At 5forests, we developed our Customer Stories™ framework specifically because we saw too many wineries relying on shallow personas built from demographics alone. With VoC insights, your personas become richly detailed and actionable. You’ll understand exactly what drives customers’ decisions, what language resonates, and what might push them away. It’s marketing built on reality—not assumptions.
Improved messaging and positioning
Ever notice how marketing often feels generic or disconnected? That happens when messaging reflects what marketers think customers want to hear—not what customers actually say. Using VoC data, you can align your marketing directly to customer priorities, expectations, and real-life language, instantly making your brand more relatable and effective.
Product innovation and development
Great wineries consistently innovate—but product innovation doesn’t always mean creating something entirely new. Often, small improvements based on VoC insights can unlock big results. Maybe your customers repeatedly mention they love your tasting events but hate complicated bookings. Simplify that process and watch loyalty skyrocket. Or perhaps customers consistently ask for smaller formats. Why not test a half-bottle or canned option?
Enhanced customer experiences
Customer experience is a powerful differentiator. VoC helps you deeply understand each step in your customer’s journey—from discovery through purchase and beyond. Once you know exactly what customers love, or dislike, you can optimize your touchpoints (online or offline) to match their actual expectations, creating experiences they’ll rave about.
How to implement a Voice of Customer strategy at your winery
Starting your VoC strategy doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s a straightforward process we recommend to our winery clients:
Identify your feedback channels:
- Your tasting room interactions
- Website analytics and behavior tracking
- Surveys and email follow-ups
- Social media conversations
Choose the right tools: Use simple, affordable tools (like Typeform, Hotjar, Google Analytics, or even Instagram polls) to regularly capture valuable feedback without hassle.
Analyze your data: Regularly set aside time to review customer feedback. Look for patterns, frustrations, unmet needs—and also surprising delights that you might leverage.
Act on your insights: Use feedback to prioritize improvements. Pick the low-hanging fruit first, celebrate quick wins, and communicate back to your customers how their insights directly shaped your decisions.
Common pitfalls wineries face with VoC (and how to avoid them)
But, a quick caution. Even wineries committed to VoC can stumble. Here’s how to avoid common mistakes:
- Collecting without analyzing: Feedback means nothing if it just sits in a spreadsheet. Set regular schedules to review and act on your data.
- Ignoring uncomfortable truths: It can be tempting to dismiss critical feedback. Instead, lean in and see criticism as a chance to genuinely improve.
- Superficial feedback: Yes/No answers won’t help much. Ask open-ended, meaningful questions that encourage customers to share deeper insights.
Putting it all together
Voice of Customer isn’t a fad. It’s a fundamental shift toward customer-driven wine marketing strategy. By genuinely listening and integrating customer feedback into your strategic decisions, your winery will gain a powerful advantage in a highly competitive market.
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