A few weeks ago, I found myself grappling with a frustrating issue involving my prepaid card provider. A simple error of an incorrect deduction turned into a 22-minute call just to explain my case to an agent.
After much back and forth, I was instructed to visit a physical branch to fill out a dispute form. This felt almost absurd as I was inconvenienced for a mistake I didn’t make.
Seeking quicker help, I turned to social media platform X. To their credit, the bank’s social team responded swiftly. They requested my email and sent me the dispute form and card statement electronically. I filled them in and hoped for a resolution. A week later, I received an email dismissing my complaint, apparently, there was “no error.”
Still puzzled, I asked for a callback. When the call finally came, the representative reviewed the same statement and admitted the error had indeed been missed during the earlier review.
My funds were eventually refunded, two weeks after the initial complaint. I was left wondering: Why did it take so long to acknowledge the issue? How many other customers may have been affected by similar errors and given up? What steps had the bank taken to ensure this wouldn’t happen again?
Sadly, none of these questions were addressed. I was refunded but not reassured. And that’s the real loss.
Surface listening isn’t good enough
We often hear the phrase “voice of the customer” in corporate corridors, usually tucked into annual reports or brand strategy decks. But how often do companies truly listen? In customer experience, we say that for every one complaint voiced, at least 25 go unspoken.
If an organisation chooses to dismiss that one voice, it doesn’t just risk losing a customer; it risks losing an entire community of silent detractors. And this happens despite investments in great technology, polished service scripts, and competitive pricing.
The problem? Businesses are often listening at a surface level. Data is collected but rarely acted upon. Reports are written but seldom used to trigger meaningful change.
Truly listening to customers requires a shift in mindset, particularly from leadership. Feedback must flow up the organisation, not just across teams. And most importantly, it must reach decision-makers in its raw, unfiltered form.
A powerful and practical way to do this is to listen to the people who interact with customers daily. Your call center agents, front desk staff, and field sales reps are your real-time feedback loop. Yet many organisations overlook their insights in favor of quarterly surveys and dashboards.
The most critical question any customer-facing organisation should ask is not just “Are we collecting feedback?” but “Are we acting on it?” Today’s Kenyan customer is more informed, connected, and vocal than ever before.
Whether you’re a bank, a hospital, an insurer, or an e-commerce platform, your customers have options, and they’re not afraid to explore them. That’s why customer experience can no longer be treated as a back-office function. It is a strategic asset.
The voice of the customer isn’t background noise. It’s the heartbeat of your business. The question is: Are you listening?
The writer is the Customer Experience Manager at Minet Kenya.
