Voice of Customer Surveys: Should You Conduct Them Internally or Use a Third Party?
Understanding the true voice of your customers is critical for driving product innovation, improving market positioning, and fostering long-term relationships. But when it comes to gathering this feedback, should companies conduct Voice of Customer (VoC) research internally, or is it better to engage a third party?
While internal teams have deep product knowledge and existing relationships, customers often hesitate to provide candid feedback in direct conversations. This hesitation can lead to biased insights, limiting a company’s ability to make informed, strategic decisions.
The Reality: Your Customers Are Filtering Their Truth
As a commercial or product leader, you invest significant effort into engaging customers, capturing their feedback, and iterating based on their input. Your customers seem satisfied, they continue using your product, and they aren’t raising major concerns. But is their silence truly a sign of approval—or just polite avoidance?
Customers may withhold critical insights for several reasons:
Preserving Relationships – They don’t want to risk damaging a valuable working relationship by offering criticism.
Skepticism Toward Change – If they believe their feedback will result in minor tweaks rather than meaningful improvements, they may not see the value in sharing it.
Lack of Safety in Honesty – Speaking openly to someone they rely on for solutions may feel risky, especially if they need quick fixes.
Even if your questions are well-structured, internal teams often focus too narrowly on the company’s product, missing valuable competitive and contextual insights. This self-filtered feedback prevents businesses from fully understanding their position in the market.
How Third-Party Research Unlocks Deeper Insights
Bringing in an external VoC research partner removes bias and creates a neutral environment where customers feel comfortable providing unfiltered feedback. Here’s why third-party execution is often the better choice:
Eliminating Bias for Honest Conversations
Customers are more willing to share their true perspectives when speaking with an objective third party. Without the concern of straining a direct relationship, they are more likely to highlight unmet needs, adoption barriers, and competitive advantages or weaknesses that they might otherwise withhold.Expert Interviewing Techniques Drive Better Insights
Skilled VoC researchers know how to probe beyond surface-level responses. They identify recurring themes across multiple conversations, ask the right follow-up questions, and structure feedback into actionable intelligence that informs product development, messaging, and market strategy.Professionalism Signals Commitment to Customer Input
When customers see that a company has invested in a third-party VoC study, they recognize that their feedback is being taken seriously. It reinforces trust and shows that their insights will be interpreted objectively rather than filtered through internal biases.Strategic Action from Structured Feedback
A well-executed VoC initiative doesn’t just gather feedback—it translates customer perspectives into clear, prioritized actions. This structured approach enables companies to make strategic decisions that drive commercial success, rather than reacting to anecdotal input.
When Does Internal VoC Research Make Sense?
While third-party facilitation is often the better approach, there are cases where internal teams can conduct effective VoC research. Internal efforts may be suitable when:
The goal is to capture quick feedback on minor feature updates.
The company has a well-established, transparent relationship with customers that encourages candid discussions.
A formal VoC study has already been conducted externally, and internal teams are following up with tactical next steps.
Making the Right Choice for Your Business
Deciding between internal and external VoC research depends on the depth of insights needed, the importance of unbiased feedback, and the strategic weight of the decisions being informed. While internal teams can play a role in ongoing customer conversations, third-party facilitation ensures that businesses uncover the most valuable—and often hidden—insights that drive competitive advantage.
By leveraging external VoC expertise, companies gain a clearer understanding of their market, build stronger relationships, and make data-driven decisions that lead to sustainable growth. If your business is relying solely on internal feedback, you might only be scratching the surface of what your customers truly think.
Contact us today to learn more: https://i5bio.com/contact
At i5 BioPartners, we specialize in helping life science companies gather and leverage customer insights to drive smarter commercialization decisions. Whether you need a third-party VoC study or guidance on your product-market strategy, our team is here to help.