Observed Signal · Oct 21, 2026 · Podcast / Thought Leadership · Source: https://martech.org/feed/ · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Re-thinking voice of customer programs with AI and behavior data
In a podcast episode of Conversations with MarTech, Mark Trussel, general manager of voice of customer at Quantum Metric and co-founder of OpinionLab, discusses the shortcomings of traditional customer surveys, feedback requests, and Net Promoter Scores (NPS). He argues that over 50% of consumers stop responding to surveys and silently leave brands that ignore them. The conversation highlights the need to pair session-based behavior data with attitudinal data to create predictive feedback. Trussel criticizes the 'NPS lie,' where companies manage numbers instead of helping customers. He proposes using AI and lookalike modeling to understand the 'silent majority' who never respond. The episode advocates for real-time, action-triggering systems—moving from a 'thermometer' to a 'thermostat'—and emphasizes closing the CX loop by focusing on targeted, high-quality insights to improve retention and lifetime value.
The article is a podcast episode discussing the evolution of voice of customer programs with practical insights, but it does not announce a major corporate event, product launch, or regulatory change. The content is relevant to MarTech but represents thought leadership rather than transformative industry news.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Mark Trussel is general manager of voice of customer at Quantum Metric and co-founder of OpinionLab.
- More than 50% of consumers stop responding to direct surveys and silently walk away from brands that ignore them.
- The episode discusses pairing session-based user behavior with attitudinal data for predictive feedback.
- AI and lookalike modeling are proposed to quantify the 'silent majority' of customers who never fill out surveys.
- Quantum Metric is a platform that helps companies understand customer behavior.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“Mark Trussel is general manager, voice of customer, at Quantum Metric and co-founder of OpinionLab.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Shift to Omnipresent AI Listening Revolutionizes VoC Programs
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Stop Measuring Brand — Start Listening to Customers
The article argues that a brand is defined by customer experiences across all touchpoints, not just marketing claims. It advises companies to change how they listen to customers by prioritizing unsolicited feedback (reviews, social communities, call transcripts) over generic survey questions like NPS. The piece recommends using AI and natural language processing to surface recurring complaints and specific friction points, fixing operational issues (checkout, support, fulfillment) rather than launching new campaigns, ensuring automation (chatbots) actually resolves problems, and communicating fixes back to customers. The overall emphasis is on connecting feedback to concrete operational changes outside marketing to align experience with brand promises.
Unlocking Context: Transform Customer Experiences at MarTech Conference
At the March 2026 MarTech Conference, a panel session titled “Connected conversations: Building context-aware customer experiences” discussed practical ways to make customer interactions more context-aware. Moderated by Annette Franz (CEO, CX Journey, Inc.), the panel included Gene De Libero (Digital Mindshare), Shiv Gupta (Quantum Sight) and Haley Trost (Braze). Panelists argued that technology alone won’t fix fragmented experiences without an operating model that enables real-time activation of data and cross-team accountability. They advised prioritizing recent signals and immediate friction points over chasing a perfect 360° customer profile, aligning teams around shared outcomes (e.g., LTV, time-to-value, retention), and applying human guardrails when using AI so it amplifies good data rather than bad. The article notes MarTech is owned by Semrush.
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