During the past survey, O’Brien and her team recognized an opportunity to enhance customer relationships and grow them from a more transactional style to a more intimate and strategic customer relationship. Based on this data, she developed an engagement and reinvigoration strategy to deploy immediately into the market.
Part of the strategy involved a multi-channel engagement program to communicate with, educate and strengthen relationships with its existing customers on a more frequent basis, including an e-newsletter, webinar educational series, and a three-day, in-person training event. Overall, the success of the program helped increase engagement across the board, with higher open rates on CPC e-blasts YOY (year-over-year), stronger attendance for webinars and more than 150 attendees for its in-person event.
“It was important to hear from our customers not only in what areas we succeed, but also areas where we can improve, and that they were willing to build upon our relationships for future growth,” O’Brien says. “And did that pay off. We ended the year with strong commitments heading into 2025 and renewed energy, and our customers saw and appreciated the effort and dedication we poured into communicating and engaging with them in 2024.”
“Listening goes beyond collecting feedback; it’s about co-creation. By involving customers as collaborators, campaigns become more meaningful.”
Jenny Petty, VP, Marketing Communications, Experience & Engagement, University of Montana
In an age of extreme data overload and continual technological advancements, the art of listening to your customers is becoming both a challenge and a necessity for today’s marketers. This is making strategies that O’Brien implemented even more important for being able to pinpoint customer needs and preferences. The voice of the customer is extremely important to the success of any company—from the marketing and brand, to product development and, ultimately, sales. The key is to go in with an open mind.
Understanding your target audience and optimizing customer experiences is critical to helping drive results. In her quest to capture what customers want, O’Brien employs myriad VoC strategies, including customer interviews, surveys, in-person meetings, online engagement metrics, social media and reviews, and others. “I’ve always found that a blend of methods helps paint a fuller picture of the customer voice and creates better strategies for long-term success. It’s important to get out in the field and engage with our customers on a regular basis.”
One of O’Brien’s priorities is to go through the customer journey from the consumer’s viewpoint, which helps her understand the experience and identify service gaps that need optimization. “Marketing is both an art and a science. Data is extremely helpful in conveying trends and activities, and it is important information for marketers to build strategies from. But, at the end of the day, we are all consumers. Every one of us buys things every day. And while you may not be the target audience for your brand’s products, it’s your job to put yourself through their journey.”
The human-centric digital ecosystem
The University of Montana (UM) views its digital platforms as a human-centered digital ecosystem to best meet market demand. In that ecosystem, the university focuses on personalization, building trust and making sure the digital experience is consistent for its visitors. That means regular evaluation and improvements are needed to create and compete with consumer-grade experiences.
The shift presents an opportunity for the university to lead the charge in transforming not just its processes, but the overall experience, which Jenny Petty says ensures students are met with a frictionless, future-forward institution that prioritizes their needs. “Listening to the voice of the customer requires a thoughtful mix of qualitative and quantitative tools,” says Petty, UM’s VP of Marketing Communications, Experience and Engagement.
Some of the most effective methods Petty and her team uses are surveys and focus groups (platforms like Qualtrics and in-person engagements); social listening platforms (tools like Campus Sonar, Sprout Social and Meltwater); CRM Analytics (HubSpot and Slate); and third-party research, including partnering with organizations to provide a broader view of industry trends and student needs.
“I’ve always found that a blend of methods helps paint a fuller picture of the customer voice and creates better strategies for long-term success. It’s important to get out in the field and engage with our customers on a regular basis.”
Bridgette O’Brien, Senior Director Brand & Customer Experience, Colder Products Company
“We don’t often like to think of our students as consumers or customers, but we need to shift our mindset on this,” Petty says. “We all have expectations for consumer journeys. Gen Z responds well to quick, mobile-friendly surveys and interactive platforms like Instagram polls. Different tools are optimized for various stages of the enrollment funnel—for example, chatbots for early inquiries and personalized email flows for later stages. The tools we use must align with the digital habits and preferences of today’s students.”
Petty recalls the “Nike N7” campaign, where UM prioritized listening sessions with Indigenous students, alumni and community leaders. Their feedback emphasized the need for authentic representation and highlighted cultural symbols with deep meaning. This collaboration led to the university partnering with Indigenous artists for custom designs, and ensuring campaign imagery and messaging celebrated the diversity of Indigenous cultures in Montana. “The campaign achieved record-breaking engagement on social media and earned national recognition for its authenticity and impact. To date, it is our highest performing retail collection and has sparked a new campus tradition of celebrating our Indigenous communities through multiple avenues beyond athletics.”
Each winter, the “N7”-inspired events include guest lectures, special visit programs for prospective Indigenous students, and new artwork that celebrates Montana’s Indigenous artists and 12 recognized Tribes. “Listening goes beyond collecting feedback; it’s about co-creation,” Petty says. “By involving customers as collaborators, campaigns become more meaningful, building trust and long-term relationships. Authenticity is built through collaboration, not assumption.”
In today’s ever-shifting consumer landscape, truly listening to your customers’ wants and needs is the key to building trust, fostering loyalty and delivering meaningful experiences. By embracing active listening and leveraging insights to shape your strategies, you can create deeper connections that drive lasting success.
