Every business has some form of a "system" for operating. The "system" represents inter-connected processes with all aimed at delivering end value to the customers.
The customers receive a product of service. The employees deliver said product/service by operating within the "system" designed and lead by management. Management sets the rules of the system and controls it.
The voice of the system is the people who work within the system and expressing how well the system enables them to serve the customers.
The voice of the customers represents the level of satisfaction customers have with your product or service. A company's system should be designed to forever improve the value proposition and subsequent quality of product or service delivered to the end customers. This is how companies create and retain loyal relationship.
Who Hears The Voices?
If people within the company cannot speak to the issues that constrain their ability to serve the end customers then management cannot hear what needs to improve. Management's job is to enable people to improve the system.
If the customers aren't part of the feedback loop and their voice isn't considered valuable then the company is likely to miss the mark and loose the customer.
The social web magnifies the voices. Who is listening?
If you're not listening then how can you hear the issues of critical importance to the people? If your system is designed to not enable voices to speak the truth how do you really know what is going on?
If your competition is better at listening to the voices then your toast....it is just a matter of time.
What say you? Can you hear me? Then respond
Then again the only voice you may be listening to is your own. Your financial results are just noises made by the collective voices screaming.