Poll: Customer Insight, the forgotten leader?

Whilst leading the largest customer insight function amongst UK insurers, I was struck how poorly served CI leaders are; in terms of coaching or consultancy support. Compared to my peers in Marketing or Operations, this looks like a real gap in the market.

Sure, there was technical training for members of an insight team; be that in analytical software, SQL coding, statistics, data management or research methods. Plus, yes, there is a wealth of general management or leadership support available; from softer skills training courses to executive coaching at the other end of the spectrum. However, the gap I’m referring to is the “filling in that sandwich”. The art and science to effectively use the range of technical insight skills in concert and in a way that drives action (to both improve customer experience & to make money).

So, why the gap? Well, as far as I can tell the audience is not well understood. There does not appear to be an agreed common definition of Customer Insight; for example some companies use this term to refer to research, some to analysis and few to the combination. But I wonder if it is also because it is only fairly recently that customer insight leaders have risen to greater seniority and influence within companies. Few of this brave band have since moved on to consultancy and training, so a practitioners perspective is rarely available as an offering.

I’d be interested in hearing existing customer insight leaders thoughts on this: