A few days ago, I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive executive roundtable hosted by Deloitte in Amsterdam—an invite-only gathering of around 40 executive decision-makers: CEOs, CMOs, and other global leaders. The theme was “GenAI. Now Decides Next.” And it delivered.

I walked into that room expecting a lot of discussion about future potential. You know the kind—slides with dreamy forecasts, promises about disruption, some well-placed buzzwords. But what I found instead was something more grounded, more honest, and frankly, more exciting: a group of seasoned leaders talking about what’s working now.

I was invited to share my take on how GenAI is changing the way companies understand and act on the Voice of the Customer (VoC). And the conversation that followed was one of the most refreshing I’ve had in a long time.

Let me share a few reflections from that room—and why I believe we’re at a pivotal moment for customer-centric innovation.

GenAI Isn't the Future of VoC—It’s Already the Engine

At Wonderflow, we’ve spent years helping global brands turn raw customer feedback into clear, actionable insights. But what’s happening now with GenAI feels different. It’s not a slow evolution. It’s a shift.

In the room, some leaders shared how their organizations are already using GenAI to go beyond dashboards and dig into the “why” behind the numbers. They’re surfacing customer pain points without human prompting. Prioritizing product fixes based on impact. Even personalizing communication at a scale that was unthinkable a few years ago.

It’s no longer about “listening harder.” It’s about responding smarter.

Cutting Through the Hype: Where Companies Are Really At

Of course, not every organization in the room had found that clarity yet.

Some leaders admitted they’re still spinning in the GenAI hype cycle: building shiny POCs, experimenting with models, showcasing NPS jumps in the boardroom… but with little to no measurable ROI behind it.

One exec joked, “We analyzed 10,000 reviews—cool. Trained a model—ok. Now our NPS is 90—sure. Just don’t ask how we got there.”

I appreciate the honesty. Exploration is part of the journey. But what’s becoming clearer by the day is this: the companies making real progress are the ones who’ve moved past the slideware and started using GenAI as infrastructure, not as a toy.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

1. GenAI is driving autonomous action

We’re not just collecting feedback anymore. With the right systems in place, AI can triage incoming customer comments, suggest fixes, and even trigger workflows automatically. Think of it like having an always-on analyst who doesn’t sleep—constantly reviewing, recommending, and routing issues across the business.

One of the CTOs in the room said it best: “AI is becoming the new operations manager.”

2. Context-aware analysis is non-negotiable

Not all feedback is created equal. A sarcastic tweet is not a 1-star review, and neither is a 500-word survey comment from a loyal customer. The smartest systems know the difference.

At Wonderflow, we’ve worked hard to ensure our AI understands these nuances. And in the session, it was clear that more leaders are waking up to this need. Generic sentiment scoring just isn’t enough. Brands need systems that understand tone, context, and intent.

3. Cross-functional teams are becoming data-native

Another standout theme from the discussion: the democratization of insights. It’s no longer just analysts or BI teams using customer feedback. CX, Product, Ops, even Finance—teams are accessing real-time insights on their own, no middleman required.

One CMO shared how their product team reviews customer feedback daily before their stand-up. Another said their CX team uses AI-generated insights to inform policy changes without needing to wait for a quarterly report.

This is the shift: insights are moving from being retrospective to reactive, and now, with GenAI, to proactive.

4. Speed is the new advantage

A big “aha” moment for many in the room was just how fast the feedback loop has become.

In traditional VoC workflows, it could take weeks—or even months—for customer complaints to be aggregated, analyzed, and acted on. Now? GenAI lets companies detect issues in real-time and initiate changes within hours.

Speed has always been a competitive advantage. But in the age of GenAI, it’s becoming a necessity.

5. AI doesn't replace human judgement—it augments it

I said this in the room, and I’ll say it again here: the goal of GenAI is not to replace people. It’s to elevate them.

The most impactful use cases I heard about weren’t about automation for automation’s sake. They were about how AI can help leaders make faster, better-informed, more empathetic decisions.

At Wonderflow, we see this every day. Our technology doesn’t tell people what to do. It gives them the clarity to decide.

What This Means Going Forward 

What struck me most about the Deloitte event was the shared sense of momentum. Yes, there were still open questions—about governance, data quality, and change management. But there was also an unmistakable shift from “why” to “how.”

Leaders aren’t asking if GenAI will change the way they engage with customers. They’re asking how fast they can scale it across the business.

And honestly, that’s what excites me most.

Why Wonderflow Is All In

This isn’t new territory for us. At Wonderflow, we’ve been building toward this future for years. We pioneered the use of GenAI in customer feedback analysis with our product Wonder, and we continue to lead the way in helping global brands turn raw reviews and survey data into business action.

For us, GenAI isn’t about showing off technical capabilities. It’s about driving tangible results—whether that’s fixing a product flaw, increasing retention, or delighting a customer when it matters most.

Final Thoughts: Let’s Keep It Real

To everyone at Deloitte who helped organize the event—thank you. What you created wasn’t just another tech roundtable. It was a safe space for real leaders to talk about real challenges, real wins, and yes—real frustrations.

GenAI is here. It’s not loud. It’s not flashy. But it’s quietly transforming how we serve customers—and how we run businesses.

If you’re still watching from the sidelines, now’s the time to get in the game. Because in this new era, response time beats volume. And clarity beats complexity.

If you’re interested in learning more, schedule a personalized demo with one of my VoC experts today. Let’s build smarter, together.

Gianluca Ferranti
CEO, Wonderflow

‍