Samsung had a problem.  Its culture was static and inward-looking.  Then, in the early 1990s, Lee Kun-Hee, chairman of the South Korean electronics giant, made a decision that would reshape his organization and create a blueprint for globalization.  He sent a handful of the brightest young employees to far-away corners of the globe to immerse themselves in the culture, learn the language, and build networks so that someday Samsung would know how to supply those markets.  What an amazing investment in the future.

- Verne Harnish, The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time

While sending some of your most talented team members away for year-long sabbaticals is not (and certainly doesn't need to be) a part of every company's strategy, the concept behind the program does: if you want to grow your brand, you must understand what makes your customers (and especially your potential customers) tick.  What Samsung's lesson teaches us is that while a customer survey is good (and always better than no survey at all), getting as close as possible to your customers is better.  

So what can you do in 2015 to get closer to the experiences of your customers?  Consider taking your program up one level at a time.  For example:

• If you don't have a survey program, start one.
• If you already have a robust remote survey program (paper, online, phone), try adding an in-person method, such as a focus group.
• If you already have an in-person survey, try finding opportunities to shadow the customer.  If this is not possible directly, consider something like in-person audits.  

And this process can go on and on, all the way up to the example of Samsung.  But, ultimately, what's most important is that you and your company continually strive to find ways to understand your customers better and better so you can not only serve them better now, but grow and change with them in the future.