Resources
Customer Stories Resource Hub Platform Releases

Sonos
& Fuel Cycle

Customer Story

Read the story
  • back
Company
About Us Awards & Accolades Become a Partner Contact Us Careers

Join the Fuel Cycle Team!

Explore Open Positions

Apply Today
  • back

< Back to all Customer Stories

Sonos: Community-Led Research That Powered Commercial Expansion | Fuel Cycle Case Study
Case Study · Consumer Electronics

From Living Spaces to Workplaces: Sonos' Community-Led Journey Into Commercial Territory

Facing the challenge of understanding commercial users, Sonos partnered with Fuel Cycle to create an agile research community that shaped their strategy for success in the commercial space.

About Sonos

Sonos is renowned for its innovative home audio products. With the launch of Sonos Pro, the company expanded beyond homes into the commercial space — bringing its signature seamless audio experience to businesses for the first time.

The Challenge

Transitioning to commercial audio meant navigating an entirely new user landscape. What resonates with at-home users doesn't necessarily translate to commercial settings. Sonos needed to understand new use cases, extended usage periods, and a complex web of decision-makers — from CEOs to IT teams and marketing professionals — while moving fast enough to keep pace with product development.

The Approach

A Community-Powered Research Strategy

Sonos partnered with Fuel Cycle to build an agile research community that replaced the logistical burden of traditional advisory boards. The platform gave the Insights team a centralized space to engage customers, pose questions, and receive responses quickly — without the manual effort of emails, scheduling, and individual incentive management.

Fuel Cycle community and account managers supported the Sonos team throughout, providing platform expertise and hands-on guidance whenever needed.

  • 1
    Replaced traditional advisory board model with a centralized community platform
  • 2
    Enabled rapid question-and-response cycles without manual coordination
  • 3
    Combined quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in one platform
  • 4
    Supported by dedicated Fuel Cycle community and account managers
Engagement Activities

How Sonos Connected with Commercial Users

Fuel Cycle's platform enabled four distinct research and engagement activities that drove continuous insight across the Sonos Pro launch.

Discussion Boards
Ongoing asynchronous conversations that allowed community members to share perspectives on commercial use cases, product features, and user experiences at their own pace.
Interviews & Focus Groups
Structured qualitative sessions that gave Sonos direct access to commercial decision-makers — from CEOs to IT teams — to probe needs and pain points in depth.
Creative Engagement
Members were recognized through initiatives like 'Member of the Quarter' and annual swag giveaways, building genuine relationships and fostering a sense of ownership in the brand.
Workshops & Share-Outs
Regular synthesis sessions translated community findings into actionable steps, closing the loop between customer feedback and organizational decision-making.
"

With Fuel Cycle, we have an account manager and community manager whose support has been invaluable for us. Whenever I need advice running the community, I can always rely on their expertise. Their assistance has truly been instrumental in our success.

Su He
Sonos
Business Impact

Community Insights That Moved the Business

Sonos Pro Launch Informed by Community
Insights from the research community shaped decisions at every stage of the Sonos Pro launch — from product design to marketing initiatives.
Commercial Customer Archetypes Defined
Research identified distinct customer archetypes for the commercial space, enabling more targeted product development and marketing strategy.
Dynamic Feedback Loop Established
Unlike traditional advisory boards where insights stagnated, the platform created a continuous cycle of feedback, action, and re-engagement that members valued.
Cross-Organizational Collaboration
Community insights were synthesized and shared across the business, fostering a culture of agility and evidence-based decision-making throughout the organization.
Lessons Learned

Innovating with Insight

Sonos' experience highlights the importance of agile research methodologies and continuous engagement with customers — particularly when transitioning to new market segments. Leveraging Fuel Cycle enabled the team to harness the collective wisdom of their customer base and drive innovation iteratively.

Moving forward, Sonos plans to further integrate community insights into strategy across marketing, product development, and beyond — ensuring sustained success in the commercial space.

With a solid foundation in place, Sonos continues to innovate — delivering exceptional experiences tailored to the diverse needs of its commercial clientele.

See It In Action

Build the Customer Connection That Drives Every Decision

See how Fuel Cycle's research community platform can help your team stay connected to customers and move faster from insight to action.

  • Continuous access to real customers
  • Quantitative and qualitative in one platform
  • Expert community management support
  • Insights that inform every stage of product development