Direct User Interaction
Customer Advisory Boards
Customer Advisory Boards (CABs) consist of a group of customers assembled to provide feedback and guidance on product strategy, features, and market trends. These boards are valuable for fostering deeper customer engagement and leveraging insights from key users to drive strategic decisions.
Pros:
Strategic Insights: Provides in-depth feedback from engaged and knowledgeable customers.
Customer Loyalty: Increases loyalty and retention by making customers feel valued and involved in the development process.
Market Relevance: Helps ensure that product developments align with actual market needs and customer expectations.
Cons:
Resource Intensive: Requires significant time and effort to organize and maintain.
Potential Bias: Limited board size may not fully represent the broader customer base or market diversity.
Long-Term Commitment: Effective boards require long-term commitment from both the organization and the members, which can be challenging to sustain.
IMPLEMENTATION
Select Members: Choose diverse and knowledgeable customers who are representative of your broader customer base or target segments.
Define Objectives: Clearly outline the goals of the CAB, such as providing feedback on new features, discussing market trends, or enhancing customer experience.
Organize Meetings: Plan regular meetings (quarterly, biannually) where board members can discuss topics pertinent to the product and market. These can be virtual or in-person.
Facilitate Engagement: Ensure meetings are well-structured and productive, with clear agendas and opportunities for all members to contribute.
Act on Feedback: Use the insights gathered to inform product development, marketing strategies, and customer service enhancements.
COST
Mid-Range, High
Costs can vary but generally include expenses for organizing meetings, possible travel if meetings are in-person, and benefits provided to board members.
FREE/LOW COST OPTION
Virtual Meetings: Conduct meetings virtually to avoid travel and venue costs.
Leverage Existing Engagements: Incorporate CAB activities into existing customer engagement or feedback sessions to reduce extra overhead.
Non-Monetary Perks: Offer non-monetary perks like exclusive insights into company plans, direct access to top executives, or enhanced support instead of financial incentives.
TIPS
Select Engaged Customers: Choose customers who have shown interest and engagement with your brand in the past.
Highlight Impact: Emphasize the influence they can have on the product's future and how their insights will be utilized.
Offer Exclusive Benefits: Provide members with exclusive perks, such as early access to new features, special discounts, or insider updates.
Respect Their Time: Keep meetings concise and well-organized, respecting members' time and contributions.
Facilitate Networking: Offer opportunities for members to network with each other, adding value to their professional lives.
RECOMMENDED USAGE
Product Managers: Oversee the CAB and use insights to influence product roadmap and strategy.
Customer Success Managers: Facilitate relationships with board members and ensure their feedback is heard and valued.
Marketing Executives: Utilize insights to align marketing strategies with customer needs.
Executive Team: Occasionally involve to provide oversight and integrate strategic advice into high-level decision-making.
AVAILABLE TOOLS