What is a customer advisory board?

Companies apply “customer advisory board”, “client advisory council”, and similar terms to almost any forum involving customer input and interaction. Such a broad definition—“a forum for customer feedback”—causes confusion. Which customers? Feedback about what? Who needs insight? How will they use it?

Customer advisory boards are strategy-level listening and sounding boards

Consider three different levels for customer feedback—product, solutions, strategy. Do you have a clear consensus about which kind of forum you’re trying to create?

	PRODUCT	SOLUTIONS	STRATEGY
Call it...	User Group Focus Group	Focus Group Co-creation Lab Collaborative Design	Customer Advisory Board Client Advisory Council
Why	Improve satisfaction with specific, existing products or services	Develop new products or services	Accelerate change Uncover opportunities Strengthen relationships Shape future strategies and markets
Who	Day-to-day, tactical users	Tactical users, process owners, or others with a view on need	Peer executives from customer organizations and your own

Farland Group’s definition of a customer advisory board

In our minds, a customer advisory board is a strategy-level listening tool and sounding board that offers equal value to both you and participating customers:

• builds relationships between key, senior customers and stakeholders

• meets multiple times a year

• advises on and shapes strategy, product/service direction, and innovation

• fosters an ongoing, collaborative dialogue about the market

A customer advisory board IS NOT a:

• lead generation tool

• conference or event

• focus group

• research program

Conspicuously absent: Any type of selling, pitching, or in-depth product testing and discussion. Why? Those discussions misuse your advisors’ time. They undermine the trust, energy, and engagement that are critical to get the most valuable, strategic advice.