Customer Advisory Board Examples
Successful CAB Examples: View Results & Sample CAB Materials
Below are examples of customer advisory board business impact and results from world-class advisory board programs, including Adobe, Dell, Ryder, US Bank and others.
Ryder Customer Advisory Board Program
- Leveraged its CAB to promote its supply chain business and create a successful ad campaign that increased leads 21% in one month. Ryder’s CMO used board feedback to launch a marketing campaign, read about how Ryder’s first ads about its supply chain business lifted lead volume 21%.
- Was recognized with a “Loyalty360 Award” for its cross-functional client engagement programs – with CABs being core to its customer-centric approach.
- Based on the invaluable feedback gained from its CAB, Ryder is providing incremental value by extending its service leases, launching its vehicle sharing network, and developed RyderShare™, a digital platform for visibility in supply chain.
- “Our CEO wanted to cultivate a more customer-driven organization, and our CAB has enabled us to become customer-obsessed. Our CAB helped break down our internally focused siloes by providing insights to which leadership may otherwise not be exposed. It has led to the development and launch of several successful products, and we acquired a company as a direct result of CAB input. Our CAB program has been well worth the expense – we consider it the ‘secret sauce’ behind the success of our customers.” Stephanie Wicky, Group Marketing Director, Ryder. Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing CABs
Example outputs:
- Webinar: Fireside Chat, “How Ryder Customer Advisory Boards Drive Priorities”
- Tweet: Inaugural Enterprise Customer Advisory Board
- Ryder Case study: “Conagra Brands and Ryder: Delivering Continuous Improvement to Overcome Demands”
- Facebook page post: “Ryder is hosting its 4th annual Food & Beverage Customer Advisory Board in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where key customer members and Ryder executives come together to shape the future of transportation and logistics.”
Adobe Customer Advisory Board Program
Adobe’s global Customer Advisory Boards helps shape product strategy, roadmap, and go-to-market strategy. The board provides an ongoing stream of customer-driven ideas for Adobe’s solutions and products. Adobe also leverages the board for beta testers.
“Running 11 global boards with 300 members is a daunting task. Ignite AG’s outcome based methodologies and extensive best practices give us a dynamic blueprint for Customer Advisory Board success.” Alison Lutjemeier, Group Manager, Customer Success Programs, Adobe Systems, Digital Marketing BU
Example outputs:
- Webinar: CAB Conference “Customer Advisory Boards Across a Matrixed Org: Structures and Product Focused Feedback”
- Webinar: “Determining Customer Advisory Board ROI & Closing the Feedback Loop”
- Webinar: “Essentials in Creating and Managing a Successful Customer Advisory Board Program”
- Blog: “3 Ways To Get More From Your Customer Validation Program”
- Video: “How Adobe is Supercharging Customer Advisory Boards”
VMware Executive Partner Advisory Board
Overall, VMware has many technical and CIO advisory boards for customers, to inform product strategy and roadmap. Specific to the VMware Executive Partner Advisory Board, the board consists of CEOs and C-level executives of global organizations representing VMware’s partner ecosystem. The VMware Executive Partner Advisory Board provides insight and feedback on business and solution strategies, leveraging the partner ecosystem for co-innovation, partner services strategy, and evolving business models.
Example outputs:
- Webinar: CAB Conference “Partner Advisory Boards: VMware’s Perspective”
- Webinar: “VMware Advisory Board: How to Effectively Launch Your Inaugural Meeting Virtually”
Dell Customer Advisory Board
The Dell Software President’s Advisory Board consisted of a CIO panel and a CISO panel, and the board provided guidance and advice on business strategy and product development. Dell also used the board to get beta testers for new solutions and to generate cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.
“Working under tight deadlines and with multiple Dell stakeholders Ignite Advisory Group delivered a best in class Customer Advisory Board experience for the President’s Advisory Board members and Dell.” Joanne Moretti, VP & Global Head Software Marketing, Dell Software
Example outputs:
Wolters Kluwer Customer Advisory Board
“Our product and service teams came away from our CAB meeting with great input to our roadmap and how we support our customers. We also gained some important insights into how our customers deal with various banking regulations, some of which we didn’t realize they were struggling with as much as they actually were.” Lisa Mohs, Client Experience and Delivery Program Manager Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing CABs
Forcepoint Executive Advisory Board
“Our CAB has informed our go-to-market and channel strategies, messaging and product roadmap, and is absolutely impacting our CEO and overall company.” Ben Tao, VP of Marketing Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing CABs.
Example outputs:
Learn how Ignite can help you establish, manage and optimize a world-class customer advisory board program for your company.
Schedule a FREE consultation with an Ignite CAB expert now.
Example Customer Advisory Board Benefits and Outcomes
Well-managed customer advisory boards and partner advisory boards can provide a company with numerous benefits. Advisory boards impact business strategy, marketing, customer satisfaction, and products and solutions.
What can a CAB provide for your company? Increased customer satisfaction and retention, product validation, stronger customer relationships, thought leadership, and more.
CABs are not a sales engagement (our cardinal rule is no selling at CABs!). And successful CABs also lead to new sales opportunities and revenue growth among CAB members.
AVI-SPL Customer Advisory Board
“Our CAB impacted our R&D efforts, changed our strategic direction, and changed how we deliver solutions to our international markets. In addition, the strategic output from our meetings has driven collective problem solving and work committees that have published thought leadership, which has significantly built our brand and created more sales opportunities.” Kelly Bousman, SVP of Marketing Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing CABs
Example outputs:
- Podcast (YouTube Video): “Voice of the Customer Insights Only Your CAB Can Deliver”
- Blog: “How to Create a Scorecard to Track Your Digital Workplace Value”
- Blog: “How AI and AVI-SPL Are Improving the Workplace” about an AI guide created in collaboration with board members, “How AI Will Make Collaboration Experts of Us All”
- Blog: “2017 AVI-SPL Sales Summit”
UPS Capital Customer Advisory Board
“Our CAB has made a great impact on our core teams. For example, our discussion on ecommerce uncovered a range of vendors and platforms that led to us changing our product positioning and helped us revamp our website. In addition, our CAB members were trial users of our new solution, and their NPS (net promoter scores) rose significantly after we made the changes they suggested.” Keely Jabloner, Strategy Manager Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing CABs
ABB Digital Advisory Board
“Our CAB has increased our customer centricity and made our organization more in-tune with our industry. Our senior executives now have much more awareness of customer interests, which has helped shape our product direction.” Rob Massoudi, SVP of Digital Transformation Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing CABs
U.S. Bank Client Advisory Panel
“Our client advisory panel (CAP) enabled us to start a dialogue between our customers and our executive management which was phenomenal and led to stronger, deeper relationships and additional engagements. The value that we gained out of our CAP paid off to a level that we didn’t anticipate.” – Executive Sponsor Jeff Rankin.
Example outputs:
BNY Pershing Client Advisory Board
“At Pershing, a BNY Company, we’ve found Client Advisory Boards to be a powerful tool to elevate our C-suite client relationships.” Jim Crowley, Chief Executive Officer, Pershing, a BNY Company
Example outputs:
Iron Mountain Customer Advisory Board
The Iron Mountain Customer Advisory Board has influenced the company’s product strategy and co-created practical guides addressing key industry challenges. Iron Mountain also partnered with advisory board members to take part in industry events and roundtables, in addition to identifying opportunities for cross-selling and upsell.
Example outputs:
- CAB Web Page: Iron Mountain CAB overview page
- Blog: “3 Ways To Use A Customer Advisory Board To Boost Engagement & Revenue”
- Blog: “Iron Mountain’s Blueprint for a Successful Customer Marketing Strategy”
- Article: “Modern Marketers Drive Revenue & Retention Through Post-Sale Nurturing, Customer Communities”
- Article: “How Iron Mountain’s Customer Marketing Strategy Delivers 6-Figure Value”
Amazon Customer Advisory Board
Amazon’s executive-level CIO advisory board helps guide the strategy for Amazon’s Cloud Services business. Ignite assisted Amazon in redesigning the advisory board to optimize the time they have with their top CIO customers globally.
IHG Customer Advisory Board
The IHG Global CAB consists of Heads of Travel across major corporations and industry associations. Members provide feedback in areas including the company’s brand portfolio, loyalty program, and the guest and meeting experience. Member guidance informs IHG’s future solutions for serving the needs of business and meeting travelers and serves as the “voice of the customer” to influence positive brand positioning for IHG.
Oracle Customer Advisory Board
Oracle has multiple advisory boards that exist on different levels, some are Product Advisory Boards designed to give feedback on the product roadmap and customer experience, while others operate at a much senior level, consisting of CMOs or CIOs who are tapped to influence and advise on the future direction of Oracle’s strategy.
Example outputs:
- Web page: Read now
- Blog: “CABs Offer Unique Opportunities for Oracle Customers”
- FAQ: read now
Brocade’s client advisory board consists of the senior-level IT decision makers. The business objective is to find new and disruptive business opportunities for Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies, which could become game changing for their organizations.
Example outputs:
- Advisory Board Page: Meeting Invitation
Read our Ignite thought leadership: Key Drivers of High Performing Customer Advisory Boards
