1. CUSTOMER
ADVISORY
BOARD
A Strategic Instrument for
Corporate Development.
1

2. Methodology
Collaborative study of Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, Postbank and
F.A.Z.-Institut.
30 interviews with executives of companies with and without
Customer Advisory Board, interviews with members of Customer
Advisory Board (March to May 2011).
Representative CATI-survey of the German-speaking population
older than18 years (n = 1002) conducted by Forsa in April 2011.
Survey with „non-applicants“ to the Postbank Customer Advisory
Board (n = 100) conducted by TNS Infratest in March and April
2011 enriched with data analysis of written applications for the
Customer Advisory Board (n=1.833) and phone interviews
(n=276).
Plus additional articles and Best Practice.
2

3. Overview
1. The Benefit – Transformation: Customer Advisory Boards can contribute to the
transformation of a company by increasing customer centricity and improving products
and services.
2. The Opportunity – Reputation: As the institution is still in its infancy, establishing a
Customer Advisory Board can help to improve a company’s reputation.
3. The Relevance – Customer Advisory Boards make sense: The majority of the
population is convinced that Customer Advisory Boards make sense.
4. The People – Motivated, informed and positive: Candidates for Customer Advisory
Boards are generally well informed and have a positive attitude towards the company.
5. The Basics – Building blocs and requirements.
3

4. 1. The Benefit – Transformation.
4

5. Different focus – depending on type of company –
but common overall objective: Transformation.
Customer (mobile) Ex- Service
Change
Centricity Monopolists Companies
Tangible
Co-operation Relationship Specialists
Companies
5

6. The transformation can include
internal an external aspects.
Transformation: Reputation:
Optimizing the Change of perception by
organization, products and establishing CAB as a
services, corporate internal external
platform for reputation and
development a direct link to management
Optimization, Innovation Reputation
& Co-Creation
Issues Management &
Understanding Customers Agenda Setting
Cultural Change Advocacy
6

7. The Customer Advisory Board as part of general
as well as specific transformation processes.
“We would like to develop a
“The Customer Advisory new business segment
Board is part of our Change- with the help of our
Management Program.” Customer Advisory Board.”
“Without our customers’
advice we wouldn’t be
able to enhance our
service.”
Source: Interviews conducted for "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development"
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8. The Customer Advisory Board as a platform for
dialogue with “real” customers.
“They’re not a paid panel with
random participants, but real
customer with self- “Board members are
interests.” personalities, not just ‘study
objects’ as in market research.
Encounters take place on the
same level.“
Source: Interviews conducted for "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development"
8

9. The Customer Advisory Board as a
catalyst for cultural change.
“We think more
customer-centric since
“The Customer Advisory we have a Customer
Board is good for our Advisory Board.”
corporate culture.”
Source: Interviews conducted for "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development"
9

10. 2. The Opportunity – Reputation.
10

11. The signal effect has an impact.
„Our Customer Advisory
Board-initiative shows: We‘re
an open company and a „The Customer Advisory
pioneer in our industry.“ Board does not result in
higher sales, but it’s a
signal.“
Source: Interviews conducted for "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development"
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12. However, the Customer Advisory Board
should not be overly marketed.
„Sensibility
is crucial.“
„The Customer Advisory Board
is not a PR-instrument. This
is why it only has a very basic
website.“
Source: Interviews conducted for "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development"
12

13. 3. The Relevance – Customer
Advisory Boards make sense.
13

14. Customer Advisory Boards are
not yet widely known.
20%
„Have heard of the
75% term, but do not
exactly know what it
„Never heard of it.“ means.“
4%
„Know exactly, what it is.“
Source: "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development”, Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, F.A.Z-Institut and Postbank, May 2011;
representative CATI-survey, n = 1.002, forsa; Question: „Do you know exactly, what a Customer Advisory Board is, have you heard the term, but do not exactly
know what it means, or have you never heard of it?“ 1% don’t know/ no answer
14

15. But if the concept is explained …
„A Customer Advisory Board consists of several
customers of a company, who can make suggestions
regarding the products and services of the company. In
return for their efforts, they receive a small
compensation. However, it is up to the company to
decide whether or not it will consider and implement
the suggestions of the Board.“
Source: "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development”, Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, F.A.Z-Institut and Postbank, May 2011;
representative CATI-survey, n = 1.002, forsa
15

16. … the majority is convinced that Customer
Advisory Boards make sense.
23%
58%
„they don’t make
„they make a lot of a lot of sense“
sense“ and „they
make sense“ 17%
„they make no
sense at all“
Source: "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development”, Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, F.A.Z-Institut and Postbank, May 2011;
representative CATI-survey, n = 1.002, forsa; Question: „Do Customer Advisory Boards makes sense in your opinion“ 3% don’t know / no answer
16

17. 4. The People – Motivated,
informed and positive.
17

18. Who wants to be part of a Customer
Advisory Board?
Who doesn‘t? Any why not?
18

19. Satisfied customers would like to get involved
in a Customer Advisory Board.
3% 3%
29% 49%
69% 49%RTHER
FOR FU
DE TAILS P
LEASE
CONTA
CT US
Source: "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development”, Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, F.A.Z-Institut and Postbank, May 2011;
Survey with „Non-Applicants“ to the Postbank Customer Advisory Board (n = 100) in March and April 2011 by TNS Infratest enrichedwith data analysis of written
applications for the Customer Advisory Board (n=1.833) and phone interviews (n=276)
19

20. Customers with a positive attitude
towards the company.
4%
14%
23%
34%
73% 52%
FOR FU
RTHER
DETAIL
S PLEA
CONTA SE
CT US
Source: "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development”, Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, F.A.Z-Institut and Postbank, May 2011;
Survey with „Non-Applicants“ to the Postbank Customer Advisory Board (n = 100) in March and April 2011 by TNS Infratest enrichedwith data analysis of written
applications for the Customer Advisory Board (n=1.833) and phone interviews (n=276)
20

21. What are the reasons against participating in a
Customer Advisory Board? Mainly personal issues.
3%
18%
„no interest“ 36%
„unwilling to
participate“ 8% „no time“
„job“
8% 9% FOR FU
6%
„age“ RTHER
„lack of personal DETAIL
S PLEA
competence“ CONTA SE
CT US
„family“
2%
4%
„little influence of CAB“
„health“
Source: "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development”, Musiol Munzinger Sasserath, F.A.Z-Institut and Postbank, May 2011;
Survey with „Non-Applicants“ to the Postbank Customer Advisory Board (n = 100) in March and April 2011 by TNS Infratest
21

22. 5. The Basics – Building blocs
and requirements.
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23. For further information on building blocks and
requirements for a Customer Advisory Board …
… order the full report: … contact us:
Nina Reicke
Partner
T +49 30.7790777-82
nr@musiolmunzingersasserath.com
Musiol Munzinger Sasserath
Gesellschaft für umsetzungsorientierte Markenberatung
und Markenentwicklung mbH
Rosenstraße 18
D-10178 Berlin
(only available in German) T +49 30.7790777-70
F +49 30.7790777-99
faz-institut.de facebook.com/MusiolMunzingerSasserath
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24. „Is there anything better for
engaging customers in a
dialogue than a Board?“ „I would like to be
part of it for a long
time.“
Source: Interviews conducted for "Customer Advisory Board – A strategic instrument for corporate development"
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25. Gesellschaft für umsetzungsorientierte Markenberatung
und Markenentwicklung mbH
Rosenstraße 18
D-10178 Berlin
T +49 30.7790777-70
F +49 30.7790777-99
hello@musiolmunzingersasserath.com
www.musiolmunzingersasserath.com
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