A customer advisory board (CAB) is a strategic group composed of leadership from customer organizations that collaborates with a company's executives to influence strategy and address industry challenges. There are three types of CAB maturity, from poorly executed boards (type 1) to well-designed boards that allow for member discussion (type 3), and participating members benefit from impacting product development, networking, and gaining insights into industry trends. The document also highlights potential challenges of advisory programs and the advantages of outsourcing management to experienced firms like Ignite Advisory Group.

1. 1
Gaining Valuable Business Insight
Through a Customer Advisory Board
Eyal Danon
President
Ignite Advisory Group
www.igniteag.com

2. 2
What is a Customer Advisory Board?
Strategic board made up of select leadership
from customer organizations who work with your
senior leadership team to guide vision and
strategy and address industry challenges.

3. 3
Advisory Board Types

4. 4
Three Types of CAB Maturity
Type 3: The panel views the vendor as a trusted partner, who listens
80% and presents 20% of the time. This represents a well-designed
Customer Advisory Board. The company has selected hot topics that
are top of mind for members. The facilitator ensures that each member’s
opinion is heard and the vendor presentations are kept to a minimum to
allow for more member discussion.
Type 1: The vendor presents 80% and listens 20% of the time. This
is a poorly executed advisory panel that has been convened without
the necessary research into top of mind topics for members in advance.
The vendor is left to do all the talking due to a lack of insight into the
board members’ challenges in advance. The vendor struggles to get 12
people to attend a meeting, and the members typically delegate their
attendance to more junior colleagues.
Type 2: The vendor presents 50% and listens 50% of the time. The
board has yet to develop trust and the agenda touches on challenges
that members face, but lack of facilitated discussions and the structure
of the agenda does not allow for in-depth discussion between members.

5. 5
Top 10 Member Benefits of Participating on
Customer Advisory Boards
1. Influence Host Company Product or Solutions Roadmap
2. Acquire Best Practices from Peers and Benchmark against Peers
3. Obtain Insight Into Host Company’ Strategic Initiatives
4. Opportunity to Beta Test New Products
5. Interact with Executive Management Teams
6. Improve Customer Service and Support
7. Learn About Industry Trends
8. Help Solve a Business Issue Impacting Everyone on the Board
9. Opportunity for Thought Leadership
10.Network for Potential Personal and Professional Growth

6. 6
Company Benefits of Customer Advisory Boards

7. 7
Organizational Benefits from an Advisory Board
Executive
Strategic
Direction
Mergers and
Acquisitions
New Business
and
Customer
Segments
Marketing
Branding and
Positioning
New Market
Segments
Marketing
spend and mix
References,
Case studies
Thought
Leadership
Sales
Deepen
Relationships
with Key
Accounts
Increased
Revenues
New Prospects
Optimized
Sales Process
Product
Management
Product
Roadmap
Product
Introductions
Beta
Customers
R&D
New Product
Development
Innovation
Strategy
Testing and
Prototyping

8. 8
Internal Sphere of Influence
Executive
Sponsor
Steering
Committee
Content Experts
Core Team
Key functional leads -
kept in the loop and
engaged for counsel,
reinforce direction and
importance
Representatives from key
business teams. Important
ambassadors and content
developers for the program
Provides high level direction,
input and an executive face
to the program
Work with Ignite.
Responsible for design,
development,
implementation and
communication

9. 9
Potential Advisory Program Challenges

10. 10
Financial Services Customer Advisory Program
A vertical Customer Advisory Board that focuses on the most important
customers of Iron Mountain in the Financial Services Segment
Theme – Paper to Digital Transformation
Subcommittees on Information Governance and Metrics / Key Risk Indicators
Results:
 New Information Governance model
 Improved professional consulting capabilities
 New thought leadership opportunities

11. 11
Creating a New Industry Vision
Qualcomm is a $20B global provider of wireless technology solutions
13,000 patents create a significant barrier of entry to competitors
Qualcomm Enterprise Services (QES) serves the largest transportation and shipping
companies in the world (FedEx, Walmart, Amazon, Ace)
With Ignite AG’s help, Qualcomm convened two strategic customer advisory boards
Results:
 Positioning Qualcomm as the Industry Leader
 Unique opportunity to integrate all related technologies
 Members and Qualcomm working with DOT officials

12. 12
Integrating Feedback for Product Management
Adobe manages 11 global Customer Advisory Boards, broken down by
products and offerings.
Adobe is not releasing any new products without the input and
guidance of their advisory board members.
Ignite AG designed and delivered a Customer Advisory Board
methodology for the global product management group
Results:
 Improved technology rollouts
 More beta customers
 Improved market acceptance

13. 13
Why Outsource?
Lack of in-house experience in managing CABs
Limited timeframe (desire for initial meeting in near
term)
Impartiality of 3rd party management and facilitation
Ensured positive experience for key customers (or
partners)
Ensured optimal overall program success

14. 14
Why Partner with Ignite Advisory Group?
Benefit from proven methodologies and experienced CAB practitioners
Present an optimized, engaging experience for your key customers
Ensure maximum CAB impact and ongoing success

15. 15
Proven Experience: Example Ignite Clients

16. 16
Ignite Collaboration Model
Design
Recruit
Members Launch
Manage &
Optimize
While roles remain fairly constant, the level of effort contributed
by clients and Ignite shifts with each phase and over time
Ignite
Guide CAB design, structure and charter, member profile models and recruiting process,
agenda creation, project and process management, interview members, facilitate status
and CAB meetings, speaker prep, meeting insight summary, program and member
rotation recommendations, subcommittee models, multiple CAB strategy
Client
Set direction, reason to convene, member selection, content management, venue
decision, member communications, CAB calendar, subcommittee leadership

17. 17
CAB Members Feedback
Ignite Managed Advisory Board vs.
Non-Ignite Managed Advisory Board
5 6 7 8 9 10
Overall quality of the meeting
Relevance of sessions and content
Meeting preparation and materials
Quality of facilitation
Quality of interaction with Host Company
Meeting your expectations
Meeting location and activities
7.40
7.67
6.53
6.10
8.00
7.83
7.50
9.63
9.50
9.63
9.13
9.63
9.63
9.69
Ignite Managed Advisory Board Non-Ignite Managed Advisory Board

18. 18
Leverage Ignite Advisory Group’s Proven Expertise to
Maximize the Business Impact of your CAB
Andy Birnbaum
– VP, Business Improvement
– Andy.birnbaum@IgniteAG.com
– Mobile: 201-566-1723
Rob Jensen
– VP, Client Engagement
– Rob.Jensen@IgniteAG.com
– Mobile: 858-254-9686
www.igniteag.com