Involving Customers through an Advisory Council - Case Study
Business Objective:
An international distributor wanted to gain feedback on an ongoing basis from some of its largest US customers.
Research Objective:
CMI was enlisted to establish a Customer Advisory Council to explore a number of issues on a regular basis, including:
- Customer and industry best practices
- Possible solutions and implementation approaches
- New ideas for the delivery of products and services that provide new revenue streams.
Methodology:
CMI recruited Council members to represent various industry categories as well as different regional sales and service divisions. Council members have been asked to participate in a variety of research efforts/events, including:
- Telephone or in-person focus groups
- Telephone or in-person one-on-one interviews
- Online focus groups and web-based bulletin board sessions
- Internet and phone surveys
In addition, a website has been developed as a supplemental means of communicating with Council members. The website also serves as a vehicle for certain research initiatives.
The Result:
The distributor now has ready access to important customer representation from a variety of different segments. The distributor will continue to use the input from the Council regarding customer needs and concerns to make both tactical and strategic improvements to their business.