Required Reading: Customer Advisory Boards Are the Secret Weapon for Growth

Irene Yam sees creating meaningful connections as the secret to success in business and life. And for her, there is no better example of the pivotal role relationships play than the customer advisory board (CAB), a group of handpicked customers who provide feedback and advice to companies on their products and strategies.

In Build a World-Class Customer Advisory Board: How to Create Deeper Relationships and Validate Strategies, she illustrates how companies can leapfrog the competition by listening to their customers. The book explains the secrets to creating an effective CAB, which CRM editor Leonard Klie delved into further with her.

CRM: Why do companies need customer advisory boards?

Yam: In most organizations, executives meet customers during the heat of a sale or when a major issue escalates. These interactions are reactive and transactional. A customer advisory board invites strategic customers into a true partnership where they collaborate, share challenges, and validate strategies. Instead of chasing a win or putting out a fire, executives can build trusted, long-term relationships that elevate their business and their customers. Human connection and trust, when nurtured thoughtfully, are the strongest growth strategies companies can have.

Are there specific types of companies that could benefit more than others?

Every company at every stage can benefit. Are you entering new markets or targeting new buyers? A CAB can help refine your go-to-market strategy. Are you struggling with retention? A CAB can tell you why customers stay or leave. Are you unsure if your messaging resonates? A CAB ensures your brand narrative is rooted in real-world value. Do you need help validating a product or service? A CAB will provide feedback and share their road map.

Proactively listening to your most important customers is no longer optional. It’s essential.

Who should sit on a CAB?

It depends on the CAB’s goals. Some boards lean toward C-level customers, while others mix in operational leaders, super-users, and administrators. A blend of executives and power users sparks the richest conversations. C-suite brings strategic foresight, while super users ground discussions in real-world use cases.

What roles/responsibilities should these boards have?

Every CAB needs two foundational roles inside the company: The Executive Sponsor, a senior leader who champions the CAB’s mission and acts as the bridge to leadership, and the CAB Lead, the operational owner of logistics, content, and communications who ensures the experience feels intentional.

How often should these boards meet, and should the same people stay on each panel?

Consistency deepens trust. For an in-person CAB, plan for a yearly meeting, then have quarterly virtual meetings for touchpoints. Having the same board members is a best practice. If you’re looking to have a CAB with a rolling enrollment, adding new members can be time-consuming. To increase your board membership, you can have a second board or regional boards that bring together customers within a certain area and allow you to scale and get mindshare with your most strategic customers.

In your book, you outline five principles for running a successful board. What are they?

These principles are the heartbeat of a CAB:

• Be Respectful of Time: Honor the time your customers give you by ensuring the agenda is compelling, presenters are dynamic, and content is discussion-driven.
• Be Thoughtful and Empathetic: Don’t just present to customers; invite them into a dialogue. No sales decks; create space for vulnerability and feedback.
• Prepare: Don’t just show up. Curate every interaction, from who presents, who facilitates the discussions, to how feedback is captured, to maximize connection.
• Follow the CAB Mission: Consistently remind members why they were selected and how their insights impact the company’s direction.
• Take Action and Follow Up: Closing the loop after a CAB meeting builds credibility. Assign executive sponsors to stay engaged long after the event ends.

What is the main takeaway from your book?

Running a CAB is one of the most strategic and human investments companies can make. When done right, CABs transform customers into trusted advisers, lifelong advocates, and brand ambassadors. They validate your strategy, accelerate your growth, and form relationships that outlast product road maps and market shifts.

Business is personal, and always has been. A world-class CAB proves it.