It never ceases to amaze me how little most execs know about "a day in the life" of the people who rely on their products and services to get things done. Somebody or some group in the company is usually steeped in end-user research, but that research is "presented" to the top executives who make the decisions about which products to launch and where to invest.

Are executive decision-makers REALLY the right customers to invite to your Customer Advisory Boards? What do they really know about how people USE your products or services to get things done?

What if you change things up this year and invite actual end-users/end-consumers to join your high level Customer Advisory Board?

What if your executive team and even one or two board members sat with real end-users and key influencers, and the people who maintain your products, and truly listened to them describe how they get things done, why they need to do things a certain way, and where your products and business processes get in their way? What if your execs then rolled up their sleeves and worked with these customers to design a new product or service? Do you think you might actually hit a home run?  If you find this idea intriguing, here are some tips on how to get started.

Identifying the Right Customers for CABs
You Want Customers with Insights and Passion for the "Jobs" They Do
By Patricia B. Seybold, Customers.com Press, August 21, 2015