Building a Customer Strategy Board: 10 Tips from Andrew Fitzgerald, Global Account Based Marketing, Kyndryl
We spoke with Andrew Fitzgerald about Kyndryl's journey building their Customer Strategy Board, focusing on the practical "if I knew then what I know now" insights that matter most. Whether you're an advisory board program manager six months away from launching your first board or looking to refresh an existing program, Andrew's experience offers hard-won wisdom.
>> Want more of the story? Read Andrew’s full Q&A here.
>> Want to hear from other customer advisory board leaders? Read more interviews here.
1. Don't attempt this without deep executive ownership.
“I can't imagine doing this well without our most senior leadership bought in. If they stop being interested, you should question why you're doing it.”
2. Board insights become organizational currency.
“When leaders can say ‘our customers looked me in the eyes and told me this,’ it carries different weight than surveys or internal recommendations.”
3. Go for quality over quantity—be prepared to wait for the right people.
“We delayed our first meeting to make sure we got the right participants. It was the right thing to do.” Don't compromise to meet artificial timelines.
4. It takes time to get into the mindset of mutual success.
Both internally and with board members, expect evolution rather than immediate transformation. The conversations and relationships deepen over time.
5. A strategy board is not a product board.
Keep the focus on bigger-picture conversations and on customers with not just current value, but future potential. “We want them thinking beyond today, beyond individual requirements, and beyond their own company.”
6. “No selling" is non-negotiable.
The moment you start pitching to people who already buy from you, you've broken the dynamic.
7. Assessing a board’s value goes beyond hard metrics.
Look at how often your team quotes the board, how eagerly members return, whether they watch your stock with pride—there are additional ways to measure success than dollars alone.
8. If you're doing it right, recruitment may get harder, not easier.
Valuable contributors are always careful about where they invest their time. As relationships deepen and you find your groove, protecting the community’s vibrancy raises the bar even higher.
9. Co-create something singular to your company.
“Our board genuinely feels like a co-created effort.” Generic, turnkey approaches won't deliver the unique value you need.
10. Be transparent about what you won't act on.
“We get suggestions we choose not to pursue, but we're honest about that. We don't promise we'll include everything customers want to talk about.”