A key element to having a successful customer advisory board are the board member interviews that we conduct in our work at Farland Group, both before and after board meetings. Board member priorities and input to potential meeting topics are discussed during pre-meeting interviews; that insight is used to co-create the agenda for the upcoming advisory board meeting.
Post-meeting interviews are equally important, as they provide board members with the opportunity to offer advice and candid feedback from the recent meeting. Post-meeting interviews are an effective way to progress customer advisory board advice and “close the loop” on open items and actions.
Scheduling board member interviews may seem like an easy task, but it can be challenging. Here are a few best practices on how to successfully schedule interviews:
Create an Interview Scheduling Tracker
Start a spreadsheet and populate it. Identify how many interviews need to be scheduled and which board members you will be reaching out to. Include contact information for board members and assistants, notes on progress of interview scheduling, and a column for tracking confirmed interviews.
Determine Available Time Blocks for Interviewers
Save time by determining calendar availability of the interviewer before establishing contact with board member offices. Remember to cross-check time zone differences when scheduling international interviews.
Create Templates
Create consistent communication through the use of email and meeting invitation templates. Templates help eliminate common grammar and spelling errors, as well as reduce the time it would take to transcribe custom emails.
Send Confirmation Emails with Meeting Invitations
Always remember to send an email confirming the date and time that the interview was scheduled for. This pro-active measure not only serves as a reminder to all parties to accept the meeting invitation, but it also eliminates confusion of meeting details.
Try incorporating these best practices into your own board member interview scheduling tasks this year.
Good luck and happy scheduling!