CASE STUDY: Making the Most of Those Closest to the Customers by Using a Field Employee Advisory Panel to Guide a Company’s Decisions

The Business Challenge

It is a common belief that if a company pleases its customers, that company has a bright future. On the flip side, a company who ignores its customers’ needs is a company doomed for failure.

What better way to reach a company’s customers than to establish a solid communication link with your field employees, who have daily interaction with your customers?

A 2.5 billion high-tech company wanted to make more informed business decisions. In an effort to do this, they established a customer advisory panel. This was so successful that the company set out to apply a similar concept with its own field employees. The challenge would be to build relationships with employees who traditionally felt isolated and acted independently from headquarters.

The Solution

A field employee advisory panel -- a group of field employees that provides routine feedback to help facilitate the company’s decision-making process.

In the past, the company had gathered limited field employee feedback. Despite this fact, decisions were made daily that affected field employees and the customers they were selling to and servicing.

The company’s attempt to get in touch with its field employees in order to improve business operations was a huge success. The field was ready to be heard. Panel participation increased 300 percent over the first two years.

The company used personal invitations to recruit initial employee involvement. Managers gave input as to which employees should initially be targeted. Meetings were established to explain the concept, process and expectations of panel members.

Participation was voluntary and members agreed to provide feedback via online questionnaires, teleconferences and Web sessions.

Personal contact and regular follow up with the employees fostered strong relationships with panel members. Recognizing the value of employees’ time, the time commitment generally averaged less than 30 minutes per month.

Online questionnaires served as the primary means of contact with panel. This proved cost-effective and an efficient use of participants’ time. The company used the panel’s feedback to make decisions in the areas of marketing, product development, employee satisfaction, strategic planning and more.

The Results

It was soon apparent that field employees wanted to give input. They appreciated the value placed on their feedback and the decisions that resulted based on that input. Ultimately, the results from the panel discussions enabled the employees to better succeed in their jobs.

Through regular communication, the company routinely reached rapid response rates, within one week, of 70-80 percent.
The panel was a huge success for another reason -- it enhanced the relationship between headquarters and the field. They became more involved and interested in the success of their employer, increasing employee loyalty, growing sales, and driving marketplace success.

Requests for information from the field advisory panel came from all areas within the company. For example, product marketing wanted input from sales on what sales aids worked best. Product development feedback was needed regarding actual product features. Global services went to field advisory panel to determine requirements for a headquarter service report.

This type of regular communication between company headquarters and its dispersed sales and service organization, started to melt some of the distrust between the two groups.

Uses and Applications

The use of a field employee advisory panel gives companies strengthened relationships with customers and the opportunity to make more informed decisions. By implementing the panel concept, field employees realize that their company is listening and interested in what they have to say. In return, companies obtain timely and cost-effective feedback and solve many of the problems a dispersed field force can cause.

Our team of dedicated research and marketing professionals will help establish a field employee advisory panel using a customized approach to meet your unique business needs.

How it Works

A company’s relationship with its employees is a valuable asset. Whether a company is big or small, employees are a crucial part of its lifeline. Companies need a clear and regular view of employee perceptions and needs.

We will work with your company to devise the panel concept customized to your unique situation. We’ll help determine which employees should be on the panel, what kinds of business decisions can be improved with panel input, and how to optimally manage panel interaction.

When it comes to implementation, we can handle every detail, including providing a staff resource to manage the panel on an ongoing basis. Or, we can train internal staff to set up and manage the panel.

Every aspect of the field employee advisory panel will be unique and tailored to address specific business needs, thereby creating long-term, loyal employees. Companies can’t afford to lose touch with their employees. Our team of seasoned professional helps keep companies in tune with one of their most valuable assets – their employees.