Managing Global Customer
Advisory Boards
Catherine Gibson
AT&T
3 May 2011
© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
AT&T Need: To Capture & Meet
Customers’ Global Requirements
Why:
Serving the needs of MNCs are a priority to AT&T
Challenge:
How to provide an opportunity to get feedback
from multiple levels within the client’s organization
on global and regional needs, while rationalizing
within AT&T’s support structure for these clients?
Using a Regional Advisory Board Allows AT&T
to Capture Market-Sensing Data Specific to
the Geography, allowing AT&T to be more
Competitive in the Market
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One example of where we seek
input is: what remote parts of the
world need better coverage?
Here’s the situation…
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Clients Need Connectivity to Manaus, Brazil
Why?
Free Trade Zone,
Large
Manufacturing
Facilities
But …
Difficult to Reach,
Weather Affects
Equipment
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Challenge: Rain Forests
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Challenges: Building Roads
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Challenges: Crossing Rivers
• Strong Current
• Log Jams
• The River Base changes from
month-to-month
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
How Does AT&T Organize its
Advisory Boards to Capture
Global Requirements?
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Need: Cover Global Requirements …
while supporting AT&T’s org structure
Sales Structure:
AT&T supports clients in the:
• US
• Americas Region (non-US)
• Asia-Pacific Region
• Europe, Middle East & Africa Region
Solution:
• Have Global Requirements captured and addressed
out of the US Advisory Council
• Have Regional Requirements captured and
addressed out of 3 Regional Advisory Councils
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Result: AT&T Advisory Council Structure
AT&T Business Advisory
Council
Strategic
(30 Customers)
Regional Advisory
Councils (RACs)
(~20 Customers/Council)
 Strategic guidance on AT&T’s
global portfolio, products and
services, and client experience
 Members are global decision
makers
 Work on regional portfolio,
reach, and client experience
strategies
 Members are regional
decision makers/influencers
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Regional Advisory Councils: Structure &
Operating Principles
• Membership: About 20 Customers, who have
responsibility for regional decisions
• Meetings:
• Monthly Conference Calls
• Biannual Face-to-Face Meetings
• AT&T and Customer Leadership
• All communications in English
• Issues that bridge multiple Regions are sent to
the US Council to address
• Sub-Teams are created to deep dive into hot
issues
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Regional Advisory Councils: Challenges
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Unique to Global:
• Time Zones
• Language Barriers/Culture
• General Travel Issues
-----------------And Similar Challenges to Domestic Councils:
• Travel Budgets
• Getting the Right Companies / People Engaged
• Commitment – Both Customer & Internal
• Continuity of Attendees
• Proving the Business Results
• Politics!
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At the End of the Day, Your
Advisory Board will be
Successful if You Create WinWin Solutions…
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Manaus: A Win-Win Solution!
Parts Depot and Connectivity to the South
Notable Numbers:
• Bridges: 133
• Rivers: 733
• Cables: 935 Km
• Poles: 6,747
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© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Running Global Advisory Boards:
Key Takeaways
Model your Board after the Needs of Your Business,
taking into account:
• Customer Geography
• Org Structure
• Types of companies you want involved
• Functional position & level of participants
Ensure No Redundancy in Board Org Structure and
Initiatives; coordination and communication among Board
Leadership is critical (no Advisory Board is an island)
Keep Evaluating: Things Will Continue to Evolve and
Change (technology, customer expectations, etc.)
Look out for New Obstacles – Political, Regulatory,
Culture, etc.; things just take longer outside the US; you need
to stay flexible
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The information contained herein is for use by authorized persons only and is not for general distribution