When it comes to customer advisory board meetings, the terms “host” and “facilitator” are often interchanged. However, they are very different. Here’s how to think about these roles and who should hold them.

The role of “host”

The host is almost always the executive CAB sponsor. This is typically a senior VP tasked with guiding the company to produce and execute a CAB program, not just the meeting. They own all operational duties related to the CAB, most importantly ensuring that the CAB is integrated with other leadership priorities and planning activities. Ownership of the CAB may fall to the VP of Marketing, VP of Sales, VP of Customer Experience, or VP of Product Management. It all depends on the organization structure.

The host owns the CAB meeting and is the first speaker, welcoming the group and thanking them for their participation. He or she sets the tone of the meeting by reaffirming the objectives for the CAB as a group and the specific objectives for the meeting. The host is also one of the last speakers, offering closing comments and thanks to all attendees.

Shouldn’t the host be the CEO? Sometimes, but not usually. It’s best to position the CEO as a peer with the attending customers. The CEO’s leadership will never be in doubt, and having the CEO experience the CAB while sitting next to customers can make for a more open, relaxed meeting. Having said that, the host, facilitator, and CEO will share duties to close the meeting (see below).

The role of “facilitator”

Unless the host is facilitating his or her own meeting, these two roles are owned by two different people. The facilitator may be an internal resource or an outside expert.

While hired by the host company, the facilitator is first and foremost a customer advocate. He or she is there to guide the agenda so that the group stays on topic and on time. As a neutral and unbiased resource for the team, the facilitator watches the team dynamics, making sure all customers have the opportunity to participate and that company executives don’t lecture or answer their own questions. Facilitators can also be note takes, jotting down key points on a flipchart for the group to follow. (This is not to be confused with a “designated note taker” who sits quietly at the back.)

Also, the facilitator is sensitive to group dynamics. He or she has the ability to mold the agenda in real time: if a topic is of high interest, the facilitator may choose to linger a bit longer; if a topic is exhausted quickly, the facilitator will move on to the next. The facilitator allows the customers and company executives to participate in these discussions as equals without having to worry about the time, agenda, dynamics, and other details. In fact, when a discussion runs particularly well, the role of the facilitator may be invisible to the group.

Managing the CAB meeting’s conclusion

The roles of host, facilitator, and CEO merge at the close of the CAB meeting. Typically, the facilitator will conclude the final discussion and offer a short reflection of the day. He or she will summarize the objectives for the meeting, the agenda, and share how this information will be documented and shared. Then the facilitator will hand the meeting over to the CEO and host for their final comments.

It is customary for the CEO to offer his or her thoughts about the meeting. The CEO can also express his or her appreciation for the time spent together. In closing, the CEO will turn the reigns over to the host who then officially adjourns the meeting.

For more on these and other roles necessary to execute a world-class CAB meeting, check out the following books:

The Flipchart Guide to Customer Advisory Boards, Volume 1: Is your company ready?

The Flipchart Guide to Customer Advisory Boards, Volume 2: How to execute a world-class CAB meeting