Neota Logic, the legal workflow automation platform, has extended its client advisory board (CAB) strategy with the launch of a new group in the Asia-Pacific region. The move will embrace direct client feedback and builds on earlier CABs in North America and the EMEA region.
The new CAB will initially include:
- Susanna Kipping, Head of Legal Operations, Process & Automation at Herbert Smith Freehills,
- Michelle Mahoney, Executive Director, Innovation at King & Wood Mallesons,
- Sheldon Renkema, General Manager – Legal (Corporate) at Wesfarmers
Now, you may be thinking that this all sounds like a lot of hard work for a tech company in terms of arranging meetings (or Zoom calls at present), actually having to show some tangible outcomes from having created a CAB, and also putting yourself directly in front of regular feedback on your product from a formally constituted user group.
The flip-side is: having regular product feedback from a group you know well is extra-useful as you can work together to change things more easily than just responding to one-off responses; the CAB, whether it knows it or not, is acting as a marketing channel – even if they don’t actively go about proselytising, their position on a CAB implicitly provides what the advertising world calls ‘social proof’, i.e. ‘Well, if these important people use that product then it must be good’; and third, beyond feedback, having a CAB could lead to some interesting collaborations between the CAB members and the tech company that may not have happened otherwise under normal business conditions, and that could lead to some very interesting outcomes and new product developments.
All in all, it looks to be a useful strategy and one that several other tech companies over the years have also tried. For example, Luminance also has formed CABs and recently appointed well-known legal innovation head, Oz Benamram, of Simpson Thacher, to its North America group.
But, what does Neota say about the logic behind their CABs? The company said it’s all about ‘putting their clients at the heart of their product design thinking‘.
With regard to the Asia-Pacific CAB, the company added: ‘[They] will provide advice and support to help drive forward Neota’s ambitious growth plans [in the region].’
The board will also meet in person quarterly to provide in-depth feedback on the development of Neota’s products and services, the overall customer experience and strategic market opportunities.
Kim Massana, CEO at Neota Logic, concluded: ‘I am delighted and hugely privileged to have such an experienced Advisory Board. The knowledge and experience these industry leaders bring will ensure that we have a thorough understanding of the requirements of our customers so that we can provide the technology that best supports them. We are also looking forward to further announcements, thereby adding greater diversity to inform our strategic direction.’
Does your company have a CAB? Is it formally constituted like Neota’s? Has it helped you to make a better product? Has it helped with marketing? And if you’re opposed to the idea, why?
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