The firm is pleased to announce the release of our 2006 Customer Reference Benchmarking Study, available on our website. It's been a long, wild ride but, I believe, one well worth it. The reference industry continues to evolve; new, strategic demands are knocking on your program's door. Everywhere I turn lately I'm hearing about Voice of the Customer and Net Promoter® Score; the successful application of these concepts can launch your program into the next generation and your company into the leaders quadrant- this brings both some good and bad news.

That's good news if you're running a customer reference program because it means management is setting its sights on you. It means management is going to want-even need-to see to it that your program is structured for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. It means management cares about the level of resources flowing into your program.

On the other hand, however, if they care about what goes into your program, then they'll also care about what comes out-its impact and results. And if your program's impact and results aren't as expected... well... then that might not be good news.

While I think it's to your advantage to get the full story available in the study, I'll briefly share three of what I believe to be program-changing key findings of the study, as well as how they're relevant to you:

• Finding 1: Customer-savvy corporate leaders want all customer touch-points under one, central location. How do you make sure that location is within your program? How can you direct your organization to think about the Office of the Customer?
• Finding 2: Voice of the customer is the new crystal ball used for upper level decision-making. Are your execs seeing customers clearly or is the image murky? What are your promoters, as well as your detractors, saying and who exactly are they?
• Finding 3: With added budget comes added accountability for the services your program delivers. How do you prove to execs that dollars invested into your program are reaping returns? What is your Return on Reference?

Despite the glare of the spotlight, the overall picture for reference programs is bright. The very fact that executive teams are grooving to "customer first" is your ticket to redefining and shaping the future of your program today... nd for years to come. What shape it takes, however, well that's up to you!

Read more about the 2006 Customer Reference Benchmarking Study today.