An event must not create confusion about who owns the relationship. For each guest organisation, name the relationship owner, the event owner, the host and the follow-up owner. Before the event, account and partner owners confirm the objective, guest suitability, known issues, hosts, sensitive topics, desired follow-up, escalation path and whether a commercial discussion or public role is appropriate.
The quickest way to damage a relationship at an event is for two colleagues to approach the same customer with different messages. Ownership prevents that.
Reference
Ownership matrix
| Organisation | Relationship owner | Event owner | Host | Follow-up owner | Sales or partner owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reference
A RACI
| Activity | Marketing | Account management | Customer success | Sales | Partner team | Executive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience selection | A and R | R | R | C | R | C |
| Invitation | A and R | R | R | C | R | C |
| Event design | A and R | C | C | C | R | C |
| Customer content | A | C | R | C | C | |
| Partner agenda | A | C | C | R | C | |
| On-site delivery | A and R | R | R | C | R | C |
| Follow-up | A | R | R | R | R | C |
| Measurement | A and R | C | C | C | C | I |
Use your organisation own RACI conventions. The table is a planning model, not a universal ownership rule.
Checklist
What owners confirm before the event
- The relationship objective
- Guest suitability
- Known issues
- Appropriate hosts
- Sensitive topics
- Desired follow-up
- The internal escalation path
- Whether a commercial discussion is appropriate
- Whether a guest should be asked to speak publicly
- Whether consent is needed for content or photography
Reference
Common conflicts and fixes
| Conflict | Fix |
|---|---|
| Sales wants to pitch at a customer dinner | Agree the objective with customer success and keep selling out of the format |
| Two teams invite the same contact | Use one invitation owner per organisation |
| A partner and a customer disagree in front of others | Brief hosts, separate sensitive accounts and have an escalation route |
| Marketing wants a case study from a customer with an open issue | Resolve the issue first and ask privately |
Worksheet
Worksheet: customer and partner event ownership
| Event and dates | |
| Programme owner | |
| Customer segment owners | |
| Partner segment owners | |
| Hosts | |
| Invitation owner per organisation | |
| Follow-up owner per organisation | |
| Executive sponsor | |
| Escalation route |
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the relationship at a customer event?
The account manager, customer success manager or partner manager who already owns it, with the event owner coordinating and not replacing them.
Who invites customers to an event?
The person who owns the relationship, for priority customers, using personal outreach, and marketing for broader audiences.
Who follows up after a customer or partner event?
A named follow-up owner for each organisation, usually the relationship owner, with tasks recorded in the CRM or customer success system.