Case Study: VMware turns transactional references into a thriving Champions community and slashes reference fulfillment to 72 hours with Influitive

How VMware Engages Customers

VMware, known for virtual servers and a growing portfolio of cloud and workspace products, faced a challenge with traditional customer reference programs that were transactional and slow. Requests for speakers or case studies often treated customers as one-off resources, taking up to two months to find niche references and failing to build lasting relationships or scalable advocacy.

VMware launched the VMware Champions community on Influitive’s AdvocateHub—an online hub with targeted challenges, rich content, gamification, and integrated onsite perks at VMworld—while training internal teams on precise asks. The program, supported by Influitive, cut reference fulfillment to 72 hours or less, improved response quality and recruitment, deepened customer relationships, and transformed VMware’s approach from one-way references to ongoing customer advocacy aligned with business goals.

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