Custify’s Post

Meeting in person is the best! And hearing in person CSM peers in a wide array of industries speak to their tackling of topics is even better. And in person in my backyard in NYC - how much better can it get? Exchanges like last Thursday's serve to remind me how fun Customer Success is, with all its wrinkles - as Maryann Lazzeri had aptly said "thankful that we get to do this"! (Maryann Lazzeri I've come back a few times to "get to do" vs. "have to" - recalling an empowering twist on semantics). I had the opportunity to spend an evening with Jan Young, MBA, CSPO, CSM, Cinthia Silva, Jim Depeng Jin, Nikola Mijic, Anna Lukianenko, Teampay, Linda Lipovetsky, ChFC®, RICP®, CLTC® and others, and it was so enriching. I enjoyed most (besides the exquisite food and wine): 1) the variety of CSM perspectives and solutions on challenges - yet bringing us back to universal tenets of CS, 2) interesting people, 3) the intentional sharing on efficiency and prioritization, on ways to manage, reward and solve better - from "been there done that". Effectively working with all post-sales functions was a pertinent topic. Thanks so much to Jan Young, MBA, CSPO, CSM again, and Matik - who provide solutions for exactly such prioritization in our day-to-day CS work, for organizing and a spirited discussion! Reflecting on practices shared. And looking forward to the next CxXchange encounter.

To the man who taught me Customer Success: Rahul Raj. Rahul, I joined you at Signzy in November 22 and I am ever so grateful. Grateful for not just guiding me on the path of B2B CSM, but for also now being a lifelong mentor and friend even if both of us left our common office. Let me jot down 3 very underrated + practical CSM learnings from you: 1. You are your customer's champion. YOU need to help your customer achieve their goals by aligning your product, tech and sales, if they are not already. Your challenges are equally external and internal. 2. Strive for a relation where respect is served from both sides. You are not meant to blindly fight for customer requirements, but to be their business therapist who sets correct expectations from the get go. Never sell dreams; provide solutions and experiences. 3. Lastly: The importance of wearing a suit. The moment your customer sets eyes on you, they should know that you're about your business. No funky clothes, no monkey attire, but old school, well-suited, well-dressed pros. This is serious business. Your guidance and leadership has set me up for success on my next adventure, and both of us know that we are just getting started 🔥. Here's to unending conversations, reminiscence and awesome food together 😁.

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Whether you're a seasoned CS leader or just starting out in the field, the future of QBRs is vital for your long-term strategy. That's why we're hosting a live session on May 23rd discussing it and more. 11am EDT | 4pm BST - discover: 🧪 The elements of an effective QBR 🤩 Alternate strategies for engaging with customers 📈 The role of data in personalizing customer interactions Sign up today 👇 #customersuccess

Quote on Quote, by yours truly ✋ "Customer success managers must act as customer advocates, balancing business objectives with customer needs. This includes understanding the customer’s perspective and advocating for their interests within the company." Read more ⬇

Success is journey - listening to Infor’s Chief Customer Officer - Mari Cross talk about how Carefor Success and Managed Services helps customers like Aston Martin and Intersnack unleash their potential is super insightful! #InforVelocitySummit

What are the best incentives for CSMs? Customer Success leaders keep telling me their CS teams are operating in the dark. If you don't measure anything, how do you know that you are doing something well? How do you know when to change things up? I see this all the time, in so many different forms. But the most common incentives I hear are: 1. NPS scores - essentially keeping customers happy 2. Expansions - let your CSM carry quota to sell more products/licenses 3. Renewal % on portfolio 4. Churn % on portfolio In the end, what's most important is that you're measuring anything at all. Otherwise, you risk burning out your team without knowing why. What are you forgetting to measure?

**Unacceptable Service from Eureka Forbes Ltd Beyond Disappointed** I've been trying to get a simple service booking addressed since **30th August 2024**, but it's clear that Eureka Forbes has absolutely no regard for their customers once they've made a sale. For the past **3 days**, I've had to reschedule my appointment *every single day* because NO ONE bothered to show up. Despite **calling customer care 7-8 times**, all I've received are empty promises that "someone will come today." Spoiler alert: NOTHING has happened. It’s beyond frustrating to deal with a company that clearly has zero control over their service employees or, worse, doesn’t care about customers after the sale is made. This level of negligence and disrespect is inexcusable. Eureka Forbes, get your act together. Customers deserve better than this absolute joke of a service experience. #eurekaforbesSucksbigtime.Eureka Forbes Ltd

Happy Monday, CS Champions!! here's an exciting quote from "Marilyn Scuttle" "How you think about your customer influences how you respond to them.” As customer success professionals, our mindset shapes every interaction we have. So let's start this week by putting ourselves in our customers' shoes and thinking about how we can truly add value to their journey. Because every response, every solution, begins with understanding their perspective. I'm curious, as CS professionals how do you ensure your mindset aligns with your customers' needs? Share your strategies and experiences in the comments below!

Customer Success Mangers do their best work when they are not drowning in work. They need space to ✅ "be more strategic" ✅ "deliver value with every interaction" ✅ become trusted advisors ✅ turn customer valaue into revenue ✅ grow their skills and knowledge When CSMs are constantly underwater from 🚩 running product demos 🚩 chasing support tickets 🚩 collecting overdue payments (!) 🚩 having customer meetings for the sake of it 🚩 firefighting, band-aiding and quick-fixing they are underperforming and the question "What's the ROI of CSM?" is the invitable consequence. As a CSM leader it's your responsibility to  ➡️ Shield your team from non-CSM tasks that diminish your results. Yes, that might include saying no to your leadership (explain why). ➡️ Set and clearly communicate priorities. There are a gazillion things in CSM that you could and shoulw do without outside requests. It's your job to understand what tasks are the must do's because they move the needle. ➡️ Provide your team with proper training and education. The CSM game has massively changed. Customers are no longer paying for product usage and convenience. Recurring revenue requires recurring value. But most CSMs have never been trained in the process. PS: Here's how I can help --> https://remark-able.at