DOWL’s Post

Customer Success is all about happy customers... right? Of course, but let's make one thing particularly clear 🛑 Customer Success ≠ People-Pleasing 🛑 🌾 Sure, you can smile, wave, nod along, and agree with every idea, but dontcha know it, being Minnesota Nice and avoiding confrontation will lead to a very one-sided relationship. It took many years for the midwesterner in me to accept that people-pleasing is not a direct path to Customer Success. The last few years working with New Yorkers 🗽 might have expedited my process 😆 🤝 Building a true partnership isn't just about agreeing with your customers -- it's about asking thoughtful questions and respectfully challenging them to see things in a new way. They're likely working with you because they wanted to tackle a problem differently than they had been. Be a partner and help them make a shift in their thinking! 🚗 Change is hard (for you and your customers) but remember that “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” - Henry Ford. #CustomerSuccess #MinnesotaNice #PeoplePleasing #ChangeManagement

One of the biggest challenges of joining a team like Crete Carrier Corporation who has been doing business since 1927, 1937 and 1966 respectively with some of the same day 1 customers is navigating the duality of customer retention and customer acquisition. The first piece of this puzzle is really on you. Consistently and sincerely treat your customers just like when you met them on day 1. These customers are your proof of work and always lead to amazing referrals even when you're not hearing them personally. Ask those same curious questions, show up like it's the first shipment, and never allow yourself to become complacent. It's not rocket science. You're team builds your reputation and your customers grow it. Would love to share what I'm learning about our reputation with anyone that sees the value in a partner that believes the relationship comes first. #brickbybrick #consistency #customersfirst

Big red flag in Customer Success: If your CS team tells you a customer won’t churn because “we have such a great relationship!”, you should be worried! Customer Success isn’t about personal relationships. It never has been. Too many CS teams have set everything up to strengthen personal relationships and they have it wrong. CS is about business relationships. Instead of designing your CS team to ensure “regular touch points”, forcing QBRs on to your customers, and tracking customer champions, try having real conversations with your customers about what is best for them. Engage them only in meaningful ways that bring value in ways they need it. Spend more time consulting with them in their key objectives. Then sit back and watch them expand, renew and advocate. Your NRR and GRR will thank you. As will your shareholders. Oh, and you’ll find you have stronger personal relationships than you could have built in any other way. #customersuccess #renewals #expansion #nrr #grr #partnership

Exploring the Gradian Charter: EXCEEDING Customer Expectations 🌟 At Gradian, our commitment goes beyond merely meeting customer expectations. We strive to EXCEED them, delivering exceptional value and forging meaningful partnerships. We believe that true excellence lies in anticipating our customer's needs and delivering solutions and a service that surpasses their expectations. From the first meeting to the last, we aim to provide an experience that’s second to none. It’s not just about fulfilling our promises; it’s about creating moments of unexpected value and being part of ONE team.....a part of YOUR team! Going the extra mile is our standard practice. Whether it’s through innovative solutions, responsive support, or first-class service, we’re here to ensure that every interaction with Gradian leaves a lasting, positive impact. Take a look at our case studies page, including some fantastic testimonials from some stand-out projects! https://buff.ly/3KBpDE5 #GradianCharter #CustomerExcellence #BeyondExpectations #CustomerFirst #Innovation #ServiceExcellence

In today’s fast-evolving market, sales and customer success are more intertwined than ever. Gone are the days of one-off transactions. Now, it’s about fostering long-term relationships. As a Customer Success Manager, I've seen the shift: success isn’t just meeting quotas, it's ensuring clients thrive. This trend is reshaping strategies, focusing on customer retention and value delivery. Let’s adapt, innovate, and keep our clients at the heart of everything we do. #SalesTrends #CustomerSuccess #MarketEvolution #ClientRetention #ValueDelivery

CSM is the new sales. Markus Rentsch couldn't have been more right when he said that. 👌 💡Did you know that retaining an existing customer costs five times less than acquiring a new one? (Harvard Business Review). A mere 5% increase in customer retention rates can lead to a 25% to 95% hike in profits (Bain & Company). 💯 👉 To all the business reading this: Take care of your Customer Success department; Jason Lemkin says, "Customer Success is where 90% of the revenue is".  Let them do success; if they are firefighting, they can't generate revenue. 👉 And to all my CS people out there, keep up your fantastic work! 💪 If we haven't connected yet, let's do it now! 📩 #CustomerSuccess #RevenueGrowth #Businessstrategy #Clientretention #LidiaSharesSuccess

Customer Success is feels a lot like the seesawing of American politics. On one side you have team, you have: 🔵 Customer Success = Delivering customer outcomes with no commercial quotas. Their chief KPIs are TTV, NPS, and referrals. Be a success center. The other side you have team: 🔴 Customer Success = quota carrying renewal and upsale machine designed to make 3x their teams cost. Their primary KPIs are GRR, ARR, and Cross sale $. Be a profit center. 🔵 team was in office: 2019-2021 🔴 team now in office since 2022 Will the 🔴 team burn out all their social capital with their customers with their focus on price increases, renewals, and upgrades? Customers will see CS as basically additional sales people and will start to ignore their calls. Actual TTV and success will decline, resulting in shouts for "we just need people to help us, not sell us". Or will the 🔵 team return come back in vogue when customers find peak value without each discussion focusing on a renewal or price increase. Or does team 🟣 emerge where because we're all so helpful and agreeable we all just say we can do both and strike a common sense balance. Who will prevail? #cusotmersuccess

Cost-saving solutions for businesses: "🤝 Cross-Training Excellence: Cross-train employees to perform multiple roles, reducing the need for additional hires and increasing operational flexibility. #CrossTraining #Efficiency" 📈 Customer Retention Goldmine: Focus on customer retention strategies to reduce churn and lower the cost of acquiring new customers. #CustomerRetention #CostSaving

Jason Friedman talks about why the early stages of customer relationships resemble the excitement of a first date, and why the courtship often fades once someone becomes a customer. 💑 Remember the excitement of your first date? Jason compares it to the early stages of customer relationships. 💌 From obsessing over details to building familiarity, he delves into the stages of courtship. 💼 But why does the courtship often stop once someone becomes a customer or a trusted connection? 🏆 Discover why maintaining a healthy obsession with customer success is key to winning in business. 💡 Jason shares insights on the importance of ongoing customer care and the need for a dedicated customer success budget. 💡 Don't miss out on the complete conversation with Jason Friedman. Join us as he explores the journey from courting customers to nurturing long-term connections. Uncover why a dedicated focus on customer success is essential for businesses to thrive in today's competitive landscape. 🚀🎬

In the last month, we received three referrals from our existing customers. Each one served as a powerful reminder of what I consider the highest honor a business can receive: the trust of our customers, expressed through their recommendations. It prompts a moment of reflection. Are we continuously exceeding expectations? It's not just about meeting the bar; it's about raising it and then vaulting over it. Every referral is a testament to the team's hard work but also a prompt to ask ourselves, "How can we do even better?" Customer referrals aren't just a metric of success; they're a beacon guiding us toward constant improvement and innovation. Let's take this moment to recommit ourselves to not just delivering but delighting. To not just satisfy, but to astonish. Here's to the journey ahead, fueled by the trust you place in us. 🚀 #Gratitude #CustomerTrust #ExceedExpectations