5 controversial secrets of customer success
TRANSCRIPT
5 Controversial “Secrets”
Customer Success for StartupsSeed|Series A|BVenk Chandran
@venkchandran
The “5” (+ Bonus)
1. Are you asking the right question?2. Scale First3. 1:1 Relationships are Overrated4. Dog Food is Delicious5. It’s Not Free6. Bonus: You’re Not Measuring Enough7. Bonus: Customer Success is a Product
1. Are you asking the right question
Stop Asking : ‘How’s it going’
It has little meaning
Ask Transformational Questions!
What Do You Want Your Customers To Become?
Rypple/Work.com
Data.com
Analytics
How do you create a culture of coaching and feedback?
What If you could find your ideal customer?
What if everyone could ask questions and get insights into your business?
They help you define the ‘End State’
First Launch
Small Cohort of power users
Behaviors defined
Behaviors embedded into
Business
Organizational Momentum
Organizational DNA
Example: Work.com
Recognition
Coaching with managers
Behaviors defined
Embed into Onboarding/P
erformance Management
Introduce into other
divisions
DNA: Metrics based
Coaching/Performance
2. Scale Early
Programs at Scale
• Your Customer Community• Automated Email Campaigns• Webinars / Office Hours• Inspiring Assets– Tear sheets– Playbooks– Explainer Videos
Why Scale Early?
• Fast(er) / Broader Feedback cycles• Save time on outreach & onboarding• Increase customer engagement• Reduce Escalations
4 Tips for Scale
• Auto-enroll whenever possible• Market the Experience in the Sales Process• Customers should be clear on:– Cadence– Responsibilities– Outcomes
3. Relationships are Overrated
Precision Engagement
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Month 7
Month 8
Month 9
Month 10
Month 11
Month 12
New Customer Onboarding
Assessment [FA+4]
Renewal Conversation [T-4]Adoption Program 2
Contract End Date
Mobile Adoption
*Yes you can do all of this in Salesforce
Account Coverage:
Segment Contract Value Customers Delivery Model
Ratio (Ideal)
VIP/Flagship/Red Account $1M+ 4 1:1 1:5
Enterprise $500K-$1M 10 Pooled / 1:1 1:10Mid-Market $200K-$500K 50 Pooled
SMB $50K-$200K 100 Scale programs N/AESMB $0-$50K 200 Scale Programs N/A
1:1 is an Exception. Not the rule!
Properly Rated
4. Your Dog Food is Delicious
Share how you use your own product with customers
Salesforce on Salesforce
5. It’s not Free
Package and Price Early
• Package customer success:– Bundle hours– Key activities– Scale programs
• Use it to qualify value/ economics• Easily ‘negotiated’ line item
Contracts Matter
• Auto-Renew • Cancellations = Engagement• Drive Trust
Recap
1. Are you asking the right question?2. Scale First3. 1:1 Relationships are Overrated4. Dog Food is Delicious5. It’s Not Free6. Bonus: You’re Not Measuring Enough7. Bonus: Customer Success is a Product
6. Bonus: You’re probably Not Measuring Enough
Metrics: Properly Rated
• Understand your ‘Product’• Reduce Churn• Increase Revenue opportunities• Understand Customer Happiness
Metrics that Matter
Leading• Deal Score/ Revenue at Risk• Account Coverage Ratios• Scale Programs
– Webinar attendance– Email Open Rates– Community Engagement
• Product Usage– Customer Happiness: Cohort
Analysis
Lagging• Reference-able Customers• Renewals (Churn)
– $Contracts– # Customers
• Secondary Revenue– + Licences– + Services
• Reference-able Customers
Cohort Analysis for Customer Success
Source: Forentrepeneurs
Tip: Instrument Everything. Focus on “1”
• You don’t know what you need tomorrow• Product/Engineering metrics
6. Bonus: Customer Success is a Product
Customer Success as a Product Team
Current Experiment Observations:
• Program/Product Development• Better Internal Alignment• VIP Customers are Epics• Increased team engagement
KANBAN + SPRINTS
Thanks.@venkchandran