Retaining Your Customer Success Team

Scaling is easy. Scaling intelligently is hard.

Growth is a magnifying glass. If you have a tiny diamond and you put it under a magnifying glass, then you’ll make something big and great.

But if it’s just kind of a tiny piece of sh*t, then it's just going to be a big piece of sh*t, right?

“

”- Andrew Chen, Growth Hacker

Purpose Focused Employee Programs

• CSMs are especially focused on purpose—the “why” behind their roles. • Three key programs:

• Impact You: Career Planning and Growth• Impact Your Company: Special Projects• Impact Others: The Ultimate Customer

Why?

Key Programs

Impact You

Customer Success Characteristics

Consultative

Communication

Innovation

Relational

Technical

Revenue

Defining  and  solving  complex  business  problems

Ability  to  understand  and  communicate  complex  product  scenarios with  customers

Ability  to  own  and  deliver  churn  reduction  and  account  expansion

Communicating and  collaborating  with  customers  and  cross-­‐functional  groups

Contributing  to  product  and  company  improvement and  development  

Developing  and  leveraging  customer  relationships

Career Tracks• Experience  Ranges  Across  the  IC  and  Management  Path10+

5

2

Years  Managem

ent  Experience

²VP

²Director

²Manager

²Team  Leader

ü CS  Representativeü CSM

ü Sr  CSM

ü CS  Executive

*Typical  time  in  role:  12-­‐24+  monthsYears  of  CS  or  related  experience

2 5 10+

[Employee Name | Manager Name | Date Plan Set]

CURRENT  POSITION:  

[Title  Goes  HERE]9-­‐24  mo.  target 12-­‐36  mo.  target 5  YEAR  GOAL

PERSONAL  SWOT CUSTOMER  SUCCESS  CHARACTERISTIC  DEVELOPMENT

Strength  -­‐ 1Strength  -­‐ 2Strength  -­‐ 3Strength  -­‐ 4

Weakness  -­‐ 1Weakness  -­‐ 2Weakness  -­‐ 3Weakness  -­‐ 4

Opportunity  -­‐ 1Opportunity  -­‐ 2Opportunity  -­‐ 3Opportunity  -­‐ 4

Threat  -­‐ 1Threat  -­‐ 2Threat  -­‐ 3Threat  -­‐ 4

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

Revenue

Relational

Technical

Consultative

Communication

Innovation

Characteristic  List Current  Skill  Aptitude Skill  Gap  

Individual Career Development Plan

Impact Your Company

Special Projects

CSM Project  Name Summary Specific  Deliverables Completion  Date

Percent  Complete

John RenewalManagement

Define  renewal  management  at  Mixpanel,   including   the  strategies,   policies,   and  processes.

1) Define strategy,  process,   and  policies2) Document   and  gain  cross-­‐functional  

approval3) Develop playbook  for  AEs  and  CSMs

April 30 50%

Jane Onboarding  Survey  Revamp

Redevelop  onboarding   survey  to  better   align  to  cross-­‐functional   needs/requests.

1) Develop content2) Define  timeline,   frequency,   audience3) Gain cross-­‐functional   consensus March 31 75%

Doe Identifying Sales  Opps

Build   program  to  help  CSMs  identify,   nurture,   and  close  opportunities.  

1) Develop  a  playbook2) Develop  a  training  presentation   based  on  

playbook3) Partner   with  sales  enablement  to  deliver  

training

March  31 85%

Contributing to the Greater Good

Impact Others

Focus on the Ultimate CustomerPeople, People, People…

Results

Retaining Top CSMs

• Spend as much time developing programs for your CSMs as you do developing programs for your customers.• Get ahead of career management. HR can’t do it for you.• It doesn’t cost money…but, it does cost time. • Commit to making the time.

Q&A