Customer Success – Workshop 2 (Customer Success)

The Appleton Greene Corporate Training Program (CTP) for Customer Success is provided by Mr. Adams Certified Learning Provider (CLP). Program Specifications: Monthly cost USD$2,500.00; Monthly Workshops 6 hours; Monthly Support 4 hours; Program Duration 12 months; Program orders subject to ongoing availability.

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Learning Provider Profile

Mr. Adams is an author, trainer, and consultant, specializing in helping technology companies deliver measurable business value through Customer Success Management best practices. Adams has over 25 years’ experience of working in the IT industry, including founding his own SaaS (software-as-a-service) business which he ran for six years before selling it in 2012.

Adams has delivered training and consultancy in over thirty countries across four continents. His courses have been attended by over 120,000 students worldwide, and his custom development work includes Cisco Systems’ Cisco Certified Customer Success Manager global certification program.

His book ‘Practical Customer Success Management: A Best Practice Framework for Rapid Generation of Customer Success’ was published in 2019 and is available from Amazon and all other book retailers.

Adams, as Founder and CEO, provides high quality training for Customer Success Management best practice. Adams has won numerous awards for his achievements in his field, and acted as a judge for the annual Customer Success Excellence Awards in EMEA in 2022 and the Americas in 2023.

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MOST Analysis

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Mission Statement

The second module focuses on the “customer journey” and in particular on the post-sales aspects of that journey. It builds upon the realization from Module 1 of the need for technology suppliers to provide services that deliver outcomes by examining how this can actually be achieved. This module serves as an introduction to key Customer Success concepts and philosophies and helps participants to start thinking about how Customer Success Management might fit within their own organization.

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Objectives

01. Defining “Customer Success” and “Customer Success Management”: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
02. The Post-Sales Customer Journey: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
03. Customer Success Management Overview Part 1
: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
04. Customer Success Management Overview Part 2
: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
05. What Customers Really Want
: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
06. Proactive Versus Reactive Support Services: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
07. Expertise Requirements: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. 1 Month
08. Case Study – Customer Success Management at ACME SaaS: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
09. Fitting Customer Success Management into the Company Part 1 : departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
10. Fitting Customer Success Management into the Company Part 2 : departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
11. Case Study: Customer Success at SalesForce: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
12. The Evolution of Customer Success: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month

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Strategies

01. Defining “Customer Success” and “Customer Success Management”: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
02. The Post-Sales Customer Journey: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
03. Customer Success Management Overview Part 1: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
04. Customer Success Management Overview Part 2: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
05. What Customers Really Want: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
06. Proactive Versus Reactive Support Services: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
07. Expertise Requirements: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
08. Case Study – Customer Success Management at ACME SaaS: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
09. Fitting Customer Success Management into the Company Part 1: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
10. Fitting Customer Success Management into the Company Part 2: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
11. Case Study: Customer Success at SalesForce: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
12. The Evolution of Customer Success: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.

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Tasks

01. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Defining “Customer Success” and “Customer Success Management”.
02. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze The Post-Sales Customer Journey.
03. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Customer Success Management Overview Part 1.
04. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Customer Success Management Overview Part 2.
05. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze What Customers Really Want.
06. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Proactive Versus Reactive Support Services.
07. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Expertise Requirements.
08. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Case Study – Customer Success Management at ACME SaaS.
09. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Fitting Customer Success Management into the Company Part 1.
10. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Fitting Customer Success Management into the Company Part 2.
11. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Case Study: Customer Success at SalesForce.
12. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze The Evolution of Customer Success.

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Introduction

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What is Customer Success?

Customer success is a business strategy and practice focused on ensuring that customers achieve their desired outcomes and realize value from a product or service they have purchased. It involves actively managing the customer journey, from onboarding and implementation to ongoing support and engagement, with the goal of fostering long-term customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.

Key aspects of customer success include:

Understanding Customer Goals: Customer success begins with understanding the specific goals, needs, and expectations of each customer. This involves active listening and gaining insights into what success looks like for them.

Onboarding and Adoption: Effective onboarding processes are designed to help customers get started with a product or service quickly and smoothly. The goal is to ensure they understand how to use it and can begin realizing value.

Proactive Engagement: Customer success teams proactively engage with customers to provide guidance, share best practices, and offer assistance. This can involve regular check-ins, educational content, and support resources.

Problem Resolution: When customers encounter issues or challenges, customer success teams work to resolve them promptly and efficiently. This may involve coordinating with customer support or product development teams.

Measurement and Tracking: Customer success teams use key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to monitor the health of customer accounts. This helps identify at-risk customers and areas for improvement.

Customer Feedback: Collecting feedback from customers is an integral part of customer success. It helps uncover opportunities for improvement and informs product development.

Renewal and Upsell Opportunities: For subscription-based or renewable services, customer success teams play a crucial role in ensuring customer renewals and identifying opportunities for upselling or cross-selling additional products or services.

Advocacy and Loyalty: Satisfied customers are more likely to become advocates for your brand, referring others and providing testimonials or positive reviews. Building long-term customer loyalty is a central goal of customer success.

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Customer success efforts are informed by data and analytics. By analyzing customer behavior and trends, businesses can make data-driven decisions to improve the customer experience.

Customer-Centric Culture: Successful customer-centric organizations prioritize customer success as a core value. This mindset permeates all levels of the organization, from leadership to front-line employees.

Iterative Improvement: Customer success is an ongoing process that involves continuous improvement. Businesses regularly assess and refine their customer success strategies to adapt to changing customer needs and market conditions.

Customer success is particularly important in subscription-based models, SaaS (Software as a Service) businesses, and industries with a strong focus on customer retention. It shifts the focus from merely selling products or services to actively ensuring that customers derive ongoing value, leading to higher customer satisfaction, reduced churn, and increased revenue through renewals and expansion opportunities.

Where did the concept of ‘Customer Success’ come from?

The concept of customer success has evolved over time, and it doesn’t have a single identifiable origin or individual who coined the term. Instead, it has emerged as a response to the changing landscape of customer relationships, particularly in industries like Software as a Service (SaaS) and subscription-based models, where customer retention and satisfaction are paramount.

Customer success as a formalized practice gained prominence in the early 21st century as businesses recognized the need to go beyond traditional customer support and focus on proactive efforts to ensure that customers achieve their desired outcomes. While there isn’t a single originator, several thought leaders and companies have played significant roles in shaping the customer success movement:

Salesforce: Salesforce, a leading CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software company, played a pivotal role in popularizing the concept of customer success. They introduced the idea of “Customer Success Management” and created a dedicated department for it.

Lincoln Murphy: Lincoln Murphy, a prominent customer success consultant, is often associated with promoting customer success practices. He has written extensively on the subject and has provided guidance to many businesses.

Totango: Totango is a customer success management platform that has contributed to the development and formalization of customer success practices. They offer tools and resources to help companies manage and optimize their customer success efforts.

Gainsight: Gainsight is another company that has played a significant role in the customer success space. They provide customer success software and have been influential in shaping best practices for customer success teams.

The Customer Success Association: Founded by Mikael Blaisdell, the Customer Success Association is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the discipline of customer success. It provides resources, training, and networking opportunities for customer success professionals.

While these individuals and organizations have contributed to the formalization and popularization of customer success, it’s important to note that the concept has continued to evolve as businesses adapt to changing customer expectations and market dynamics. As a result, many companies now have dedicated customer success teams and practices aimed at ensuring the ongoing satisfaction and success of their customers.

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How do we measure Customer Success?

Measuring customer success involves assessing various key