What challenges does your team have engaging on more strategic, business-level customer convos?
Expert 
Hey GGR'ers.
I'm learning a lot lately about the challenges CSMs have around engaging customers at a more strategic, business level. Wondering what challenges and experiences you've had, either internally (team behaviors) or externally (customer recalcitrance).
Here's my story:
I've worked with 6 CS teams (~ 60 CSM's + account managers) over the last several months to upskill them on having business-level customer conversations...rising above product-level feedback. During this time, I've uncovered 4 primary areas where the REAL work is to disrupt and influence CSMs' current habits/behaviors:
Agree? Disagree? How are you addressing?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
I'm learning a lot lately about the challenges CSMs have around engaging customers at a more strategic, business level. Wondering what challenges and experiences you've had, either internally (team behaviors) or externally (customer recalcitrance).
Here's my story:
I've worked with 6 CS teams (~ 60 CSM's + account managers) over the last several months to upskill them on having business-level customer conversations...rising above product-level feedback. During this time, I've uncovered 4 primary areas where the REAL work is to disrupt and influence CSMs' current habits/behaviors:
Challenge 1. Ask about the company challenges and priorities. Not your customer's but the business overall. This may involve getting answers out of your comfort zone - that's ok! You're asking to learn, not solve (see below).
Challenge 2. It's OK to ask questions you don't know the answer to. That's how you get FRESH insights.
Challenge 3. Make it a dialogue, not a checklist. Go with the flow of their response vs. jumping to the next question. Probe with insight accelerators like "why," "how" and "what do you mean?"
Challenge 4: Don't solve. Again, you're there to listen and learn. Most CSMs have a natural (and awesome) tendency to be responsive and fix issues. That's not what these convo's are for. Nor are they for selling, although you may be surprised at the opportunities that emerge organically.
Challenge 2. It's OK to ask questions you don't know the answer to. That's how you get FRESH insights.
Challenge 3. Make it a dialogue, not a checklist. Go with the flow of their response vs. jumping to the next question. Probe with insight accelerators like "why," "how" and "what do you mean?"
Challenge 4: Don't solve. Again, you're there to listen and learn. Most CSMs have a natural (and awesome) tendency to be responsive and fix issues. That's not what these convo's are for. Nor are they for selling, although you may be surprised at the opportunities that emerge organically.
Agree? Disagree? How are you addressing?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!