CS Introduction Presentation to Clients

Larissa Carlotti

Hi, guys

I was recently hired to assemble from scratch a CS area for the company I was already working for. One of my first tasks, appart from thinking about the company's CS strategy, is to introduce myself to our clients as the CSM. 

Do you have any tips about:

1. How this meeting should go?
2. How long it should take?
3. What topics should be covered?

Or any real life presentation examples you could share with me?

William Buckingham

Hi @Larissa Carlotti

Without knowing your business model, client type/size, and current business maturity, I think I would say just focus on being as customer-centric as possible, and play the long game.  Focus on the customer and on laying a meaningful foundation for the relationship.

1. How this meeting should go?
- That's partly out of your hands.   Be customer-centric and focus on establishing a relationship.   Even if you are the best at that of any CSM, how the call actually goes will be influenced by additional factors such as product functionality, support satisfaction, etc.

2. How long it should take?
How long it takes is a hard one to answer.  If you are scheduling a meeting, I would say no more than 30 minutes.    Primarily because the customer doesn't yet know what value you will be delivering, so they have no idea why they should even show up.   

If you are calling customers out of the blue and introducing yourself, you should take no more than 10 minutes, ask for a scheduled time, and only exceed 10 minutes if the customer directly asks for it.   You called them out of the blue, and CSMs have to respect that.
 
3. What topics should be covered?

Ask incredibly open-ended questions regarding:

1. Why they purchased and renewed?  Are they achieving this desired outcome/benefit/value?
   1. If not, why not? 
   2. If so, how?
2. Aside from the product you provide, what is most important to the business in the next 3-12 months? 
3. What is the main initiative your contacts are responsible over the next 3-12 months?  (Prioritizing a comprehensive understanding of their business goals and needs, instead of attaching value to your product will help gain trust out the gate, give you important business context for later, and help build rapport as a strategic advisor.)
4. How they are using the product?
5. Who is using the product?
6.  What, in regards to your product, people, or processes, is working well for them?  What isn't working well?
7. IF they could change one thing about the relationship and/or product, what would it be?  

I think an important aspect when introducing yourself as the CSM is to convey A. you fear no answers, you just want the truth. and B. You're ready to be an absolute business partner, not just a vendor.   

When CSMs get on the line and express hesitation to diving into the areas their firm has dropped the ball, it stifles that seed of trust from growing to its full potential.   Let the customer lay it all out.  If handled correctly, even the bad sentiment aspects will become sturdy foundation for a long, fruitful relationship to be built upon. 

All in all, it should be about the customer, and how they interact with your product.   If you come on the first call slinging product value, feature adoption, and product roadmaps, you will have harmed the effectiveness of future engagements with this contact.  

Your first 5+ calls you are sowing seeds.  Sowing seeds only.   It is not till much much later that you can actually try to harvest something (advocacy, expansion, etc.).

One tactical thing I will add.  If you are scheduling a bunch of customer introductions all at once, give yourself a buffer between them.  This will help you stay on top of the action items which result from these calls, and will allow you to go long on a call if a customer really has a ton to dig into and is engaged.   

Another tactical aspect, if scheduling actual meetings (as opposed to cold calling), make sure to include an agenda.  This will let the customer know this truly will be about them, and help them prepare and/or bring the appropriate team members.  It also helps minimize the risk that the call ends up about open support tickets.  

Hope this helps.  Best of luck in your efforts and new role.

BenB

Hi @Larissa Carlotti - Congrats on the new role.  Its a tall order to build the strategy, grow the team and be the CSM - but hey... you got this!

@William Buckingham gave a great summary and list of questions.   The only thing I'd add is keep it simple, be yourself, and be transparent.   Show the customer your company is heavily investing in the them with a brand new program, but let them know its in the early stages and you want to make sure they know they have a voice in you.

BB

Rob Kagan

Hi

I just wrote an article about onboarding and the introduction of a new customer to the CS team.  Take a look - I hope it helps: 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-saas-onboarding-process-ready-lift-off-robert-kagan

Chris Dizon

Larissa,

How this meeting should go?
It is important that you communicate how the new CS area of the company will benefit the client.   When introducing clients to the concept of Customer Success, especially existing clients, we often present it to them as a "CS program" that they can now be a part of.   

What topics should be covered?
It is important to communicate how your CS program will provide them value.  Along with an overview of some of the elements & deliverables your CS Program will be providing, we find it is really important to discuss how they prefer to receive CS outreach.   Sponsor? Business champion? User Champion? 

Cheers,