Early-Stage Customer Success Tips and Tricks

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Suzanne Rupe
Suzanne Rupe Member Posts: 5 Seeker
edited October 2021 in Strategy & Planning
Hi Everyone,

I'm part of a small SaaS organization that is just now starting to develop a CS process. Being a team of one, I want to make sure that I set my organization (and future team members) up for success. What are some tips that you wish you knew when you and your team were first developing the Customer Success role at your organization? 

If anyone would be willing to spend a few minutes chatting then I would be extremely grateful!
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  • Guy Galon
    Guy Galon Member Posts: 26 Expert
    Photogenic First Anniversary Name Dropper First Comment
    edited October 2021
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    Hi Suzanne, 
    We can have a chat. I will be glad to help
    Guy
  • Jeffrey Kushmerek
    Jeffrey Kushmerek Member Posts: 96 Expert
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    edited October 2021
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    Hi Suzanne, 
    I wrote this to focus on onboarding, but you can see where that stops and advocacy/retention starts. I have some more that i can share that i haven't put into blog format as well:
    https://www.jeffkushmerek.com/blog/the-natural-evolution-of-saas-onboarding
    and

    https://www.jeffkushmerek.com/blog/tthe-ipop-the-implementation-process-optimization-plan

    best
    jeff
  • Suzanne Rupe
    Suzanne Rupe Member Posts: 5 Seeker
    edited October 2021
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    Hi Guy,

    I would really appreciate that! Feel free to send me your calendar, I can work around your schedule since you're being so generous with your time. 

    -Suzanne
  • Suzanne Rupe
    Suzanne Rupe Member Posts: 5 Seeker
    edited October 2021
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    Jeff,

    Thanks so much for sharing! I'll take a look at any and all resources that you'd be willing to share.

    -Suzanne
  • Frankie Guynes
    Frankie Guynes Member Posts: 1 Navigator
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    edited October 2021
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    Suzanne,
    First of all, good job on taking the initiative to get something established early on.  You are already half way there by recognizing you need to build programatic activities to scale and be successful!  

    If I were in your shoes, which I've found myself many times in my career.  I would start with these two activities:
    1) build a strategy around renewal management.  If you and your team will own renewals, you can quickly find that part of the job occupying lots of valuable time.  Get an auto-renew and uplift in your order form and get customers to sign agreements.  Avoid getting customers to fall into the "they don't have a signature but they stay with us" space or you'll have a hard time forecasting in the future.  Sorry, it's not "sexy" CSM work, but it's important.  And, it's easy if you do it early.
    2) Build a thoughtful customer journey with Pledge It.  Your customer journey will be the anchor to all other activities.  And, if you don't know what a successful journey looks like with your product (and the messaging around that journey), you could struggle with how to share your value to customers and internal teams.   Struggling with this message means you'll end up doing mostly escalated support work and renewal management, which is not your purpose.  So, just take the time to build it now.  You should be able to deliver the journey with slides in 15 mins or less and have a version that is customer-facing to use for customer sales decks.  

    If you would like to chat, I'm always happy to talk.  Just reach out on LinkedIn.  

    Good Luck, you got this!
  • Shareil Nariman
    Shareil Nariman Member Posts: 9 Seeker
    edited October 2021
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    Suzanne! 

    I'm writing an ebook as a guide for founders and CEO's looking to start customer success and onboarding, it covers exactly what you are asking and gives suggestions along the way. Shoot me an email (shareil@arrows.to) and I'll share the draft copy. We are in the process of actually converting it into a downloadable ebook and I'll share that link in here for everyone else eventually too. 

    But more than happy to share the draft with you and chat further if you need!

    Shareil

  • melissa jackson
    melissa jackson Member Posts: 1 Navigator
    edited October 2021
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    Hi Shareil,
    I am hoping that you can extend that offer to others. Please let me know. 
    @Suzanne Rupe: Would you be open to connecting? I am in a similar situation.
  • Shareil Nariman
    Shareil Nariman Member Posts: 9 Seeker
    edited October 2021
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    Yes of course, emailing you back now Melissa!
  • Stella Ikhnana
    Stella Ikhnana Member Posts: 8 Seeker
    edited October 2021
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    Hi Suzanne,

    I just posted my version of the Customer Profile on LinkedIn today and wanted to share it with you in case you find it helpful.

    Here's a picture of it, if you want the link to the Google Sheets, let me know.

    You can find me on LinkedIn :)

    Good luck to you and your team!

    Thanks,

    Stella

    image
  • Amey Sadar
    Amey Sadar Member Posts: 1 Navigator
    edited December 2021
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    Hey Shareil,

    Can you share the ebook with me as well? I have sent you an email.

    Looking forward to reading it.

    __________________
    Amey Sadar
    Zipy
    __________________
  • Ashley Moss
    Ashley Moss Member Posts: 4 Navigator
    edited December 2021
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    Hi Stella, 

    This is great! Would you mind sharing the link with me? I really appreciate it! 

    Ashley 
    CSM 
    Absorb

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