Building high-performing customer success teams | Amy Oilman

Customer success is at an inflection point. AI isn't just a buzzword – it's fundamentally rewriting what it means to be a CSM. Yet adoption in CS is lagging, and those who wait risk being left behind.In this episode of the CS School podcast, we're joined by Adam Parsons, Client Success Director at Degreed, to explore how AI is transforming the role – from task-driven execution to insight-driven strategy. We break down where AI adds real value today (research, news analysis, and client intelligence), how to experiment with the right tools, and why curiosity and intentionality will separate leaders from laggards.Adam draws from his own journey to highlight the mindset shifts needed to thrive in a future where CSMs act as strategic partners, not just problem-solvers. If you want to stay relevant – and indispensable – in a rapidly changing landscape, this episode is your roadmap.Key takeaways:👉 AI is reshaping how we work in customer success.👉 Adoption of AI in customer success is slower than expected.👉 AI will change the nature of the CSM role from task-based to insight-based.👉 CSMs should lean into AI tools to enhance their work.👉 Research, news, and analysis are key areas where AI can assist CSMs.👉 AI can help CSMs understand their clients better and provide value.👉 Curiosity and intentionality are essential when integrating AI.👉 CSMs should pick specific problems to solve with AI.👉 The CSM role will evolve to be more consultative and strategic.👉 Ongoing education and adaptation are crucial in the AI landscape.

Akash Singh joins us to discuss the importance of customer success in go-to-market (GTM) strategy.

In this episode of CS School, we're joined by Raymond Otero, the Director of Global Customer Experience (Strategic Programs) at Microsoft, about the intersection of customer experience (CX) and customer success (CS). Raymond discusses the evolution of CX and CS, the cultural shift towards customer centricity, the use of technology in CX, and the measurement of CX success. Raymond shares a case study of how Microsoft integrated CX and CS with Adobe, resulting in cost savings, improved app performance, and increased customer satisfaction. He also addresses common misconceptions about CX and CS and offers advice for implementing CX initiatives in small to medium-sized businesses.Key takeawaysCX and CS have evolved significantly in recent years due to technological advancements and changing customer expectations.CX and CS are not limited to customer service or support; they encompass the entire customer journey and focus on proactive engagement and value realization.Cultural shifts towards customer centricity have improved customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.CX and CS initiatives should involve collaboration across departments, including marketing, product development, and sales.Metrics such as net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and customer effort score (CES) can be used to track and measure CX success.Implementing CX initiatives in small to medium-sized businesses requires starting with one metric, collecting data, and demonstrating the return on investment to gain buy-in from leadership.ResourcesAttend Ray's keynote session "Anticipating customer needs: Proactive services and analytics strategies for support teams" at Customer Support Summit on October 9, 2024.Connect with Ray on LinkedInJoin the CSC Slack community

Think empathy is the key to customer success? It's just the tip of the iceberg! Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the real game-changer, not just for your clients, but for YOU too.We were lucky enough to chat with EQ champion Jenelle Friday, VP of Customer Success at Forecastable, about emotional intelligence (EQ) and its importance in customer success. We discuss the four pillars of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Janelle emphasizes the need for self-awareness as the foundation of emotional intelligence and the importance of understanding oneself and one's emotional triggers. Emotional intelligence is essential to customer success and involves self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.Key takeaways from this episode:Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence and involves understanding oneself, emotional triggers, and past experiences that shape behavior.Building authentic relationships in the workplace requires empathy, curiosity, and active listening.Difficult conversations can be navigated with emotional intelligence by understanding one's own fears and the motivations of the other person.Embracing change and being open to new perspectives are key aspects of emotional intelligence in customer success. Leaders need to prioritize emotional intelligence (EQ) in their interactions with team members and customers.A relationship-driven approach is more effective than a sales-focused approach in business.Training and development in EQ are essential for leaders and customer success teams.EQ is crucial in the evolving digital and automated world.EQ can lead to personal and professional transformation.Connect with Jenelle on LinkedIn to learn more about this fascinating topic and transform your approach to customer success, work-life and beyond!

We discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that CS Ops presents, as well as the specific skill sets and pathways that aspiring professionals in this domain should cultivate.Join us as we unpack the intricacies of CS Ops, learn about Roger's day-to-day operations, and explore the future of this vital aspect of customer success within the tech industry. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, this episode promises to be an informative and engaging exploration of a field that is rapidly gaining prominence.How CS Ops differs from traditional customer successTransition into CS OpsImportance of personalization and proactivityCross-functional collaborationData-driven approachScaling and operational excellenceOvercoming challengesA typical CS Ops dayBreakthrough momentsFuture of CS Ops

In this episode, we're joined by Akash Singh, Head of Customer Success (APJ) at Software AG, about the importance of customer success in go-to-market (GTM) strategy. We discuss driving adoption, navigating compliance and user privacy, evaluating customer success team performance, and aligning CS with GTM culture.Akash shares innovative strategies his team has implemented, such as using capability adoption scores and telemetry data to measure adoption, automating risk tracking and mitigation, and aligning compensation targets with NRR.Tune in if you're in the market for practical insights for building a successful customer success function within an organization.Key takeawaysIf you listen to this episode, you'll learn how to:Implement innovative strategies to drive product adoption while navigating compliance challenges and diverse deployment scenarios.Leverage alternative data sources like capability adoption scores and telemetry insights to track usage without relying on sensitive user data.Evaluate and optimize your customer success team's performance through automated risk tracking, sentiment analysis, and aligned success plans.Align customer success compensation with your go-to-market strategy by focusing on unified metrics like net revenue retention.Build an effective customer success function by taking a customer-centric approach, continuously measuring results, and tightly aligning with broader commercial teams.ResourcesWant to follow along with the slides Akash mentioned? Click here to download the presentation deck:Capability adoption scoring: 09:49Transaction metering: 14:24Catching and mitigating risks early: 19:34Sentiment update: 20:45Success plans: 22:01Success plans and how they can lead to CSQLs: 22:47Carry on the conversation and connect with Akash on LinkedIn for more insightful conversations.Plus, you can did you know Akash is one of our 24 CS leaders to watch in 2024? Check out his feature in CSC's 24 in 2024 report.Shout out to Software AGNo one achieves greatness alone; Akash's achievements were made possible through the contributions and encouragement of the Software AG customer success leadership team!A very special shout-out to:Sanah Ali, Customer Experience Operations Manager at Software AGBridget Cleary, Director of Customer Success at Software AGAndrew Cutler, Senior VP of Customer Success at Software AG

Onboarding new CSMs is crucial for their success and the success of the company. In those first 90 days, you have the opportunity to establish the mold of your customer success team and determine its future. In this episode, we're joined by Jess Galenski, Director of Customer Success at Apryse, to discuss how she onboards her new Customer Success Managers to set them, and their future clients, up for success. Takeaways: Set clear goals and milestones for new hires during their onboarding process. Provide resources and training documents to help new CSMs learn about the company, systems, processes, and products. Facilitate connections with other teams and stakeholders to help understand the company's ecosystem. Encourage your new hires to be curious, ask questions, and provide feedback to improve the onboarding process. Onboarding practices should be sustainable and scalable to accommodate the growth of the company.

Most companies drop the ball when nurturing customers into passionate advocates. Advocacy is the real payoff. So, why are so many companies getting it wrong? For customer success specialist Cristy Rahman, CSMs are the customers' compass toward advocacy.In this episode, we dive deep into the vital role Customer Success Managers play in championing their clients and ensuring lasting success - bridging that critical gap between closing the deal and nurturing long-term customer relationships.Cristy brings a wealth of experience from her background in sales and her passion for customer success. She shares how shifting from transactional sales interactions to prioritizing relationships completely transformed her approach to customer success.What we discussedIn this insightful episode, Cristy opens up about the transformative journey of CSMs toward championing customer advocacy, focusing on key areas such as:Her transition from sales to customer success and its profound effect on cultivating deeper customer connections.The critical importance of seamlessly passing the baton from sales to you, the CSM, to kickstart the advocacy journey.Essential strategies you can employ to build rapport and trust, laying the groundwork for strong advocacy.How to navigate the bumps along the way and keep your customers' trust when outcomes fall short of expectations.The power of empathy and proactive communication in solidifying your relationship with customers.Actionable advice tailored for you, the CSM, to foster advocacy by aligning with customer goals and sharing valuable insights for shared victories.Aiming beyond mere satisfaction to extend customer lifetime value through deliberate advocacy and partnership efforts.

Do your customers rave about your brand to friends and colleagues? They should! Turning satisfied customers into loyal advocates is essential today. Yet most companies drop the ball when it comes to post-sale customer experience. In this episode, we’re exploring why customer success teams must radically shift their approach to spark organic advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing in an online review world. We chewed the fat with CX maestro, Haig Kingston, Head of Customer Success at OpenBlend, on how to obsess over lifetime customer value, foster brand loyalty, and leverage your happiest customers as a secret sales team. 

Joining us on this episode of the CS School podcast is Alex Turkovic, Director of Adoption Programs (Digital Customer Success & Customer Education) at Snow Software. Alex and our host Grace delve into the fascinating confluence of digital customer success. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to demystify digital customer success and leverage it to its full potential. Alex expertly navigates through the complexities of digital customer engagement, the critical role of generative AI, and the indispensable balance between technology and human interaction. With engaging anecdotes and practical advice, the conversation reveals how digital customer success strategies can not only simplify processes but also significantly amplify the impact of customer success teams. Whether you're a customer success professional aiming to refine your strategy, or simply curious about the future of customer engagement, this episode offers valuable insights into making digital customer success a driving force in your organization.With a rich background that spans audio engineering in the music industry to leading customer education and digital customer success initiatives, Alex brings a unique perspective to the table, shedding light on the transformative power of digital tools and strategies in enhancing customer journeys.