Gainsight GameChanger Podcast

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

The Customer Success industry is constantly changing and evolving. In today’s world, recruiters don’t need to have a background in Customer Success to shine in the field, and sometimes collaborating with professionals with experience in other fields can be exceptional for companies.

In this episode of Gamechanger, Adam has an amazing conversation with Sam Smith and Shanta Bodhan, both coming from different backgrounds but with one thing in common: they both switched careers, jumped into the CS area, and found a way to use their skills from their previous jobs to succeed in this new path. Join us to learn more about their journey and how you can apply their knowledge and tips to your life.

Jump straight into:

(03:09) - Shanta and Sam’s background, from HR and Economics to Customer Success - “My first career was in Human Resources and when I first started, I was 100% confident that I’d find my life’s work.”

(05:58) - The true value for Sam and Shanta after shifting to the CS field - “That was what really appealed to me as well, being able to have that broad rich and great impact in Customer Success.”

(08:13) - COVID-19: how Shanta’s HR skills helped her with this new role - “Part of COVID-19 and then what we learned is trying to plan for the unexpected.”

(9:30) - On data sets combination in Customer Success, and Sam’s background skills that are helpful for him nowadays - “The hardest part is knowing how far that’s gonna go, and your customer might be able to use it in the best way.”

(11:13) - The challenges they faced when moving to Customer Success - “What was the most interesting for me was shifting my mindset.”

(16:20) - Customer Success skills vs a professional with a client’s perspective - “It’s very hard to find someone who has both, so we found that there’s a lot that we can train for, as long as someone has the Customer Success attitude .”

(20:14) - Sam and Shanta’s advice for starting a new path in Customer Success - “I would say just read and study as much as possible.”

Resources

Connect with Shanta via LinkedIn

Connect with Sam via LinkedIn

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at [email protected] or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

StudioPod also offers an AirBnB Experience, where you can learn how to podcast; to learn more or to book one of our amazing courses,...

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

The Customer Success philosophy has become the ally of many businesses from all around the world, and has settled as a preferred framework for millions of entrepreneurs and their teams. So much so, that students are currently showing growing interest around CS courses and lessons for their education, which only highlights the impact of our industry in the business world. 

There are several major factors inside Customer Success roles that draw the line between overwhelm and a healthy career; as a result, Customer Success has become a tough industry, where skills such as multitasking, time management and delegation are crucial to thrive. In today’s episode, our host, Adam Joseph, is joined by Samantha Samuels, Head of  Partnerships at Friendbuy, to chat about the skills that make CS managers great. Samantha is a passionate CS professional, and she will share her insights and advice around attention to customers, task prioritization, smart hires, and the importance of learning new things every day. Stay tuned to learn all about the “X Factor” of the Customer Success field, and the secrets behind working smart, not hard. 

Jump straight into:

(01:25) - On Samantha’s passions and the “X Factor” of the Customer Success field - “Learning from my clients and helping them grow became my obsession.”

(05:04) - How to efficiently multitask and prioritize our customers’ needs - “I would make sure that I was proactively reaching out to customers to ensure that we had a positive relationship.”

(09:04) - How to work in Customer Success without going mad (both in person and remotely) - “It’s really about how effectively you manage your time, that’s the skill that makes a great CS manager.”

(10:52) - The complex art of saying “No” - “CS management is a tough job. If you’re going to be subservient to everyone’s requests, people are going to take advantage of that.”

(13:27) - Why being a great leader starts with the hiring process - “If you hire smart-driven, self-directed and collaborative people, you'll find that you won’t need to jump into every situation.”

(15:32) - How to better manage daily tasks and avoid the cycle to burnout - “Now, that teams are entirely distributed. There’s an innate instinct to prove to your team that you’re available.”

(22:00) - Samantha’s advice and resources for new and experienced CS professionals - “I realized I needed to start reading, and learn from as many people as I could.”

Resources

Connect with Samantha via LinkedIn

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The 360 Degree Leader by John C. Maxwell

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

The Customer Success philosophy has become the ally of many businesses from all around the world, and has settled as a preferred framework for millions of entrepreneurs and their teams. So much so, that students are currently showing growing interest around CS courses and lessons for their education, which only highlights the impact of our industry in the business world. 

In this episode, Bryan Hochstein, the Doctor of Customer Success, joins us to share his insights as a researcher, academic, and CS advocate, to help us navigate the industry through a different lens. Listen to learn all about the four themes that are most relevant for the industry to this day, and what it really takes to incorporate the CS philosophy into educational curriculums in the US and globally. With adequate efforts, not only will Customer Success keep growing popular in the professional field, but could unleash its potential and become more relevant in the academic world, to give birth to an entire generation of passionate practitioners. 

Jump straight into:

(01:09) - On Bryan’s background and diverse career - “My approach to that really was what I now realize was a Customer Success approach.”

(05:21) - Bryan’s academic journey and perspectives on the CS philosophy - “It was the answer to a lot of questions I had about sales.”

(08:21) - The four key themes circling in the CS industry and how they could impact practices - “Proactivity is key to this actually working right, and not everybody does it right.”

(14:33) - The importance of addressing the “customer health” concept -  “It’s a state of complete engagement, experience and value of the well being, and not merely the absence of business problems.”

(20:12) - The cultural and maturity differences of CS on a global scale - “People do things differently based on the cultures where they’re working, even for the same company, but that’s pretty much just good marketing.”

(26:45) - The integration of the Customer Success Philosophy on education - “Universities are needing to be much more responsive to the job demand of the business communities around them.”

Resources

Connect with Bryan via LinkedIn

Adapting influence approaches to informed consumers in high-involvement purchases: are salespeople really doomed?

Customer Success by Nick Mehta and Dan Steinman

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on...

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

In customer success, teamwork is certainly a main pillar of the ecosystem. It allows entire businesses to function smoothly and productively, that’s why it is so crucial for leaders to find the perfect fit when it comes to their team’s members. Is there such a thing as a perfect CS team, and if so, how can we build our very own dream team? In today’s episode, Adam is joined by ultramarathon runner Star Hofer, former Vice President of Customer Success at eCompliance, and current Vice President of Customer Success at PartnerStack, to chat about her bulletproof process to build the best team at any organization. When it comes to remarkable teamwork, a collaborative mindset, the diversity of skills and backgrounds, and a strong culture are key to make the engine work. From the position opening to the candidate’s interview, listen to this episode to learn all about Star’s winning formula to the ultimate CS team!

Jump straight into:

(01:08) - Star’s background and that time she ran 80km under a torrential downpour for fun. - “Running is my meditation, it’s the only thing that actually turns my brain off.”

(03:41) - Why diversity is key for CS professionals to build up their teams - “It’s a way of checking ego at the door and just really learning from one another. I think it’s essential to have people on your team that are completely different from you.”

(05:44) - Building the dream team: choosing between veterans and rookies, and spotting candidates’ specific skills and personal traits - “It’s just about taking a look across your organization and yourself of the skill set that you might not have, so that you bring in that key hire.”

(11:15) - How to prepare and perform the perfect interview - “If they do say they’re very proficient at something and you’re hiring for it specifically, then go ahead and validate it.”

(14:38) - Ensuring a cohesive and collaborating team - “It is not just me, it’s me and the entire team that is looking for something. We all agree on how we’re going out and building the team.”

(17:53) - How to help the entire CSM team feel integrated and engaged inside the new remote working modalities - “At the end of the day, if you have one person that feels like the outcast, it’s not a great employee experience.”

Resources

Connect with Star via LinkedIn

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at [email protected] or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

StudioPod also offers an AirBnB Experience, where you can learn how to podcast; to learn more or to book one...

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

Losing customers to churn is painful, we can’t deny that, but it is key for businesses to make the most out of these situations and learn from their customers’ experiences in order to evolve and better serve others. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Natasha Narayan, CEO and Co-Founder of IcebergIQ, to chat about the hidden value inside businesses and customers’ worst nightmare: churns. When customers decide to leave, it’s for good, and CSM professionals must learn to properly handle these situations. Listen to this episode to learn how to extract the best feedback from your customers for your own improvement, and how to prevent a future churn with the adequate interview in the first place. In this industry, it all comes down to your communication and listening skills, if you want to work on them even further, this episode is definitely for you.

Jump straight into:

(00:56) - On Natasha’s background, career and trajectory on the CSM ecosystem.

(04:54) - The Win/Loss analysis and the importance of receiving feedback from an outsider source - “Because it’s unbiased feedback and they’re speaking with a third party, we find that the feedback is more rich and more candid, and they’re more willing to open up.”

(08:22) - The best time and way to approach a leaving customer to obtain detailed feedback - “What we have found as a best practice is that the more recent, the better.”

(11:43) - The exact moment customers make the decision to churn - “We’re finding that it’s anywhere from six months to two years prior to the renewal, that they’re making that decision to leave.”

(14:45) - How human touch and curiosity will heavily influence both our customers’ experience and decision making - “There’s just so much about holding space for the customer to speak, not rushing and digging further.”

Resources

Connect with Natasha via LinkedIn

IcebergIQ

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at [email protected] or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

StudioPod also offers an AirBnB Experience, where you can learn how to podcast; to learn more or to book one of our amazing courses, go to https://studiopodsf.com/courses.

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

Customer Success has settled as a popular and prevalent practice for entire businesses across the globe. When it comes to individuals, it is important to cherish our own culture, but as CS professionals, we must cherish our customer relationships, especially at an international level. In today’s episode, our host, Adam Joseph, is joined by Interact Software’s Vice President of Customer Success, Kris Morrison, to chat about the importance of empathy, flexibility and adaptability with our customers. Listen now to look at the CS field from a rich and diverse perspective, and to learn why the attention to detail is a feature that both your customers and colleagues will find delightful.

Jump straight into:

(01:15) - On Kris’ unique and diverse background, and how he joined the CS ecosystem - “I had about 500 different cocktails, so my nickname became Cocktail Kris.”

(08:15) - Kris’ unintentional training and discovery of his love for CS - “We were just trying to create different things for the different customers we had.”

(11:00) - The importance of flexibility, attention to detail and an international perspective for CS roles - “You have to be able to adapt your approach to the folks that you’re dealing with.” 

(16:55) - On COVID led digital transformation and the embracement of new trends of work - “It’s how we manage to maintain those social relationships, while giving folks the freedom to not be in an office 24/7.”

Resources

Connect with Kris via LinkedIn

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at [email protected] or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

StudioPod also offers an AirBnB Experience, where you can learn how to podcast; to learn more or to book one of our amazing courses, go to https://studiopodsf.com/courses.

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

Having kids is certainly one of the most exciting and significant experiences of our lives, but in a world where “hard work” is praised, maternity and paternity leave policies and opportunities are not the same for everyone. In today’s episode, our host, Adam Joseph, sits down with a panel of  experienced guests to bring attention to this topic.

Today’s episode guests are Aude Makk-Eberlin VP Customer Success for Emerging Accounts at Brandwatch, Violaine Yziquel, former Director & EMEA Customer Success Manager at Box, and Tom Collyer, Customer Success Director at Keystone Academic Solutions.

With a baby on the way (if it’s not here by now), there are a lot of things that parents need to take care of already, so now add their own careers in the mix. How do parents even manage the pressure of parenting while still delivering in their vocations? It may sound overwhelming, but it is possible, especially when they are given the support they need. In today’s episode, our host and guests share their experiences and tips to better navigate the arrival of a new member of the family from a professional perspective. From the preparation of an extended leave, to the reincorporation into their workplace, this episode contains crucial information not only for expecting new parents, but also for companies to better support their employees during one of the important events of their collaborators’ lives. 

Jump straight into:

(01:29) - A brief introduction of our panel’s maternity and paternity leave experiences, and their musical legacy for their children.

(07:17) - Anticipation is key: how to carefully prepare for an extended leave - “I started planning probably 2 months before my last day. Try to plan as early as possible.”

(13:47) - Should parents let go of the business side of their lives to focus on their newborns? - “The first four months I only scanned through my emails, doing some clean up and keeping some unread, but I was focusing on my child first.” 

(17:12) - On managing the pressure and mental health struggles of coming back to work - “It’s not about a loss of confidence, but about if you’re physically and mentally ready to go back.”

(20:19) - The importance of creating truly supportive environments for new parents - “Everytime I had a call it started with ‘So, how is your son?’. They were all about being caring and having an honest conversation with me.”

(23:02) - Life shouldn’t be a juggle: how to find balance between work and parenting - “It is pretty hard to find a balance, but I always try and prioritize family first.”

Resources

Connect with Aude via LinkedIn

Connect with Violaine via LinkedIn

Connect with Tom via LinkedIn

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

In the Customer Success field, it is certainly fulfilling for managers to witness their customers’ “Aha!” moments, but how can we identify these moments clearly, and why are they so important for our clients and our companies? In today’s episode, Strategic Customer Success Manager at InVision, Waqa Hussain, joins us to chat about the importance of spotting and contributing to our customers’ milestones. Regardless of the scale of your company and your team, today’s conversation will inspire you to pay closer attention to the communication between you and your clients. You’ll learn how to start a trusting relationship with the right foot, and how to keep nourishing it as your customer escalates. Are you interested in better serving your customers and helping them achieve their goals? This episode is for you!

Jump straight into:

(01:29) - A passion for CS, and a deep love for kebab BBQs - “One of the things I love most about Customer Success is getting customers to that “Aha!” moment.”

(04:36) - How can we identify our customers’ “Aha!” moments? - “They are at least in that point where their dreams are now becoming a reality.”

(06:16) - How to capture your customer’s expectations and values since day 1 - “It really comes down to doing a very, very strong discovery and asking really detailed questions.”

(10:47) - Data vs. anecdotes: the objective measure of customers’ success - “I think you need both. If you have these things in isolation, they don’t hold weight, and from a customer’s perspective they’re just going to say “So what?”.

(15:34) - Strategies and frameworks to better align yourself with your customer and their goals - “Are they really on the right path to accomplishing what they want to accomplish in order to achieve their objectives?

(20:38) - Waqa and InVision’s solution to managing the expectations of multiple customers - “The ability to go deep and have meaningful conversations with a large number of accounts is almost impossible.”

(25:06) - Is looking for customers’ “Aha!” moments even worth the effort? - “You don’t want to wait until it’s too late. You want to be ahead of the curve and be proactive, not reactive.”

Resources

Connect with Waqa via LinkedIn

InVision

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at [email protected] or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

StudioPod also offers an AirBnB Experience, where...

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

The most successful organizations are the ones whose teams are synchronized, fueled by motivation, and moving together towards their common goals. It all starts with the leaders… but how can companies create a truly strong philosophy that resonates with all of their members? In today’s episode, our guest Francis Cordón, Vice President of Field Operations at Quantum Metric, podcaster and martial arts guru, joins us to chat about his philosophy and three-level practice to level up entire organizations towards a more fruitful future. You’ll get inspired and educated in a topic you may have not stopped to think about enough, that could have been preventing you and your team from unleashing your full potential. Regardless of your profession, if you’re a leader, you’ll definitely want to listen to this conversation. 

Jump straight into:

(01:31) - Francis’s background, career and life as a podcaster - “I am a man on a mission thinking of the customer first.”

(08:57) - Finding the unexpected spot where Customer Success and martial arts merge - “It’s not about talent, it’s about persistence.” 

(10:34) - Francis’s three-level practice: how to transform a regular company into a meaningful and authentic one - “When you think about certain companies that do very well, it’s because there’s a passion, people believe in what they’re doing.”

(20:43) - How often should leaders revisit this three-level model to keep it fresh and relevant? - “Aim at bringing initiatives in every quarter with your organization.”

(25:06) - The importance of reflecting on philosophies and reinventing the framework - “It seems a waste, but the truth is we are creating maturity. As a leader, you owe it to yourself to think deeply about it.”

Resources

Connect with Francis via LinkedIn

A Thousand Exits 

Quantum Metric

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at [email protected] or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

StudioPod also offers an AirBnB Experience, where you can learn how to podcast; to learn more or to book one of our amazing courses, go to https://studiopodsf.com/courses.

Welcome to The Gainsight Gamechanger Podcast, a space where we recognize and celebrate people who change the game of customer success and product experience for their companies, customers, teammates, and partners.

Even though Product-Led Customer Success sounds trendy and fresh, it has been around for quite a while now, and has contributed to the formation of professionals and entire businesses with its philosophy. In today’s episode, Dave Jackson, CEO of TheCustomer.Co, sits down with us to share his expertise around Product-Led Customer Success. He will uncover and clarify the major misconceptions of the method, as well as break down a five-step process to improve the model’s performance. Listen now to get inspired and understand the root causes of why your approach to Product-Led Customer Success may not have been adequate to begin with. When it comes to growing, there are no shortcuts, so be ready to get yourself to work!

Jump straight into:

(01:31) - The most professional world traveler: on Jackson’s background, career and experience.

(06:30) - The origin and art of Product-Led Customer Success - “A lot of people talk about it being a new thing, but Survey Monkey started in 1989, and have been product lead in everything they’ve done ever since.” 

(09:08) - How to bridge the knowledge gap for poorly designed products - “The product itself needs to be a virtual CSM in its own right, otherwise there is a limitation in how successful you can be as a business.”

(14:41) - The common misconceptions of Product-Led Customer Success - “Technology alone rarely changes things. It can enable and drive change, but it has to go hand in hand with other elements of the organization.”

(19:39) - Breaking down the key five components of Product-Led Customer Success - “There are ways you can productize certain elements of these steps.”

(21:19) - How can you measure your progress and determine if you have achieved a certain goal? - “Do I think you’ve got to get deep into understanding your customer? Absolutely. Do I think a lot of companies are good at doing that? No, I don’t, actually.” 

(23:25) - Dave’s valuable tips for struggling CSMs - ”Listen to customers more, and more, and more.” 

Resources

Connect with Dave through LinkedIn

TheCustomer.Co

Screened Out 

The Story Behind the World’s First Cashpoint 

Hosted by Adam Joseph, The Gamechanger Podcast is a show brought to you by Gainsight. For more information about all of our episodes, please visit https://www.gainsight.com/podcasts.

This show is produced and edited by StudioPod. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at