Impact Show

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ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
This week on Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln tackle the critical traps that Customer Success Managers (CSMs) often fall into. With insights and practical advice, they delve into the first two of the top five traps, offering strategies not just for avoiding these pitfalls but for transforming them into opportunities for growth and success.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

"What are the biggest traps you can fall into as a CSM, and how do you get out?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• Firefighting Mode: The cycle of constantly dealing with churned customers, which prevents CSMs from engaging in proactive, high-value activities.
• Lack of Confidence: How a CSM's lack of confidence can impact customer relationships and the importance of building objective confidence for meaningful engagements.

QUOTES:

1. Johan: "Firefighting mode is a vicious cycle where you miss out on doing proactive work." (04:24)
2. Lincoln: "Sharpening the saw is crucial; we can't just keep spinning our wheels without moving forward." (05:37)
3. Lincoln: "A lack of confidence can lead to people-pleasing, which traps you in ineffective cycles." (14:02)
4. Johan: "Objective confidence is a game changer, empowering CSMs to engage with senior stakeholders effectively." (17:15)
5. Lincoln: "Focusing on high-percentage activities moves you away from firefighting mode and sets customers up for expansion." (11:43)

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In "Chaotic Harmony: Customer Success in Early-stage Startups," Johan and Lincoln delve into the complex world of Customer Success Managers (CSMs) in startup environments. They explore how CSMs can navigate the unique challenges and create effective strategies amidst the unpredictability of startups.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"How do I create the best working conditions as a CSM in a SaaS startup where there are no set ways of doing things?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. The critical role of customer learning and development in startup environments.
2. The importance of managing expectations across all levels: customers, leadership, and self.
3. Adapting and evolving strategies with the startup's growth, using the 'Success Potential Checklist'.

QUOTES:
Johan Nilsson (00:00:37): "We're focusing on how CSMs can excel in SaaS startups without established methods."

Lincoln Murphy (08:12): "Learning from customers is a key part of the startup journey. It's more about discovery than teaching."

Lincoln Murphy (12:45): "Understanding the 'how' and 'why' behind product usage is crucial in the early stages of a startup."

Johan Nilsson (19:33): "In startup environments, effective management of workload is essential to prevent burnout."

Lincoln Murphy (21:58): "Early structuring, like webinar-based training, sets the stage for future scalability and expectation management."

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

Learn more and sign-up for Impact Academy's Partner Success Program here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/partner-success-feb-eu

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
This is a replay of episode 35 of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln take a deep dive into the complex world of partner success within a multi-channel landscape. They discuss the differences and similarities to traditional customer success and offer insights on how to ensure that both the partner's and the end customer's success align perfectly.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"I'm setting up a partner success, what are the differences and similarities to normal customer success, and what are our recommendations?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• The definition and significance of partner success potential
• The importance of creating a robust partner success plan
• The necessity of understanding and aligning the evolving goals of partners and end customers

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (10:48): “Even in the best scenario, you want to rely as little on other people as you can.”

Lincoln Murphy (11:50): “So to the extent possible, you want to create the playbooks and the processes... the same thing you would do for your CSMs, we want to do for them.”

Johan Nilsson (15:30): “We need to have a partner success plan. And I would say also that this can differ between partners as well.”

Lincoln Murphy (18:30): “If right now you cannot do a lot of enablement for them... that will tell you right now, whether some partners have success potential or not.”

Johan Nilsson (19:45): “Be aware that usually a partner strategy requires quite a lot of enablement to make it successful and be aware that you have those resources and you have that maturity in the company before you launch.”

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

Learn more about Impact Academy Customer Success training here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/collections

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In episode 59, Johan and Lincoln explore the vital aspects of skill and competence development for Customer Success Managers (CSMs). The discussion revolves around the necessity of a growth mindset, the importance of proactive training, and the need for continuous self-improvement in the ever-changing landscape of customer success. This episode provides invaluable insights for CSMs and heads of Customer Success aiming to elevate their careers.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
“What do you recommend I should develop, in terms of skills and competence, to advance my current Customer Success Manager role, my career?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. Embracing a growth mindset for career advancement and skill enhancement in customer success.
2. The significance of proactive and ongoing training to meet evolving role requirements.
3. The consequences of relying on outdated skills and methods, and their impact on performance and customer relationships.

QUOTES:
Johan (00:31:37): “With a growth mindset, you will have progress. Being proactive and deliberate in your training is key.”

Johan (00:11:23): “Improving skills and competence is top of mind for anyone in customer success.”

Lincoln (00:07:45): “What worked five years ago to make you world-class in your role is now actually keeping you from being world-class.”

Johan (00:12:17): “I want to invest in my team’s skills and competence because we’re going to do major things going forward."

Lincoln (00:19:37): “It’s harmful to let your Customer Success Managers practice on your customers. There’s always refinement and practice in staying top of your game.”

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
"Kickstart 2024: New Years Strategies for Customer Success Managers and Leaders" delves into effective strategies and reflections that customer success professionals should consider at the start of a new year. Johan and Lincoln discuss practical steps for CSMs and CS leaders to set the tone for a successful year, covering goal reassessment, capacity planning, and the importance of deliberate actions for sustained momentum.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"Starting the year off, what are some key actions I should take for a positive beginning?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. The significance of reflection and goal reassessment at the start of the year.
2. Capacity planning and resource allocation for CSMs and CS leaders.
3. The importance of deliberate actions and building momentum for a successful year.

QUOTES:
Johan Nilsson (04:00): "Customer Success Managers... need to find our own energy, our own motivation, and see, okay, where am I going here?"

Lincoln Murphy (06:00): "You need to understand why you are doing the things you're doing and why you're going to do the things that you're going to do."

Lincoln Murphy (14:37): "Evaluate your portfolio of customers... which ones are a bad fit, which means they don't have success potential."

Johan Nilsson (22:57): "As head of CS... you want to sync with your executives, also have a clear discussion on the strategy, what are the targets for the year."

Lincoln Murphy (30:02): "If you have employees, you should probably want them to be the best at what they do."

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

Join our Customer Onboarding training that starts 22-January, 2024.
==>Learn more and sign-up here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this episode, Lincoln addresses a variety of complex challenges and practical strategies in the realm of customer onboarding. He provides insights into making kickoff calls valuable, managing customer expectations, ensuring smooth transitions between onboarding and adoption, and adapting to changes in goals or requirements during the onboarding process.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
This episode doesn't revolve around a single question but rather explores a range of questions related to customer onboarding, covering strategies for engagement, communication, and adapting to evolving customer needs.

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. Strategies for enhancing customer cooperation and engagement during onboarding.
2. Best practices for kickoff calls and initial customer communications.
3. Managing transitions and changes during the onboarding process.

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (06:54): "In customer onboarding, it's crucial to manage expectations and communicate effectively, ensuring that no customer feels like they're in the dark."

Lincoln Murphy (12:37): "When a company's goals or stakeholders change during onboarding, it's a signal to revisit our initial approach and adapt swiftly."

Lincoln Murphy (17:15): "The transition from onboarding to adoption is more than a procedural shift; it's about refocusing on broader business goals."

Lincoln Murphy (21:03): "Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) should be strategic, focused on how our product impacts the customer's business, not just a routine check-in."

Lincoln Murphy (25:46): "Recording sessions with clients isn't about micromanagement; it's about creating valuable assets for coaching and customer reference."

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this episode, Johan and Lincoln explore key trends in Customer Success Management (CSM) for 2024. They discuss the evolving landscape of product-led growth, the rising importance of personal branding for CSM professionals, and the increasing role of asynchronous communication in customer success strategies.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"What are the main trends and predictions for customer success in 2024, and how will they impact the role of CSMs and heads of Customer Success?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. The balance between product-led growth (PLG) and customer success operations.
2. The importance of personal branding for Customer Success Managers and leaders.
3. The rise of asynchronous communication methods in customer success.

QUOTES:

Lincoln Murphy (12:14): "Product-led growth is not just about having a great product, but also about robust customer success operations behind it."

Johan Nilsson (15:37): "Building a personal brand is not just beneficial for career growth, but also amplifies effectiveness in customer success roles."

Lincoln Murphy (20:58): "Async communication like using video tools isn't just about efficiency for CSMs, it's also about creating a more flexible and effective experience for customers."

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this episode of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln delve into the predictions for customer success in 2024. They explore the evolving landscape of Customer Success Management (CSM) and how various factors like efficiency, capacity planning, goal discovery, expansion, pooled resources, and AI integration are shaping the future. The episode offers a glimpse into what CSMs and heads of customer success can expect in the coming year and beyond.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"What are the main trends and predictions for customer success in 2024, and how will they impact the role of CSMs and heads of Customer Success?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. Efficiency and Capacity Planning in Customer Success.
2. The Rising Importance of Goal Discovery and Customer Outcome Alignment.
3. Expansion Strategies and the Role of Pooled Resources.
4. The Integration of AI in Customer Success.

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (04:18): “The most efficient way to grow revenue is to have your customers buy more... and this is where efficient expansion comes into play.”

Johan Nilsson (06:22): “Pooled resources can be a game-changer if you have the right systems and context in place.”

Lincoln Murphy (14:11): “AI in customer success is not just about analytics; it's evolving into live coaching and task management, enhancing the CSM's efficiency.”

Johan Nilsson (17:37): “With AI, we're not just automating tasks; we're elevating the CSM's ability to focus on more strategic aspects of customer success.”

Lincoln Murphy (11:54): “Efficiency isn't just about doing more with less; it's about being strategically smart with what we have.”

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
Impact Weekly Unwrapped: Our Top Insights from 2023's Most Popular Episodes. In this special year-end episode, Johan and Lincoln reflect on the most downloaded episodes of 2023, exploring the key themes and insights that resonated with Customer Success Managers and Heads of Customer Success. Dive into a comprehensive analysis of the year's most influential topics, from efficiency and capacity planning to goal discovery and expansion strategies.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"What were your most downloaded episodes in 2023 and what were the main themes you talked about this year?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. Efficiency / Capacity Planning: Tackling the shift towards operational efficiency and strategic capacity planning in Customer Success.
2. Goal Discovery: Emphasizing the importance of understanding and aligning with customer goals for effective Customer Success Management.
3. Expansion: Exploring strategies for revenue growth and customer expansion as a core element of Customer Success.

OTHER EPISODES MENTIONED:

• Efficiency / Capacity Planning:
  • Episode 22: Say Goodbye to Low, High, and Tech Touch: What to Do Instead #4 all time
  • Episode 51: Customer Success is in its Efficiency Era now (From Growth to Profit)
  • Episode 34: Unlocking Potential: How to Allocate Customers to CSMs
  • Episode 29: Scaling Customer Success: High Impact vs Low Impact Activities
  • Episode 11: ARR per CSM is outdated - capacity planning done right
• Goal Discovery:
  • Episode 17: The Power of Goal Discovery #5 all time
  • Episode 39: Continuous Goal Alignment: The Secret to World-Class Customer Success
  • Episode 38: Goal Discovery: The Essential Task You Don't Have Time for (Until Now!)
• Expansion:
  • Episode 23: Selling to Existing Customers: Why most Companies leave Money on the Table
  • Episode 52: Expansion is Success: Why Land and Maintain isn't Enough
  • Episode 16: Customer Growth: Discovering and Achieving your Expansion Potential
  • Episode 7: The Secret to Thriving in Expansion Sales, Even If You're Not a Natural

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (06:04): "In 2023, we became much more efficiency-focused in Customer Success."

Johan Nilsson (12:20): "It's about making sure we're delivering the appropriate experience and having the right coverage model."

Lincoln Murphy (16:48): "If you don't know your customer's goals, you can't really be doing customer success."

Johan Nilsson (21:35): "We need to get back to doing real customer success again."

Lincoln Murphy (26:15): "Once you get past the idea that revenue generation has to be a function of sales, you see the potential in Customer Success."

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this insightful episode of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln tackle the challenging issue of CSM burnout in the context of customer success management. Despite appearing under capacity on paper, many CSMs report feeling overwhelmed and burned out. The discussion revolves around uncovering what might be missed in these situations and how leaders can effectively address and prevent burnout in their teams.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"On paper it looks like my CSMs should be under capacity, but they are telling me that they’re burned out. What am I missing here and how do I handle this?"​​

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

1. Understanding the ongoing and stretching nature of customer success relationships.
2. The significance of early recognition and intervention in cases of CSM burnout.
3. The trio of mastery, value, and autonomy as key components for high-performing customer success teams.

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (00:21:37): "In customer success, it's more about these ongoing relationships that can stretch over time without really getting to the final, the finish line of things."​​.

Lincoln Murphy (00:06:12): "Those times where we don't know that this is ever going to end, that's when it really starts to weigh on you."​​.

Johan Nilsson (00:19:45): "It's critical to pay attention to signals of potential burnout, both in yourself as a Customer Success Manager and in your team if you're leading one."​​

Lincoln Murphy (00:42:37): "If your CSMs are burned out and you don't notice, that's on you. Look for these things early, intervene early, put on your coaching hat."​​

Johan Nilsson (00:38:22): "The recipe for really high performing customer success management includes mastery, feeling valued, and autonomy."​​

Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/

Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.