2-week Customer Advocacy training program starts 22-April, 2024. Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/the-advocacy-program-apr-eu

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
Unlock the power of real, enthusiastic customer advocacy. This week on Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln explore the strategies to turn your customers into your most potent marketing force. They lay down the importance of a systematic approach to advocacy, tracking, and making data-backed asks to cultivate authentic customer champions.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
“How can customers see the value in being advocates? What's in it for the customer?”

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• Setting the stage for advocacy through "orchestration"
• How tracking advocacy influences can be leveraged for future asks
• Graduated Advocacy Asks: Making increasingly impactful requests over time

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (18:00): "When you get to that point, the ask goes over much better because it's expected."

Johan Nilsson (19:00): "We need to keep track of that referral process, not just for our sake but to better our advocacy ask later."

Lincoln Murphy (20:00): "By reminding them how important unbiased reviews were to them, you make them want to share their story."

Lincoln Murphy (21:00): "We're having larger, more intense asks over time, and that's invoking consistency and commitment."

Johan Nilsson (22:00): "You need to operationalize this to get advocacy going. It's not just about asking; it's about setting things up."

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.

Retention Training starts on 8-April, 2024.  Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/the-retention-program-apr-eu

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:
In this week’s episode of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln help a Customer Success Manager to navigate pushy customers trying to negotiate discounts. They shed light on the reasons behind it and tactics to handle those interactions. They also share processes and strategies to avoid those situations.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
“One of my least favorite things is to deal with customers that are really pushy and want to negotiate discounts. I've had several customers now threatening to cancel unless they get a better deal at renewal. Help me here. What should I do?”

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:
* Effective tactics to handle pushy customers
* Recognizing irrational request
* Necessary processes to avoid those situations

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (01:52): “We need CSMs to be comfortable with the fact that we are in a commercial relationship with the customer”

Lincoln Murphy (07:18): “Something that was happening inside the company has nothing to do with the competitor’s market forces.”

Lincoln Murphy (11:59): “One of the few times I wanna send somebody to our competitor is when they're being irrational with us.”

Lincoln Murphy (14:04): “You as the CSM should not be having to figure out what to do in the moment”

Johan Nilsson (19:23): “A simple rule of thumb when you negotiate is that you need to communicate clearly”

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 Episode 69 of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln tackle the delicate balance between offering tailored solutions and maintaining a scalable product in the SaaS industry. They dive deep into the nuances of customization, from fully bespoke developments to configurable features within a product, shedding light on how Customer Success Managers can navigate these waters effectively.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"From a customer success angle, how do you balance offering customization with ready-to-use features in a SaaS product? What's the upside and downside to each?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• Understanding the spectrum of customization in SaaS products and its impact on scalability.
• The importance of defining your business model and customer success potential to align with your customization strategy.
• Strategies for Customer Success Managers to handle customization requests without compromising the product's integrity or scalability.

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (03:28): “Customizations occur within the confines of the product as it's built. You're really making the product your own, but you're not changing the product. You're just configuring it.”

Johan Nilsson (08:02): “A lot of times, customization is about doing customer success actually. It's really about customizing the way you talk about what the customer's needing to do, speaking their language.”

Lincoln Murphy (11:57): “If we start customizing the product, I've seen this happen a lot of times where we do everything the customer requests... we build some sort of a monster.”

Lincoln Murphy (17:37): “Sometimes you have to be able to push back and say no... but it's critical that you do that.”

Johan Nilsson (19:37): “Don't start with how. That will bring you down to the wrong path. Always understand the objective first.”

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.

Impact Academy Retention Program starts April 8, 2024. Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/the-retention-program-apr-eu

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this episode, Johan and Lincoln tackle a pressing challenge faced by many in Customer Success Management: managing major clients who are avoiding renewal discussions. They provide a deep dive into understanding the context of such situations, exploring customer health scores, meaningful usage, and the progress towards goals. The conversation illuminates strategies for engaging clients effectively, emphasizing the importance of providing value and aligning with customer goals beyond the renewal date.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"My major client, significant in terms of annual revenue, is avoiding every meeting I try to schedule for renewal. What should I do?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• Understanding the context and health of customer relationships.
• Strategies for engaging and communicating value to clients.
• The importance of aligning customer success efforts with client goals and outcomes.

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (06:57): "We're not just trying to renew customers; we're trying to make them successful. The side effect of a successful customer is that they're going to renew."

Johan Nilsson (14:02): "It's not about sitting in a box. A world-class Customer Success Manager knows it's about meaningful meetings and setting the right priorities."

Lincoln Murphy (22:15): "If all you do is take your terrible message and send it across different channels, now you're just annoying them at scale."

Johan Nilsson (29:50): "Renewal shouldn't dictate our overall engagement. We're focused on their next quarter, their next goal, moving them further towards achievement."

Lincoln Murphy (33:08): "Time flies. We're six months into the year already. Your contract is going to renew in six months. Let me know if there's going to be any issues."

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 a prevalent challenge in the SaaS industry—integrating domain experts into customer success roles without prior experience. They delve into why companies are increasingly leaning towards this trend, the benefits it brings, and the hurdles both the domain experts and companies face. Moreover, they share practical strategies to empower these domain experts to excel as customer success managers (CSMs), ensuring they can leverage their specialized knowledge to drive customer success and business growth.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"I'm responsible for a team of Customer Success Managers with great domain expertise, but basically no experience in customer success. What would you have me do?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• The growing trend of hiring domain experts as CSMs and its driving factors.
• The dual-edged sword of domain expertise in customer success roles: potential benefits and inherent challenges.
• Effective strategies and training approaches to transform domain experts into successful CSMs.

QUOTES:
Lincoln: “You can't teach experience, but you can certainly equip domain experts with the customer success tools they need to excel.” (07:22)

Johan: “Having domain expertise is a great advantage, but being a strategic advisor rather than doing the work for the customer is key.” (18:04)

Lincoln: “A good CSM can be better at helping customers than someone with just domain expertise. It's about moving from A to B to C, understanding and aligning with the customer's goals.” (11:38)

Johan: “Upskilling in customer success, not just in the domain, is what will truly elevate your team to the next level.” (18:50)

Lincoln: “It's not just about knowing the field—it's about knowing how to leverage that knowledge to drive customer success.” (16:12)

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.

Retention Training starts on 8-April, 2024.  Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/the-retention-program-apr-eu

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this episode of Impact Weekly, we explore the challenge of juggling immediate customer support crises with the necessity for long-term planning. With a spotlight on retention, we delve into strategies for shifting from a reactive to a proactive engagement model, ensuring success and sustainability.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"I'm swamped over here. We're running around, putting out fires, barely holding on to customers. But we also know we should be planning for the long term. How do I even balance that?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• The vital role of proactive engagement in customer retention.
• Transitioning from reactive problem-solving to strategic, future-focused planning.
• Cultivating a retention-centric mindset within customer success teams.

QUOTES:

• Johan Nilsson (00:03:42): "Turning crisis into opportunity is the first step towards proactive retention."
• Lincoln Murphy (00:07:58): "The key to sustainable growth is not just solving problems but preventing them."
• Johan Nilsson (00:12:24): "Investing in retention is investing in the future of your business."
• Lincoln Murphy (00:17:36): "Empathy and understanding are at the heart of proactive customer success."
• Johan Nilsson (00:23:15): "Building a culture of anticipation, not just reaction, changes the game 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.

Customer-centric Automations Training starts on 4-March, 2024.  Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/cutomer-centric-automations-eu-mar-24

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
In this enlightening continuation of our exploration into the future of Customer Success, Johan and Lincoln dive deeper into reasons two through five, ensuring the necessity of Customer Success roles in the evolving landscape of technology and customer engagement.

They challenge the notion of obsolescence and instead argue for the evolution and augmentation of Customer Success roles through strategic value addition, efficient operations, technological advancements, and maintaining a human-tech synergy.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"Will Customer Success even be needed in a few years?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• The evolution of Customer Success roles beyond traditional tasks towards strategic value addition.
• The shift towards operational efficiency and its importance in sustaining Customer Success.
• The critical role of technology in enhancing Customer Success efforts, particularly through automation and AI.
• The indispensable human-tech synergy in delivering an appropriate customer experience.

QUOTES:
Johan (00:02:17): "It's about evolution, not elimination. The key tasks may change, but the need for strategic, high-value contributions will always remain."

Lincoln (00:07:43): "The shift from growth at all costs to efficiency doesn't mean scaling down on Customer Success; it's about optimizing operations to continue delivering value."

Johan (00:11:22): "Technology, especially AI, is not a threat but a catalyst for Customer Success, enabling us to do more and better."

Lincoln (00:15:39): "Meetings with customers are the most expensive thing we do. We must ensure they're as efficient and effective as possible."

Johan (00:19:37): "Maintaining a human-tech synergy is crucial. It's about using technology to augment, not replace, the human elements of 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.

Customer-centric Automations Training starts on 4-March, 2024.  Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/cutomer-centric-automations-eu-mar-24

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
The Future of Customer Success: Essential or Endangered? In this thought-provoking episode, Lincoln and Johan dive into the heart of a provocative question: "Will Customer Success even be needed in a few years?"

They explore the evolving landscape of customer success amidst technological advancements and changing business models, offering insights into the roles humans will continue to play in ensuring customer success.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
"Will Customer Success even be needed in a few years?"

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• The evolving role of Customer Success in the age of AI and automation
• The importance of human interaction in delivering customer success
• Strategies for adapting Customer Success roles to future business needs

QUOTES:
Lincoln Murphy (08:15): "We're seeing a shift where technology enhances, but doesn't replace, the human element in customer success."

Johan Nilsson (12:42): "True customer success comes from understanding and adapting to our customers' evolving needs."

Lincoln Murphy (15:37): "Automation can handle tasks, but it can't replicate the trust and rapport built by humans."

Johan Nilsson (18:22): "The future of Customer Success lies in strategic, high-impact human interactions, not in replacing humans with bots."

Lincoln Murphy (21:58): "Our role is to ensure that customer success evolves in a way that technology serves to amplify our human strengths, not to overshadow them."

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.

Success Plan training starts March 4, 2024 at Impact Academy

Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/the-success-plan-program-mar-eu

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:

In this captivating episode of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln continue their insightful discussion on the top five traps that Customer Success Managers (CSMs) face, focusing on traps three through five. They delve into each trap with depth, providing practical strategies for CSMs to not only avoid these pitfalls but to turn them into opportunities for growth, thereby enhancing customer success and satisfaction.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

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

TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:

• The Problem Solver: The inclination to focus solely on resolving customer issues, which can overshadow the primary goal of ensuring customer success.
• Hope as a Strategy: Relying on hope rather than concrete, data-driven strategies to guide customer success efforts.
• Yielding to Every Customer Demand: The risk of compromising the strategic direction by adhering strictly to all customer requests without critical assessment and alignment with success goals.

QUOTES:

1. "Being a problem solver can distract from the real goal, which is to help the customer succeed, not just solve their immediate problems." – Johan (02:13)
2. "Hope is not a strategy; we need to be data-driven and proactive in our approach to customer success." – Lincoln (11:17)
3. "Solving for a problem without understanding the customer's goal can turn into a trap of its own." – Lincoln (14:32)
4. "Simply doing everything a customer asks for doesn't guarantee success; it requires strategic thought and alignment with their goals." – Johan (20:47)
5. "Avoiding these traps isn't just about steering clear of pitfalls; it's about proactively setting both the CSM and the customer up for success." – Lincoln (28:46)

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.

Success Plan training starts March 4, 2024 at Impact Academy

Learn more and sign-up here:
https://www.impactdemy.com/courses/the-success-plan-program-mar-eu

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.