It all depends

It all depends

By It all dependsBusiness
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It all depends episodes

  • Ep #13 | Unlocking Customer Success with JP

    Summary

    In this episode of the podcast, host Prash engages with JP, a Customer Success Manager at Posit, to discuss various aspects of customer success management. They explore the unique culture at Posit, the structure of customer success teams, and the importance of collaboration with sales. JP shares insights on prioritizing customer accounts, tracking interactions, and the skills necessary for effective customer success. The conversation also delves into best practices for preparing for customer calls, daily habits of a CSM, and learning from failures in the role.


    Takeaways

    • The culture at Posit emphasizes stakeholder primacy over shareholder primacy.
    • Collaboration with sales is crucial for customer success.
    • Onboarding processes can vary based on customer needs.
    • Prioritizing key accounts is essential for effective management.
    • Tracking customer interactions can be done through various tools.
    • Organization and documentation are key skills for CSMs.
    • Preparation for customer calls should focus on clear objectives.
    • Daily habits like punctuality contribute to reliability as a CSM.
    • Aligning with sales on customer expectations is vital.
    • Learning from failures helps improve customer success strategies.
      • 39 min
    • Ep #12 | The Art of Prioritization as a CSM

      Summary

      In this episode of the It All Depends podcast, host Prash speaks with Nabeeda Bakali-Abrar, a Customer Success Manager at LinkedIn. They discuss the intricacies of customer success management, including the importance of prioritization, effective communication, and the art of storytelling. Nabeeda shares her experiences in managing customer relationships, collaborating with sales teams, and the challenges of saying no. The conversation emphasizes the need for balance in the demanding role of a CSM and the importance of learning from failures.


      Takeaways

      • Prioritization is essential for effective customer success management.
      • Blocking out time in your calendar can enhance productivity.
      • Saying no is a crucial skill for managing workload.
      • Storytelling can make data presentations more engaging.
      • Collaboration with sales teams is vital for customer success.
      • Understanding customer needs early can prevent renewal issues.
      • Celebrate small wins to build confidence in saying no.
      • Finding balance is key to avoiding burnout in CSM roles.
      • Effective communication fosters better relationships with account directors.
      • Learning from past failures can lead to improved strategies.


        • Chapters

        00:00 Introduction and Overview of LinkedIn

        02:50 Team Setup and Role of CSMs

        05:31 Prioritization and Time Management

        08:28 Setting Boundaries and Saying No

        16:45 The Power of Storytelling in Customer Success

        19:09 Building Strong Relationships with Account Directors

        20:02 Effective Collaboration with Sales

        23:23 The Importance of Early Communication in Renewals

        26:05 Learning from Failure: Not Foreseeing a Renewal Issue

        32:13 Finding Balance in the Role of a Customer Success Manager

        33:32 Podcast Video Intro YT.mp4


        34 min
      • Ep #11 | The Role of Data in CSMing

        Summary

        In this episode of the It All Depends podcast, host Prash speaks with Sam Kraus, a Customer Success Manager at Quantiv. They discuss the intricacies of customer success management, including the responsibilities of a CSM, the importance of prioritization, essential skills like diplomacy, and strategies for handling difficult conversations. Sam shares insights on daily habits, effective note-taking, and the significance of collaboration with account executives. The conversation also touches on learning from failures and the importance of formalizing processes within customer success teams.


        Takeaways

        • Customer success is about understanding client needs.
        • Prioritization is key to effective customer management.
        • Diplomacy helps in delivering bad news to clients.
        • Transparency builds trust during difficult conversations.
        • Daily routines can vary greatly for CSMs.
        • Data-driven decisions enhance customer success efforts.
        • Formalizing processes improves collaboration between teams.
        • Learning from failures is crucial for growth.
        • Collaboration with sales is essential for client success.
        • Engaging with the customer is vital for understanding their goals.


          • Chapters

          00:00 Introduction

          01:12 About Quantiv and the OKR methodology

          04:24 Collaboration with Account Executives

          05:19 Number of customers and onboarding

          07:44 Prioritization and the 80/20 rule

          09:11 Diplomacy as a skill in customer success

          11:20 Skills for success as a CSM

          13:50 Approaching difficult conversations

          15:48 Daily habits and calendar management

          21:45 Working with Account Executives

          30:15 Learning from failures

          33:40 Recommendation for next guest

          35:37 Closing remarks

          35:37 Podcast Video Intro YT.mp4




          36 min
        • Ep #10 | Being curious & asking the right questions as a CSM

          Summary

          In this episode of the All Depends podcast, host Prash interviews Stino, the head of Customer Success at Wale. They discuss Stino's journey in customer success, the structure of customer success at Wale, and the importance of prioritizing high-impact actions. Stino shares insights on essential skills for CSMs, his daily habits, and the collaboration between customer success and sales. They also touch on the importance of learning from failures and Stino's upcoming projects.


          Takeaways

          • Stino emphasizes the importance of being strategic in customer success roles.
          • Prioritizing high-impact actions can lead to better outcomes for CSMs.
          • Interpersonal skills are crucial for building relationships with customers.
          • Curiosity and discovery are key traits for successful CSMs.
          • Daily habits, such as planning and time management, enhance productivity.
          • Collaboration with sales is essential for identifying growth opportunities.
          • Learning from failures is a part of the growth process in customer success.
          • Stino's experience in startups shapes his approach to customer success.
          • Flexibility in OKRs allows for experimentation and innovation.
          • Engaging in hobbies like Zumba helps maintain energy and focus.


            • Chapters


            00:00 Introduction and Background

            02:33 Company Setup and Responsibilities

            08:12 Prioritizing High Impact Actions

            14:36 Key Skills for CSMs

            25:29 Partnering with Sales for Growth Opportunities

            27:56 Learning from Failed Strategies

            32:24 Upcoming Projects and Recommendations

            35:26 Podcast Video Intro YT.mp4

            36 min
          • Ep #9 | Finding the Good in Difficult Situations as a CSM

            Summary


            Noah Little, a successful CSM, shares insights on customer success management. He discusses the setup of customer success at Recharge Payments and his role in managing strategic accounts. Noah emphasizes the importance of proactive engagement and having a CEO mindset for your book of business. He highlights the need for a joint success plan that aligns with the customer's goals and business needs. Noah also emphasizes the importance of grit in handling the roller coaster of emotions and challenges that come with being a CSM. He encourages finding the good in difficult situations and learning from them. Noah emphasizes the power of writing things down and using a calendar to stay organized and execute tasks effectively. Noah Little emphasizes the importance of using tools like Google Calendar and Notion to stay organized and keep track of tasks and client progress. He also highlights the value of active listening during customer calls and taking handwritten notes to ensure understanding and engagement. Noah stresses the significance of taking care of one's health and well-being, including regular exercise and quality sleep. He emphasizes the importance of building strong partnerships with sales teams to achieve mutual success and maximize customer value. Noah shares a personal experience of a customer leaving due to finding a competitor with better features and pricing, highlighting the need to continuously provide value and nurture customer relationships. He also discusses the importance of creating exceptional customer experiences and applying lessons from real-world experiences to improve customer success strategies.


            Keywords


            customer success management, proactive engagement, CEO mindset, joint success plan, grit, challenges, organization, organization, tools, Google Calendar, Notion, active listening, handwritten notes, health, well-being, exercise, sleep, partnerships, sales, customer relationships, customer experiences


            Takeaways


            Customer success managers should have a proactive engagement approach and view themselves as the CEO of their book of business.

            A joint success plan that aligns with the customer's goals and business needs is crucial for success.

            Grit is an essential quality for CSMs to handle the challenges and roller coaster of emotions in the role.

            Finding the good in difficult situations and learning from them is important for personal and professional growth.

            Writing things down and using a calendar can help stay organized and effectively execute tasks. Use tools like Google Calendar and Notion to stay organized and track tasks and client progress.

            Practice active listening during customer calls and take handwritten notes to ensure understanding and engagement.

            Prioritize health and well-being by exercising regularly and getting quality sleep.

            Build strong partnerships with sales teams to achieve mutual success and maximize customer value.

            Continuously provide value and nurture customer relationships to prevent churn.

            Create exceptional customer experiences by applying lessons from real-world experiences.


            Chapters


            00:00 Introduction and Background

            01:28 Customer Success Setup at Recharge

            03:17 Prioritizing Customer Calls

            04:39 The 80-20 Rule in Customer Success

            08:26 Creating an Agenda for Customer Calls

            10:14 Using Joint Success Plans

            12:57 Skills for Success as a CSM

            15:45 The Importance of Grit in Customer Success

            19:42 Organization Tools

            23:36 Personal Habits

            26:44 Collaboration with Sales

            31:52 Learning from Failure

            36:12 Guest Recommendation


            Noah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-little/

            Prash's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashanthjothi/

            40 min
          • Ep #8 | Prioritizing & Planning in Customer Success

            Summary


            Diego shares his customer success journey, including his experiences in different industries and the lessons he learned along the way. He emphasizes the importance of account planning, success planning, building relationships, and researching as key priorities for a CSM. Diego also discusses the collaboration between CSMs and sales reps, highlighting the need for alignment and speaking the same language. He shares his personal habits, such as practicing Japanese and reading, and provides insights into effective time management and delegation. Diego concludes by recommending Jim Smits as the next guest for the podcast.


            Keywords


            customer success, journey, account planning, success planning, building relationships, researching, collaboration, sales, habits, time management, delegation


            Takeaways


            Account planning and success planning are crucial for prioritizing and managing customer relationships as a CSM.

            Building strong relationships, both internally and externally, is essential for success in customer success management.

            Researching and staying curious are key skills for CSMs to stay informed and provide value to customers.

            Effective time management, delegation, and speaking the same language as sales reps are important for collaboration and achieving goals.

            Personal habits, such as practicing a language and reading, can contribute to personal and professional growth as a CSM.


            Chapters


            00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

            01:14 Guest's Customer Success Experience

            04:41 Identifying a Bad Fit in a Role

            06:56 Prioritizing as a Customer Success Manager

            07:56 Using Pareto's Principle for Prioritization

            08:49 Account Planning and Success Planning

            10:09 Building Relationships with Customers and Internal Stakeholders

            11:03 The Importance of Research in Customer Success

            16:15 Key Skills for Customer Success Managers

            24:13 Collaboration between CSMs and Sales

            28:04 Personal and Professional Habits

            33:37 Learning from Failure

            36:46 Recommendation for Next Guest

            37:59 Conclusion and Resource Recommendation

            39:29 Podcast Video Intro YT.mp4


            Diego's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dtjenatak/

            Prash's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashanthjothi/


            40 min
          • Ep #7 | Avoiding Assumptions: The Importance of Clear Documentation & Communication

            Summary


            In this episode, Prash interviews Mohammed Alqaq, a customer success manager with extensive experience in the software industry. Mohammed works for a SaaS company specializing in data analytics for the industrial sector. He shares insights into the unique setup of his customer success organization, which involves early-stage onboarding and pre-contract engagement. Mohammed emphasizes the importance of clear communication and good planning in his role. He also discusses the flexibility he gives customers in determining the cadence of their interactions. Mohammed's approach to customer success focuses on delivering quantifiable value and building strong relationships with customers. In this conversation, Mohammed Alqaq shares his insights on the skills and habits that contribute to his success as a Customer Success Manager (CSM). He emphasizes the importance of communication, active listening, and planning in building strong customer relationships. Mohammed also highlights the value of teamwork and collaboration with sales and other departments. He cautions against making assumptions and stresses the need for clear documentation and communication with customers. Mohammed shares his daily habits, including staying busy and constantly learning. He also announces his plans to host the first customer success meetup in Jordan and expand it to other countries in the Middle East.


            Takeaways


            Customer success in the software industry involves early-stage onboarding and pre-contract engagement.

            Clear communication and good planning are essential for successful customer success management.

            Flexibility in determining the cadence of customer interactions can enhance customer engagement.

            Delivering quantifiable value is crucial for customer success and renewals.

            Building strong relationships with customers is key to long-term success. Effective communication, active listening, and planning are crucial skills for a successful CSM.

            Collaboration and teamwork with sales and other departments can lead to better customer outcomes.

            Avoid making assumptions and ensure clear documentation and communication with customers.

            Staying busy and constantly learning are important habits for personal and professional growth.

            Mohammed Alqaq plans to host the first customer success meetup in Jordan and expand it to other countries in the Middle East.


            Chapters


            00:00 Introduction and Background

            01:55 The Setup of Customer Success in the Software Industry

            03:10 Passion for Data and Early-Stage Onboarding

            07:20 Renewals as Events, Not Tasks

            13:27 The Importance of Clear Communication and Good Planning

            21:10 Delivering Quantifiable Value for Customer Success and Renewals

            22:00 Building Strong Relationships with Customers

            22:26 The Key Skills for Success as a CSM

            25:01 The Power of Collaboration

            27:32 Avoiding Assumptions

            31:45 Habits for Success

            38:42 Announcing the First Customer Success Meetup


            Alqaq's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammedalqaq/


            CSME on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/customer-success-middle-east/


            Customer Success Middle East (CSME): https://customer-success.me/


            Prash's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashanthjothi/



            39 min
          • Ep #6 | Putting Customers First: The Customer-Centric CSM

            Summary


            In this episode, Prash interviews Julie, a customer success manager at Dooly, a sales productivity tool. They discuss various aspects of the customer success role, including onboarding, contract renewals, and call cadence. Julie emphasizes the importance of prioritization, clear communication, and customer-centricity in her role. She also highlights the skills of prepping for calls, multi-threading in accounts, and reflecting on performance. Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into the tactical and actionable strategies for customer success. In this conversation, Julie and Prash discuss habits and routines for success as a customer success manager (CSM). Julie shares her morning routine, which includes working out, eating a solid breakfast, and engaging in activities like reading, journaling, and prayer. She also emphasizes the importance of taking breaks and going for walks throughout the day to recharge. Prash shares his own habits, such as working out with kettlebells and starting his day with coffee. They also discuss the importance of building relationships with the sales team and the best practices for collaboration between CSMs and sales reps. Julie and Prash reflect on their own failures and learning experiences, highlighting the importance of a growth mindset and continuous improvement. They end the conversation by sharing their recommendations for CSMs to connect with and learn from others in the industry.


            Takeaways


            • Prioritization is crucial in the customer success role to avoid being pulled in multiple directions.
            • Clear communication, including framing emails with easily digestible information, is essential for effective customer engagement.
            • Prepping for calls in advance, including gathering relevant information and formulating key questions, sets the stage for successful customer interactions.
            • Multi-threading in accounts, involving key stakeholders early on, helps build relationships and ensures alignment throughout the customer journey.
            • Reflecting on performance and seeking feedback from managers can lead to continuous improvement in the customer success role. Establishing a morning routine that includes exercise, a nutritious breakfast, and activities like reading and journaling can set the tone for a successful day as a CSM.
            • Taking breaks and going for walks throughout the day can help recharge and prevent burnout.
            • Building relationships with the sales team is crucial for effective collaboration and understanding customer needs and pain points.
            • Learning from failures and adopting a growth mindset is essential for continuous improvement as a CSM.
            • Connecting with and learning from other CSMs in the industry can provide valuable insights and support.


              • Chapters


              00:00 Introduction and Company Overview

              08:13 Prioritization and 20% Input for 80% Output

              14:15 Preparation for Calls and Effective Email Formatting

              31:47 Building Relationships with Sales Teams

              42:52 Improving Communication on Slack


              Julie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieraeder/

              Prash's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashanthjothi/

              48 min
            • Ep #5 | Thriving with One Mighty Customer

              Summary

              In this episode, Prashanth interviews John Johnson, a Principal Customer Success Manager at User Testing. John shares his background in music and how it has influenced his approach to customer success. He provides insights into the structure of the customer success team at User Testing and how they serve key accounts. John emphasizes the importance of building relationships and rapport with customers, aligning with key stakeholders, and using programs and events to drive behavior change. He also discusses the metrics and performance evaluation in his role as a CSM. In this conversation, Jon Johnson shares insights on multiplying effort and marketing strategies, collaboration and ownership of customer communication, personal habits, learning from failure, and recommended resources.
              Takeaways
              - Building relationships and rapport with customers is crucial in customer success.
              - Aligning with key stakeholders and understanding their goals is essential for success.
              - Using programs and events can drive behavior change and highlight the value of the product or service.
              - Metrics should focus on stability of revenue and alignment with customer outcomes. Multiplying effort involves focusing on specific topics, creating newsletters, and driving traffic and knowledge throughout the year.
              - Collaboration is crucial in managing customer communication and ensuring alignment among team members.
              - Personal habits, such as playing guitar and hyperfixation, can provide a meditative and learning experience.
              - Learning from failure involves reflecting on past experiences and understanding the importance of respect and effective communication.
              - Recommended resources include CS Insider for CS-related content and - Measure Over Method for casual newsletters.
              Chapters
              00:00 Introduction and Background
              03:02 John's Music Background
              03:28 Setting the Foundation: User Testing and Customer Success
              05:39 Customer Segments and Key Accounts
              07:41 Call Cadence and Relationship Building
              10:38 Metrics and Performance Evaluation
              22:13 Building Rapport and Relationship over Calls
              27:38 Skills and Performance
              31:37 Multiplying Effort and Marketing Strategies
              34:03 Collaboration and Ownership of Customer Communication
              42:04 Habits: Playing Guitar and Hyperfixation
              49:07 Learning from Failure
              57:29 Recommended Resource: CS Insider and Measure Over Method
              Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwillia...
              Prash's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashanth...
              CS Insider: https://www.csinsider.co/
              Unchurned Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7trN4hM...

              1 hr
            • Ep #4 | Building Credibility & Trust as a CSM

              Join us for an engaging conversation with Jack Hilbrich from Drift as we explore the world of CSMing. Jack shares his proactive strategies for building trust and credibility, emphasizing the role of data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration.

              Discover the importance of empathy and quick rapport-building in CSM, and how Jack maintains a balance between professionalism and an informal, enjoyable approach. Whether you're new to CSM or a seasoned professional, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable strategies to elevate your success as a Customer Success Manager.


              Check out Jack's LinkedIn


              Check out Prash's LinkedIn

              52 min

            About It all depends

            From the publisher's feed

            A podcast where we go beyond theory & offer practical insights directly from experienced CSMs. We explore various aspects of the role, including working collaboratively with Sales teams, daily habits, Inbox/calendar management, overcoming challenges, learning from failures, and more.