Key Quotes

1. "Support is reactive. It's something that is absolutely necessary. People are gonna break things; people are gonna need help."
2. "Success is proactive. How do we design for success given what I know about what the future looks like inside your business?"
3. "If your success team is acting reactive, they might be a support team, and you are just calling them something different."

Summary

This episode delves into the differences between support and success in business, advocating for proactive success planning to ensure growth and customer retention. Mike shares practical insights on how businesses can effectively design and implement success strategies.

Key Takeaways

1. Understanding Support

   • Definition: Support is reactive, addressing issues as they arise.
   • Examples: Customer support, medical support, structural support.
   • Importance: Essential for addressing immediate problems and providing necessary assistance.

2. Understanding Success

   • Definition: Success is proactive, planning for future achievements.
   • Examples: Implementation success, designing pathways for business growth.
   • Importance: Helps in anticipating future needs and creating strategies to achieve goals.

3. Designing for Success

   • Backward Planning: Start from the desired outcome and plan steps backward.
   • Proactive Approach: Anticipate future challenges and prepare solutions in advance.
   • Implementation: Use experiences and expertise to guide planning and execution.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

   • Support Team: Reacts to issues and provides immediate solutions.
   • Success Team: Focuses on long-term goals and proactive strategies.
   • Distinction: Clear separation between reactive support and proactive success roles to avoid confusion.

5. Success Metrics

   • Quota Carrying: Success teams can have revenue targets to drive growth - this works best when the client/business relation is not complex.
   • Customer Engagement: Ensure seamless interaction between success and sales teams.
   • Growth Focus: Emphasize growth and implementation over mere renewal targets.

By understanding and clearly defining the roles of support and success teams, businesses can create more effective strategies to foster customer satisfaction and achieve long-term success.

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