Send us a text

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, Anika Zubair discusses the common pitfalls in customer expansion strategies and emphasizes the importance of proactive engagement. She highlights that expansion should not be treated as a one-time event but rather as an ongoing process that requires continuous conversations and guidance. Anika provides actionable strategies for identifying growth triggers, building expansion pathways, and reframing discussions around customer outcomes to drive successful upsell conversations.

Signup to the FREE Masterclass: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/masterclass

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
03:11 The Myth of Expansion Timing
06:06 Proactive Strategies for Customer Growth
08:54 Building an Expansion Pathway
12:10 Reframing Expansion Around Outcomes
15:01 The Importance of Continuous Conversations
18:14 Listener Challenge and Recap

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Instagram

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro Podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Melanie Fay, an enterprise Customer Success Manager at Goldcast. They discuss Melanie's journey in customer success, her transition between various roles, and her innovative approach to customer engagement known as the 'anti-check-in.' Melanie shares her experiences managing a large book of business, the importance of delivering value in customer interactions, and strategies for understanding customer goals and outcomes. The conversation emphasizes the need for CSMs to adapt their approaches to meet the evolving needs of customers and to provide meaningful engagement beyond traditional check-in calls. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the evolving landscape of customer success, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs, effective engagement strategies, and the transition from traditional check-in calls to value-driven discussions. They discuss the significance of frameworks for customer conversations, the role of storytelling in enhancing customer relationships, and the necessity of taking ownership and leadership within the customer success domain. Additionally, they explore practical tips for managing a large book of business through segmentation and the importance of being creative and adaptable in communication strategies.

Enter the Planhat Giveaway!

Win an all-expenses-paid trip to Planhat Open: www.planhat.com/giveaway

Timestamps: 
00:00 Introduction
01:52 Melanie Fay's Journey in Customer Success
06:01 Transitioning Between Roles and Companies
10:00 The Anti-Check-In Approach
13:13 Managing a Large Book of Business
17:03 Delivering Value in Customer Interactions
21:13 Understanding Customer Goals and Outcomes
25:02 Innovative Strategies for Customer Engagement
27:00 Understanding Customer Needs and Engagement
30:08 Frameworks for Effective Customer Conversations
33:04 Transitioning from Check-Ins to Value-Driven Discussions
35:06 The Role of Storytelling in Customer Success
39:04 Taking Ownership and Leadership in Customer Success
43:14 Segmenting and Managing a Large Book of Business
47:03 Key Takeaways

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Instagram

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Connect with Melanie Faye:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/

I’m Melanie, a CSM living on a small island on the East Coast in Canada. After running my own business for years, I knew when I landed my first CS role that it was meant to be. I’ve been working in Customer Success for nearly 4 years and have been fortunate enough to gain experience in different industries like digital events, HR tech and accounting tech. Most recently, I was supporting mid-market customers at Keeper.app and am now moving into an Enterprise role at Goldcast. I’m excited to get back to my roots in the events industry! When I’m not listening to CS podcasts, meeting with my mentor or having coffee chats with others in tech, you can find me spending time with my two Labradoodles (Charlie and Lottie), on a paddleboard in the summer or hiking through snowy trails in t

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, Anika Zubair discusses the critical role of strategic communication in customer success. She debunks common misconceptions about what defines success in the field, emphasizing that it's not just about product knowledge or churn prevention. Instead, she highlights the importance of effectively communicating value, influencing stakeholders, and navigating tough conversations. Anika provides actionable strategies for developing these skills, illustrating their impact on career growth and positioning oneself as a trusted advisor. The episode concludes with key takeaways for listeners to implement in their own customer success roles.


Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
01:50 The Importance of Strategic Communication
03:16 Common Misconceptions in Customer Success
05:08 Understanding Strategic Communication
11:00 Developing Strategic Communication Skills
24:15 Impact of Strategic Communication on Career Growth
30:09 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Connect with Anika Zubair: 
Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/

Coaching with Anika: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revup

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

In this episode, Anika Zubair discusses the challenges of scaling customer success teams without losing sight of customer value with guest Saahil Karkera. They explore the importance of understanding customer value, the need for continuous engagement with customers, and the significance of personal relationships in customer success. Sahil shares insights from his experience in scaling CS teams in SaaS companies and emphasizes the need for ongoing conversations to define and deliver value effectively. In this conversation, we explore the intricacies of customer success management, focusing on strategies for effective engagement, the balance between hiring and optimizing processes, and the role of AI in enhancing customer experiences. The discussion emphasizes the importance of collaboration across teams, learning from past mistakes, and the future direction of customer success towards hyper-personalization and value delivery.

Enter the Planhat Giveaway!

Win an all-expenses-paid trip to Planhat Open: www.planhat.com/giveaway

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction 

12:32 Defining Customer Value 

24:39 Building Personal Relationships in CS

 26:40 Navigating Customer Engagement and Progress Tracking 

29:07 Optimizing Customer Success Management Without Overwhelm 

32:02 Hiring vs. Optimizing: Balancing Resources in Customer Success 

37:04 Leveraging AI for Enhanced Customer Success 

41:00 Learning from Mistakes: Collaborating Across Teams 

43:47 The Future of Customer Success: Hyper-Personalization and Value

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Instagram

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Connect with Saahil Karkera :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/saahilkarkera/

CS Connect: https://www.joincsconnect.com/

Saahil Karkera is a Customer Success leader with 9 years of experience scaling and transforming CS teams in Seed to Series A/B SaaS companies. He took an unconventional path to Customer Success, starting in Enterprise Sales at a startup that was later acquired by one of its customers. Since then, he has built and scaled three high-performing CS teams, with a deep focus on driving retention, expansion, and operational efficiency.

Beyond his CS leadership role, Saahil is the founder of CS Connect—a no-fluff, results-driven community for Customer Success leaders navigating the chaos of SaaS startups. His mission? To arm CS leaders with the tools, knowledge, and network to turn CS into a scalable revenue driver rather than just a support function.

When he’s not optimizing CS strategies, you’ll find him spending time with his two young children, Mae and Colin.

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

Being a Customer Success Pro is no easy job, but this podcast will help. Remember that Customer Success is not a destination, but a journey and I am here to help you on your journey.

Enter the Planhat Giveway to win an all expense trip to Planhat Open: www.planhat.com/giveaway

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro Podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Guy Rahamim, a Senior Manager of Customer Success at Linear B. They discuss Guy's unique journey from studying dentistry to thriving in customer success, the innovative strategies he employs to reduce churn, and the importance of data-driven decisions in customer success. Guy shares insights on the Ideal Customer Behavior (ICB) metric, which helps in understanding customer engagement and retention.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:49 Guy's Journey to Customer Success

06:08 Understanding Linear B and Its Operations

09:29 Career Aspirations and Goals in Customer Success

11:53 Winning the Creative Customer Success Leader Award

14:12 Challenges with Churn and Customer Health Scores

15:11 Introducing Ideal Customer Behavior (ICB)

20:00 Building Cross-Functional Teams for Success

23:48 The Importance of Collaboration in Customer Success

24:16 Proactive Risk Management in Customer Success

30:27 Leveraging Data for Customer Engagement

36:38 Renewal Strategies and Customer Value

41:47 QuickFire Questions Round

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Instagram

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Connect with Guy Rahamim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-rahamim/

Guy Rahamim is a dynamic leader in customer success, passionate about helping R&D teams achieve transformative business outcomes. With over a decade of global experience spanning EMEA, APAC, and LATAM, Guy combines strategic planning, leadership, and technical expertise to drive positive net revenue retention and high customer satisfaction.

Currently, Guy is a Senior Manager of Customer Success at LinearB. He is also a founding lead at CS Insider and a member of CS Angel, a syndicate of customer success experts investing in innovative technologies.

Guy holds a B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences and an MBA and is recognized as a 2022 & 2023 Top 100 Customer Success Strategist. He is certified at all four levels of the Certified Customer Success Management Professional program, highlighting his dedication to continuous learning and excellence.

Guy’s ICB Framework: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BTQBIKeWqfI4LfX6MlkcFkIFBEqvUqkxayJtSrsHpuI/edit#slide=id.g2cf81ef3f44_0_66

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Ejieme Eromosele, an award-winning customer success leader, about her journey from customer success to general management. They discuss the importance of customer advocacy in driving new sales, strategies for upselling and expansion, and the evolving role of customer success in the go-to-market strategy. Ejieme shares her insights on using data to drive urgency, the significance of a discovery-focused mindset, and the need for value-based storytelling in customer success. The conversation highlights key learnings and the future of customer success as a driver of sustainable growth.

Want to win a free pair of airpod pros, sign up for a demo with Vitally: vitally.io/cspro

Don't forget to signup for CSM RevUP to help unlock your revenue potential: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/csm-revup-academy/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
01:56 Meet Ejieme Eromosele
03:22 Transitioning to a General Manager Role 
08:08 The Importance of Customer Advocacy in Sales 
14:44 Shaping Post-Acquisition Strategies for New Sales 
22:53 Building a Customer Growth Function 
28:02 Strategies for Upselling and Expansion 
37:02 Key Learnings and Future of Customer Success

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Connect with Ejieme:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejieme/

Ejieme Eromosele is an award-winning Customer Experience and Success Executive with over 15 years of experience in building high-impact customer programs. As the General Manager for EMEA at Quiq, Ejieme leads the company’s expansion across Europe, overseeing all aspects of business growth - including marketing, customer success, new business sales and partnerships.

Ejieme’s expertise spans customer-led growth, with a focus on transforming customer success functions into powerful drivers of business value. She is also the founder of Success in Black, a pioneering platform that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in customer success.

Prior to Quiq, she was Managing Director of Customer Experience at The New York Times and led The Times’ efforts to drive retention, loyalty and brand advocacy of its growing subscriber base.

Ejieme spent a decade in management consulting at PwC and Accenture. In these roles, she led CX programs across sectors.

Beyond her corporate work, Ejieme is a respected advisor, speaker, board member, and angel investor, known for her insights on customer experience strategy and customer success. She serves on the board of the Conversational Design Institute Foundation and the AI Council of Firstboard.io, where she contributes her expertise to discussions on responsible and ethical AI and the future of customer engagement.

Ejieme has a BA in Economics from NYU’s College of Arts & Science and an MBA in Strategy and Global Business from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Follow the Podcast

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ @TheCustomerSuccessPro

Apple Podcasts:

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Stino, the head of customer success at whale.io. They discuss the evolving role of customer success in the SaaS industry, emphasizing the importance of a revenue-focused mindset. Stino shares his journey from being a tax attorney to a customer success leader, the challenges he faced in his first leadership role, and the strategies he implemented to drive revenue through customer success. The conversation highlights the significance of authenticity, team dynamics, and practical approaches to achieving customer outcomes and business growth. In this conversation, Anika Zubair discusses the importance of understanding customer personalities and building trust through personal connections in customer success. She emphasizes the need for a revenue mindset while maintaining authentic relationships with clients. Anika also addresses the challenges posed by budget cycles and economic constraints, highlighting the evolving role of customer success managers as strategic advisors. She shares valuable lessons learned in leadership and the significance of finding a supportive community in the profession of customer success.

Want to win a free pair of airpod pros, sign up for a demo with Vitally: vitally.io/cspro

Don't forget to signup for CSM RevUP to help unlock your revenue potential: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/csm-revup-academy/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction 
01:56 Meet Stino: A Journey from Law to Customer Success
07:15 Understanding Whale.io and Its Revenue Focus
10:12 The Shift to Revenue-Focused Customer Success Leadership
19:48 Key Strategies for Transitioning to Revenue Leadership
25:57 Understanding Customer Personalities
32:04 Building Trust Through Personal Connections
36:46 Navigating Budget Cycles and Economic Constraints
40:39 The Evolving Role of Customer Success
43:34 Lessons Learned in Customer Success Leadership

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Follow the Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCustomerSuccessPro Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVZCeBTFUFl2iysDe9uJu Apple Podcasts:⁠⁠⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-customer-success-pro-podcast/id1733540749

Connect with Stino:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-🐳-330435a9/

We F**ked Up So You Don’t Have To: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rMe4oQu8wgb3SHCRjEfoQ

Customer Success Hotline: https://open.spotify.com/show/3QL0NtH4s2Nakqgad4LsxF

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

In this podcast episode, Anika Zubair interviews Jay Nathan, COO of Churnkey, about his extensive experience in the SaaS industry and the evolving role of customer success. They discuss the key metrics that drive growth in SaaS, such as retention, customer lifetime value, and profitability, emphasizing the need for agility in tracking and adjusting these metrics. Jay shares insights into his role as COO, the strategic importance of aligning CS with business goals, and the dual focus on customer and company needs. They also explore how customer success is shifting to a more strategic, revenue-driving function within SaaS companies. The episode provides practical advice for CS leaders who want to make a significant impact on their organization.

Want to win a free pair of airpod pros, sign up for a demo with Vitally: vitally.io/cspro

Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction to Jay Nathan & His Journey
04:16 - The Role of a COO in a Startup
08:17 - Key Metrics for SaaS Companies
13:35 - Understanding Gross Retention vs. Net Retention
18:28 - Customer Lifetime Value & Strategic Decision-Making
24:03 - Metrics to Track in Day-to-Day CS Operations
32:30 - Adapting Metrics as Your SaaS Business Grows
43:30 - Quickfire Round

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Follow the Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCustomerSuccessPro
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVZCeBTFUFl2iysDe9uJu
Apple Podcasts:⁠⁠⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-customer-success-pro-podcast/id1733540749

Connect with Jay Nathan:

Linkedin

Check out his newsletter, GrowthCurve

Jay Nathan has over 20 years of experience in the software industry, having held leadership roles at prominent technology companies such as Blackbaud, Higher Logic, PeopleMatter, and now Churnkey. He has hands-on experience in bootstrapped, VC-backed, private equity-owned, and publicly traded software companies. In 2017 he launched a management consulting firm focused on SaaS companies and in 2018 launched the popular Gain Grow Retain customer success community, growing it to over 15,000 members worldwide. Jay has spoken and written extensively on leadership, sales, marketing, product, and customer success in the software industry. While his ultimate goal is to launch a Jimmy Buffett cover band, for now, he is focused on helping B2B SaaS companies grow and thrive.

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

Being a Customer Success Pro is no easy job, but this podcast will help. Remember that Customer Success is not a destination, but a journey and I am here to help you on your journey.

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, host Anika Zubair discusses with Carly Agar, founder and CEO of Carly Agar Training, about effective strategies for landing promotions in customer success. The conversation covers the importance of aligning customer success strategies with business objectives, identifying upsell opportunities, and the nuances between a standard CSM role and an enterprise CSM role. Carly shares her insights on strategic account planning, self-advocacy, and building professional development skills. This detailed dialogue aims to provide CSMs with actionable steps to elevate their careers and excel in enterprise roles.

00:00 Introduction
02:04 Guest Introduction: Carly Agar
03:16 Carly's Career Journey
07:44 Services Offered by Carly Agar Training
10:29 Advocating for Yourself in Your Career
14:12 Differences Between CSM and Enterprise CSM Roles
18:25 Skills Needed for Enterprise CSMs
20:37 Steps to Transition to an Enterprise CSM Role
24:37 Advocating for Promotion: Key Strategies
25:07 Planting the Seed for Promotion
26:59 Self-Advocacy Tips for Different Personalities
29:34 Showcasing Your Value Across the Business
35:45 Proving Your Readiness for Enterprise Accounts
41:38 Quick Fire Questions with Carly

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok: tiktok.com/@thecustomersuccesspro

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Connect with Carly Agar:
Linkedin
Website

As Founder/CEO of Carly Agar Training, Carly runs two coaching programs for customer success job seekers (one for experienced CS pros and another for career transitioners), and hosts the Customer Success Career Coach podcast. Before this, she spent 10 years growing her own career in customer success, primarily in hyper growth SaaS companies, where she did a LOT of hiring of CSMs over the years. She also served as a Customer Success Enablement Manager, designing interview processes and career paths for CSMs. Carly has always been passionate about taking ownership of your career, being intentional about career choices you make, and maximizing what you get from your career - whether that be work/life balance, financial freedom, or contributing to an important mission. 

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Send us a text

Being a Customer Success Pro is no easy job, but this podcast will help. Remember that Customer Success is not a destination, but a journey and I am here to help you on your journey.

The podcast episode features Alex Turkovic discussing the integration of AI in customer success routines. Key topics include practical applications of AI, tools for customer success professionals, and tips for using AI effectively. The episode aims to provide insights on how AI can save time and enhance customer value, with a focus on real-world examples and best practices.

00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast
04:43 - Alex's Early Stages of Customer Success
09:22 - AI Tools and Techniques
14:03 - Daily Uses of AI in Customer Success Tools
18:45 - Comparisons and Evaluations of AI Tools
23:26 - Deep Dive into Useful AI Tools
32:47 - Strategic Implementations of AI
42:29 - Quickfire Questions

Connect with Anika:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TikTok

Website: thecustomersuccesspro.com

Coaching with Anika: CSM RevUP Academy

Connect with Alex:

Alex’s podcast episode about AI

Linkedin

Podcast

With over 15 years of experience in customer success leadership, professional services, and customer education, Alex is passionate about creating and delivering impactful and engaging customer experiences for products and services. As the Global Director of Digital Customer Success at Flexera, he combines digital and scaled customer success strategies with customer education programs to ensure optimal customer lifecycle engagement and outcomes. Alex is the host of 'The CX Podcast', where he explores different aspects of building and maintaining world-class digital customer success experiences, with guests who are in-field and executing.

Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/