By Josh Schachter - UpdateAI
The podcast currently has 118 episodes available.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
This week Jon Johnson (UserTesting) & Josh Schachter (UpdateAI) are joined by Parul Bhandari (CustomerXSuccess), Lawrence Waldman (Exegy), and Jenny Calvert to advocate for a proactive, strategic approach to customer management. Throughout this conversation, our guests highlight the importance of internal alignment, strategic planning, and a holistic approach to customer success—all aimed at fostering sustainable growth and alignment with long-term business objectives. So, sit back, relax, and join us as we unearth valuable insights and actionable strategies to elevate your customer success efforts.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview & Intros
3:42 - Defining success for a customer
6:20 - Applying past playbooks in new organizations
12:02 - Adopting a 360-review approach for a holistic view of problems
15:00 - Necessity to ensure there is "Product-Market fit"
17:45 - Customer Success is HARD
21:45 - Understanding Customer Success Problems and Root Causes
27:14 - Adjusting Prices and Market Realities
31:18 - Aligning sales pitches with actual product capabilities
32:23 - Forecast customer outcomes and strategically manage accounts
35:52 - Frustration about end-of-quarter exceptions and paperwork
39:45 - First move after joining a new organization
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Parul Bhandari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parul-bhandari-1294488/
Jenny Calvert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennycalvert/
Lawrence Waldman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencejwaldman/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
________________
Keywords:
How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Customer Success Management, customer churn, customer success metrics, forecasting customer outcomes, revenue growth, customer satisfaction, fear in customer success, NRR (Net Revenue Retention), GRR (Gross Revenue Retention), customer loyalty, Customer Success Manager training, core responsibilities, preventive measures, customer feedback, holistic approach, market fit, strategic planning, leadership in customer success, sales and product alignment, churn problem solutions.
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
In this podcast episode, Arit Nsemo (Senior Director of Customer Success at SearchSpring) joins hosts Josh Schachter (Founder & CEO, UpdateAI) and Kristi Faltorusso (CCO, Client Success) to share how she navigates the challenges of proactive customer risk management and managing interruptions to boost productivity for CSMs. She also discusses her experience at CS100.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
3:00 - Experience at CS100
9:00 - Arit talks about her presentation at CS100
12:30 - Learn about Searchspring & Arit's role
15:00 - Predicting customer risks manually to enable future automation
18:57 - Using customer data to draw insights
21:15 - Customers inquire about AI but lack specifics
23:45 - Kristi's inquiry about scaling manual processes for insights
27:35 - Getting CSMs aligned to the eagle view
29:45 - Dealing with cross-functional requests & demands
31:58 - Evolution of Kristi's leadership style
34:09 - CSMs are busy serving others
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Arit Nsemo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritnsemo/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
________________
Keywords:
How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager, SearchSpring, Customer Success Managers,CS100 event
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
He also shares Carta’s strategies for predicting customer churn through data analysis, the challenges of maintaining effective prediction models, and the shift toward actionable data triggers. Daniel discusses the importance of customer education via webinars, training programs, and video tutorials, alongside strategies for navigating market conditions and IPO readiness.
The episode also explores AI's future role in predictive analytics and customer health, highlighting how ongoing education and internal enablement are crucial for CSMs. Lastly, Jon and Daniel examine the impacts of market consolidation and M&A trends on customer churn, offering valuable insights for businesses looking to enhance their customer success initiatives.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding customer life cycles is essential for effective engagement.
- Constraints can drive innovation within customer success strategies.
- Structured communication and targeted plays fuel upselling and retention.
- Predictive analytics and AI are transforming customer health insights.
- Ongoing education and certification are vital for CSM effectiveness.
- Market trends significantly influence customer churn dynamics.
Tune in for a wealth of knowledge on how to elevate your customer success strategies and adapt to evolving market landscapes!
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, Meet Daniel
2:05 - Introduction to Carta & its mission
7:53 - Understanding core components of Customer Success & the venture lifecycle
13:00 - Efforts to ensure customer engagement and education
17:00 - Navigating a sticky product amidst challenging market conditions
24:00 - Mergers and acquisitions lack transparency and clarity
28:15 - Gathering customer insights using data, liquidity triggers
35:10 - Identifying moments to ensure customer success
41:50 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Daniel Silverstein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-silverstein-4125735b/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
________________
Keywords:
How to keep your customers happy , customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, hiring tips for customer success, steps in hiring a customer success manager, customer success metrics, Customer success, Daniel Silverstein, customer lifecycle, venture-backed companies, training CSMs, AI influence, CSM processes, customer engagement, upselling, revenue growth, cross-selling, retention, operational life cycles, fundraising rounds, predictive modeling, churn prediction, Net Promoter Score (NPS), market conditions
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Jon Johnson, Josh Schachter, and Kristi Faltorusso sit down with Ziv Peled, the Chief Customer Officer at AppsFlyer. Ziv shares his valuable insights on managing customer relationships, the impact of AI on customer success, and the crucial role of human touch in building strong connections.
Ziv explains how focusing on key stakeholders, using tools like Gong for actionable insights, and employing a manual scoring system can enhance relationship management. He also discusses scenarios where rule-based systems can be more effective than AI, and how to rank opportunities based on user engagement and decision-making influence.
Additionally, Ziv shares his thoughts on long-term employee retention, tackling global business challenges, and strategies for managing crises, drawing from his extensive experience at AppsFlyer.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview & Intro
2:20 - Jon is healing, recovering, recharging
7:25 - Meet Ziv
10:52 - Balancing business responsibilities amid ongoing war challenges
14:40 - Teamwork boosts motivation and productivity
20:59 - Balancing business goals with employees' personal challenges
26:05 - Planning 2025 growth, maximizing efficiency, leveraging AI.
28:31 - Here's what every CSM needs from AI
31:10 - Evaluating relationships to maximize business growth
35:35 - Customers remember onboarding experiences vividly
37:40 - AI as a laser pointer for focus
38:38 - How is AI helping customer success
44:25 - Using AI to enhance strategic customer success outcomes
47:03 - Feedback from experienced leaders empowers niche strategies
50:15 - AI aids in customer strategy and revenue growth
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Ziv Peled: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivpeled/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
________________
Keywords:
How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, engagement strategies, Gong insights, relationship scoring, customer engagement, AI in customer success, scalability with AI, AI-enhanced efficiency, strategic relationships, user engagement signals, efficient contact targeting, personalized customer success, AI strategic role, B2B SaaS, customer needs identification, strategic planning, CSM management via AI, proactive health scoring, sentiment analysis, impact of AI on Customer Success, human-AI collaboration, importance of human relationships, organizational memory, crisis management, global teamwork, trust building in crisis.
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Brett Queener, Managing Director at Bonfire Ventures joins Kristi Faltorusso & Josh Schachter to shed light on the challenges faced by startups, the significance of customer success, and the transformative impact of AI in the industry. Brett shares insights from his extensive experience being on 15 boards, highlighting the critical role of board meetings and the need for a dedicated customer person in the early stages of a company.
As the discussion unfolds, Brett emphasizes the significance of understanding product fit, customer needs, and the economic sustainability of customer success resources. From the impact of AI on customer success roles to the future of SaaS, tune into uncover the true worth of CS.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview & Intro
4:50 - The first CS hire
7:25 - The product is a vision
10:25 - The founders don't know
13:15 - CSMs & leaders - LISTEN!!!
17:46 - Should CSMs be responsible for upsells, cross-sells & renewals?
26:06 - We shouldn't give revenue to CS
29:20 - AI & SaaS helps you do your job
37:37 - The need for onboarding
41:16 - Solve the pains of the customer
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Brett Queener: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettqueener/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
______________________________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Brent Grimes, Founder and CEO at Reef.ai joins the hosts Kristi Faltorusso, Jon Johnson & Josh Schachter. Brent shares insights on outcome-based scoring for customer health and the power of leveraging data for predictive modeling in customer success. They also discussed the potential future convergence of structured and unstructured data and the impact of AI agents on future work.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
7:09 - Reef's origin story
13:50 - Importance of outcome-based scoring
20:35 - Smart targeting & smart recommendations
26:26 - CSMs need to do high-value work
30:30 - ReefAI versus Gainsight
34:47 - Data privacy & security
37:07 - Convergence of structured and unstructured data
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Brent Grimes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentgrimes/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Hosts Kristi Faltorusso, Jon Johnson and Josh Schachter are joined by Julio Franco, Chief Customer Officer of Zappi. They discuss the hurdles of educating customers on best customer success practices, the struggle to invest in customer education and consulting services, and the need for systematizing and reboarding customers. Join us as we uncover the complexities of balancing efficiency and maintaining a human touch in customer interactions while driving operational efficiency and growth in customer success.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
8:00 - Simplified market research for quick, inexpensive feedback
11:55 - Improving efficiency & re-onboarding customers
17:45 - Working with customers that "Get It" & those that don't get it
28:05 - CSMs need to do better with what they have
31:54 - The challenge of maintaining a human touch while being efficient
37:42 - Incentivising overstretched CSMs
41:50 - Digital CS is a program, not a segment
45:20 - Reboarding & educating long-time customers
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Julio Franco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliocfranco/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
_____________________________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Ben Winn, Director of Community at FirstMark, joins Kristi Faltorusso & Josh Schachter to explore the dynamic landscape of venture capital, AI in customer success, and the challenges faced by early-stage companies. They also banter about their grades, dating apps, and much more.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
- Biggest challenges faced by companies
12:36 - Ben's contribution to CS
22:30 - Navigating a career shift
23:45 - Josh & Kristi discuss grades
26:05 - What's up with CS & SaaS?
28:00 - Dating stories & apps
36:15 - The AI buzz in CS
40:56 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Ben Winn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwinn/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
Alex Turkovic joins Jon Johnson, and Kristi Faltorusso to delve into the intricacies of customer success management (CSM), the disconnect between customer experience strategies and practical implementation, the role of emotional intelligence in business decisions, tackling data quality and management & much more.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
4:57 - Practically implementing concepts and frameworks
8:50 - Put the customer first
10:00 - We need emotional intelligence in CS
13:03 - Tracking actions vs real outcomes
16:18 - Tracking metrics that matter
19:27 - Trust, Journey Map, & Clean Data
31:40 - The correlation of CS, Product & Marketing
34:10 - Central CSM
35:35 - Consolidation and management of SaaS applications
39:10 - Validating project success
46:00 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Alex Turkovic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexturkovic/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Customer success leader, Paulina Staszuk joins hosts Jon Johnson and Josh Schachter to delve into the critical importance of a structured onboarding process for new employees and its impact on successful customer relationships. They also share humorous banter and insights about creating a positive employee experience, the value of customer success in the tech industry, and the significance of taking a break to recalibrate.
Timestamp:
0:00 - Preview, Intros & BS
5:50 - Reflect, Recalibrate & Refuel
13:00 - Perfection isn't a reality
17:08 - People. Process. Product
18:20 - Employee onboarding is broken
23:03 - Happy CSMs Happy Customers
25:00 - What should employee onboarding look like?
30:20 - Tools for onboarding employees
39:20 - BS & Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Paulina Staszuk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinastaszuk
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
________________
Keywords:
new employees, customer success, CS motion, onboarding, structured onboarding, customer relationships, employee experience, Slack, Notion, Loom, GIF creators, Clockwise app, work relationship, support tickets, remote work, AI-based support, NPS scores, customer experience
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
The podcast currently has 118 episodes available.