In our end of year team review we discussed the importance of customer centricity remaining a core thread of our DNA. However, I think that perhaps this REALLY is in my DNA!
Growing up, dinner was a family meal, where we sat and caught up on each other’s day. Being raised in a family business also meant that much of the dinner conversation was work related. My parents company slogan then and now, 35 years later, remains, ‘We give Service’. Selling electrical appliances, you’d think that giving service is an obvious component of any retail business, but they quickly learnt that their competitors, mainly large Walmart style companies, all saw their customers as numbers and when competing on product and price is a challenge, the one element that differentiated them was the level of service they provided their customers.
Customer Success is the new popular ‘must have’ role to apply for if you’re customer focused, particularly in the SaaS industry. Traditionally it is positioned as a liaison between sales and service, dedicated to maximizing profitable customer relationships by reducing churn and growing recurring revenue. Where Customer Support has always played the role of responding to customers issues and grievances, Customer Success takes the proactive approach of onboarding new clients, gathering customer feedback, training, upselling and ensuring the post sales relationship with customers remains strong.