The most effective way your company can drive business value, retain customers and create a functional work culture might just come down to one area of your business: an effective customer success team.
When firing on all cylinders, a customer success team can create a virtuous cycle of customers realizing the value of your company’s product and remaining loyal to your brand. Happier experiences create happier customers — and a lot more of them.
When customer success is less effective, companies experience a higher churn rate, less revenue, a damaged reputation and a decrease in internal morale.
The stats don’t lie: According to Microsoft’s most recent Global State of Customer Service report, 90 percent of respondents said customer service plays a part in their loyalty to a brand. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of U.S. respondents said they would sever a relationship with a business due to poor customer service.
At Snyk, a Boston-based cybersecurity company that just announced it raised $530 million in its Series F funding round, customer success has proved vital to the platform’s success. Customer Success Manager Jairo Gomez Tellez said that comprehensive onboarding, effective consulting and clear communication have created an experience that is personalized for every customer.
To learn more, Built In Boston connected with Tellez to learn more about how they better understand their customers, how they train their customer success team and what skills are essential to their continued success.
What steps do you take to better understand the needs, goals and expectations of your customers?
The first chance to really understand a customer occurs during the point of contact and sales hand-off. The customer is not yet bound to a contract and you get to really understand what they truly want out of a product as they vet your organization without compromise and potentially learn what didn’t work for them at other vendors. Noting those conversations can pay off if you can push desired features and improvements along with reason.
Once the hand-off has happened, understanding their tech stack is essential to aligning their goals for the Snyk product. I like to get myself familiar with a customer’s architecture and tech stack as much as possible, even if this requires additional learning. This then allows for a smooth transition into what might be relevant for them and allows for me to personalize support to ensure goals are met.
I like to get myself familiar with a customer’s architecture and tech stack as much as possible, even if this requires additional learning.”
What training is in place to help CSMs in your organization become experts on your products and industry?
From day one, Snyk ensures that you are set up for success in your role. Onboarding starts with detailed videos and training to help familiarize you with the products and platform. There is also a clear expectation of how your first week, month and quarter should look to be successful. The onboarding also includes a mentor to help a new hire become acclimated to the CSM team, as well as a plan to meet with others in the company. Everyone at Snyk is incredibly friendly and helpful, I can’t say enough about this point!
All of this prep will ensure any CSM feels equipped to be a valuable strategic partner with their customers. I’ve personally seen new hires join their first calls with confidence because of their new understanding of how Snyk products work.
What soft skills have you found to be particularly important when it comes to consulting your clients?
It may seem obvious, but clear communication and organization are essential to successful meetings. I’ve always believed in “meeting excellence,” which starts off with preparation and organization of what the agenda will look like along with a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished before any meeting.
Ensure you stick to the agenda, communicate what needs to be accomplished and reiterate what the action items will be after the meeting. The great thing about Snyk is we are a diverse group and everyone has very different approaches and personalities that bring different strengths to the table. This has allowed us to learn from one another, especially when it comes to soft skills.
