The theme of 2023 in Customer Success has to be how to do more with less. In my opinion, this is a continuation of last year’s theme which was Digital Customer Success. With the world economy in a state of uncertainty and Venture Capital funding in a lull, most SaaS companies are hunkering down and trying to figure out the best way to not only maintain runway but ensure the success of their customers and business. Today, we’re going to tackle a common challenge faced by many Customer Success teams: doing more with less. In the ever-evolving landscape of 2023, resource optimization is key, and I am here to share 10 actionable tips to help you maximize your Customer Success efforts. Let’s dive right in!
- Video: (yes it has been done before) but hear me out. Short-form video is all the rage. Think about your video of your product on your company’s website or the video on your company’s career page. Likely these are short videos maybe 60 seconds, max 90 seconds. How is this more with less: it allows a CSM to send out more personalized information without having to have a call with each client. Just think about how Tiktok took the world by storm, there was nothing they brought to the table all they did was take something we do every day and make it more interactive, and created shorter forms of video to keep users engaged. The same thing can be done by CSMs looking to quickly engage customers. I won an award for this CS tactic and you can read more on this on EverAfter’s website.
- Embrace Automation and Technology: In the era of AI and advanced automation, leveraging technology is crucial. Identify repetitive tasks that can be automated, such as routine customer communications or data collection. No longer should CSMs be doing repetitive tasks, now is the time to think strategically and be consultative with your customers. Do more with less in Customer Success by automating and using technology for mundane tasks like note-taking, follow-up emails, and slide creation for business reviews. By streamlining these processes, you’ll free up time for your team to focus on strategic initiatives and personalized interactions with customers.
- Proactive Outreach with Customer Newsletters: Being proactive is a game-changer in Customer Success. Rather than waiting for customers to reach out with issues, anticipate their needs and reach out to them first. Regular check-ins, newsletters, and targeted campaigns can keep your customers engaged and provide an opportunity to address potential problems before they become bigger issues. When it comes to building a customer newsletter regularly share your product roadmap, but also the customer success roadmap, what is it your customer team is doing to help customers at a time of uncertainty? Being transparent and sharing with your customers before they ask for help will not only build trust with your customers but will also help alleviate the pressures of FAQ emails, customer support chats, etc.
- Leverage Customer Communities: As I said before the theme of 2022 in customer success was digital-led customer success which was heavily fueled by the use of customer communities. If you truly want to do more with less in customer success then harness the power of your customer community by creating a space for them to connect, share ideas, and support one another. Empower your customers to solve their challenges collaboratively, reducing the strain on your team while fostering a sense of belonging and engagement among your customer base.
- Develop & Revamp Self-Service Resources: Empowering customers with self-service resources is a win-win. Create a comprehensive knowledge base, video tutorials, and FAQ sections to provide customers with instant access to information. This means investing a little time upfront to create a learning center or a self-service knowledgebase, but when doing this work initially it will save you time and money in the long run. This not only helps customers find answers faster but also reduces the number of repetitive inquiries your team receives.
- Segment and Prioritize Customers: This is not a new strategy but something that saw tremendous success when the pandemic kicked off in 2020. When teams were being furloughed and companies were going out of business CSM teams had to prioritize which customers to focus on and how to handle certain segmentations of customers. Not all customers are created equal, and allocating resources based on their value and potential can make a significant impact. Segment your customers based on their needs, size, or engagement level. By prioritizing high-value customers or those at risk, you can focus your efforts where they matter most and optimize resource allocation. This a gentle reminder that not all high-paying customers should be the sole focus of the CS team, there are many different ways of segmenting your customer base outside of ARR.
- Automate Customer referral program: Automating a customer referral program can streamline the process and make it more efficient for both your customers and your team. By automating your customer referral program, you can save time, ensure accurate tracking, and provide a seamless experience for both referrers and referred customers. This also frees up time for your CSM team so that they can focus on more strategic matters rather than chasing down the next referral for the sales team. If done correctly this can also generate revenue as your customers refer on to other potential customers, just remember to reward your customers that are doing the referrals.
- Implement & Optimize Customer Success Tools: Invest in Customer Success platforms and tools that provide you with actionable insights and streamline your processes. These tools can help you track customer health, identify patterns, and automate certain tasks, enabling your team to do more in less time while enhancing the customer experience. If you already have CS tools in place, know that there is so much more you can do than just look at a health score in these tools. Take your data and do something…anything – All of the information you gain from monitoring how customers behave, or how your customer go through the sales funnel will be wasted if you don’t do anything with the data. Satisfying different types of customers can be hard, and there is no easy solution. You will need to constantly try different approaches and experiment to see what works best. Take the data in your customer success tool and create new strategies on how you can optimize your CS team.
- Invest in Continuous Learning: One of the main characteristics I look for when hiring a CSM is curiosity, take this time to be curious and to invest in your learning so that you can help your customers in new and creative ways. Encourage your team to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in Customer Success. Whether it’s attending industry conferences, participating in webinars, or sharing knowledge within the team, ongoing learning ensures your team is equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their roles. Must like this blog post most information is actually free online and you can find multiple ways to ensure you are doing more with less in continued learning.
- Optimize Onboarding and Adoption: Successful onboarding sets the stage for a positive customer journey. Streamline your onboarding processes and focus on helping customers achieve early value. By ensuring smooth adoption, you reduce the likelihood of churn and create a solid foundation for long-term success. Helping your customers early on will save time, money and energy from your CS team in the long run.
My final bonus tip would be to emphasize customer feedback and measurement. Make customer feedback a central part of your Customer Success strategy. Collect feedback through surveys, NPS scores, or customer interviews to gain insights into their needs and expectations. Act on this feedback to iterate on your processes and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Do not just collect the data, act on it and create strategies that will help your team this year and for years to come.
In conclusion, the fast-paced world of Customer Success in 2023, doing more with less is not only a challenge but also an opportunity. Good luck!