Company leaders understand that “getting closer to the customer” is crucial to growth. Buyers and consumers have more choices than ever. Buyers can access online and mobile channels that provide more ways to buy, give and get recommendations, and talk back to companies. Today’s customer won’t hesitate to walk away from an established company relationship that doesn’t meet their needs. This holds true for nearly all industries today, and is no longer limited to those serving consumers.
We define Customer Success as “shared success.” It’s when clients look at you as a trusted partner to help deliver business results. When you can help the client deliver bottom line benefits – that will reflect right back to you in a variety of ways.
To truly adopt a Customer Success mindset, the entire organization, including the clients, need to be transformed. We are experiencing this culture shift in my organization and thought I’d provide a list of 7 tips for building a culture of customer success in your organization.
The 7 Steps to Building Customer Success
1. Executive Buy In – Like anything that is critical to be implemented across the organization, cultural shifts must start with the leadership team. It’s important to share benefits, concepts and expected results of having a customer success mentality.
2. Core Values – These should be simple to understand, memorize, and internalize, yet long enough to be meaningful. Your core values should cover how customers, employees, and vendors should be treated at all times.
3. Decision Making – Each and every decision must put the customer first. This is when you can see the shift in culture happening – when someone stops and asks about the impact to a customer. Considering the customer in big and small decisions keeps them at top of mind and ensures the correct decisions are being made.
4. Customer Success Team – Take time to evaluate your team. You might be reforming an existing team or building one from ground up. You might need to break existing habits, and develop new ones. A plan for training should be put in place to continue to build the skills of this team.
5. Hiring Processes – Ensure your hiring and interviewing processes are adopted to incorporate the customer success mentality. The core competencies of customer service, communication and dedication to results should be considered. Take time to ensure each candidate is aligned with core values they’re supposed to reflect.
6. Onboarding – Include time in your onboarding plan for every employee to discuss customer success. Sharing and explaining what success looks like develops an inclusive understanding that everyone is working towards a common goal. Take time to incorporate in the training how their role contributes to the success of the customer.
7. Checks and Balances – To ensure the changes and modifications you’re putting in place are having positive impact, it’s important to have data and feedback from the clients on a regular basis. Consider sending out an NPS (Net Promoter Score) Survey, developing a client advisory board or asking for feedback consistently. When receiving data and feedback, take time to evaluate and respond carefully.
Developing a true Customer Success organization doesn’t happen overnight. Take the time to develop a plan, seek guidance and keep driving with the end in mind- the success of the customer. Don’t know where to start? Try BizLibrary for free for 30 days!
Shannon is in her 12th year with BizLibrary and 15 in the learning and development industry. Shannon has been on the sales and account management teams, working directly with hundreds of clients prior to moving into her current role 6 years ago as Vice President of Client Success.
Shannon has successfully impacted customer satisfaction and overall retention rates at BizLibrary by implementing several new models and was recently recognized as a Top 100 Influencer of Customer Success by MindTouch.
For more on customer service and client success follow Shannon Kluczny, VP of Client Success at BizLibrary: @Skluczny