Customer Success Professional''s Handbook - How to Thrive in One of World s Fastest Growing Careers While

The definitive "Customer Success Manager How-To-Guide" for the CSM profession from Gainsight, who brought you the market-leading Customer Success
 
The Customer Success Manager has become a critical asset to organizations across the business landscape. As the subscription model has spread from the cloud and SaaS to more sectors of the economy, that pivotal role will only grow in importance. That's because if you want to compete and thrive in this new environment, you need to put the customer at the center of your strategy. You need to recognize you're no longer selling just a product. You're selling an outcome. Customer Success Managers (CSM) are committed to capturing and delivering those outcomes by listening to their customers, understanding their needs, and adapting products and services to drive success. Although several existing resources address the customer success imperative, there is no authoritative instruction manual for the CSM profession--until now.
 
The Customer Success Professional's Handbook is the definitive reference book for CSMs and similar roles in the field. This practical, first-of-its-kind manual fills a significant gap in professional customer success literature, providing the knowledge every CSM needs to succeed--from the practitioner level all the way to senior leadership. The authors--acknowledged experts in building, training, and managing Customer Success teams--offer real-world guidance and practical advice for aspiring and experienced CSMs alike. The handbook is written by practioners for practioners. An indispensable resource for front-line Customer Success Managers, this much-needed book:
* Demonstrates how to build, implement, and manage a Customer Success team
* Helps new CSMs develop their skills and proficiency to be more employable and grow in their careers
* Provides clear guidance for managers on how to hire a stellar CSM
* Presents practical tactics needed to drive revenue growth during renewal, expansion, and customer advocacy opportunities
* Explains proven methods and strategies for mentoring CSMs throughout their careers
* Offers valuable insights from Gainsight, the Customer Success Company, and the broader customer success community with more than a dozen of the industry's most respected leaders contributing their perspectives
 
Currently, with over 70,000 open positions, Customer Success Manager in one of the fastest-growing jobs in the world. The Customer Success Professional's Handbook: How to Thrive in One of the World's Fastest Growing Careers--While Driving Growth For Your Company will prove to be your go-to manual throughout every stage of your CSM career.

List of contents

Contributors xvi
 
Foreword xvii
 
Part I What is Customer Success and Why is it a Great Career? 1
 
Chapter 1 Customer Success Management: The Birth of a New Profession 3
 
The Age of the Customer 9
 
The Critical Missing Function 12
 
The Birth of the Customer Success Manager 15
 
Endnotes 18
 
Chapter 2 Defining the Customer Success Manager Role 21
 
Goals: Increase Retention, Reduce Churn, Drive Growth 21
 
The Consumption Gap 23
 
The Customer Success Equation 24
 
What Customer Success Management is Not 27
 
A Career or a Springboard to a Real Profession? 29
 
Endnotes 33
 
Part II The Core Skills of a Great CSM 35
 
Chapter 3 A Day in the Life of a Customer Success Manager 37
 
Putting Customer Success into Practice 37
 
Being a Customer Success Manager - A Personal Testimonial 44
 
The Three Core CSM Competencies 46
 
Chapter 4 The CSM Skills Required in an Ever-Evolving Business World 51
 
How to Develop Your Industry and Category Knowledge 52
 
Network with Mentors and Industry Experts 54
 
Product Expertise is Your Ticket to Greatness 57
 
Endnote 60
 
Chapter 5 Learn How to Empathize and Build Relationships with Customers 61
 
1. Be Introspective and Self-Aware 63
 
2. Communicate with Intent, Precision, and Persuasion: Be a Trusted Advisor 66
 
3. Consistently Follow-Up to Create and Grow Trust 68
 
4. How to Respond When You Don't Know the Answer 69
 
5. Stay Focused and Positive When Situations are Difficult; Learn From Them 70
 
6. Read People In-Depth and With a #HumanFirst Lens of Compassion 71
 
7. Genuinely Connect with Customers: it is Personal and it is Your Business 73
 
Endnotes 76
 
Part III Operationalizing Customer Success 77
 
Chapter 6 Preparing for Your Engagements and Asking Questions Like a Problem-Solving Consultant 79
 
The Need for a 360° View of the Customer 80
 
Do Your Homework: Prepare for Every Customer Engagement 83
 
The Art of Discovery: Asking the Right Questions to Get to the Heart of the Customer's Problem 87
 
Endnotes 94
 
Chapter 7 Defining the Journey to Customer Outcomes 95
 
Customer Lifecycle, Journey Map, Customer Journey 96
 
Segment Your Customers 104
 
Endnotes 110
 
Chapter 8 Operationalize Your Customer Journey with Moments of Truth 111
 
Identifying Your Moments of Truth 112
 
Sales-to-Onboarding Handoff 114
 
Welcome the Customer and Onboarding Kickoff 115
 
Launch or Go-Live 116
 
New Customer Executive or Champion 116
 
Business Reviews: For the Executive and More 117
 
Renewals 122
 
Endnotes 124
 
Chapter 9 Using Customer Health Scores to Manage Your Customers 127
 
Health Scores: How to Know If Your Customers are Doing Well 127
 
Designing Your Outcomes Health Score 129
 
Designing Your Experience Health Score 133
 
Setting the Right Thresholds 135
 
Other Frameworks to Design Your Health Score 136
 
Putting Health Scores to Work for You 139
 
The Future and Human-Element of Customer Health Scorecards 142
 
Endnotes 146
 
Chapter 10 Voice of the Customer and Your Tech-Touch Strategy 147
 
How to Get Meaningful Customer Feedback 147
 
The Hidden Value of Customer Feedback 151
 
Tech Touch: The Secrets of Low-Touch Customer Success 154
 
Onboarding Tech-Touch Workflow 155
 
Renewals Management Tech-Touch Workflow 158
 
Risk Manage

About the author

ASHVIN VAIDYANATHAN is the Chief Customer Officer at Gainsight?the Customer Success Company. Ashvin started at Gainsight as a Customer Success Manager and spent many of his early years at Gainsight building new and innovative processes. Prior to Gainsight, Ashvin was at McKinsey & Company consulting with companies on Marketing, Sales and Customer Experience transformations. When not at Gainsight, Ashvin is an advisor to several companies on the subjects of Customer Success and Customer Experience. RUBEN RABAGO is Gainsight's Chief Strategist. He launched Pulse+, a refreshed continuation of the world's largest education program for Customer Success professionals and provides curriculum guidance to universities. Ruben also leads Gainsight's community outreach intended to elevate diversity in the profession. He was one of Gainsight's first CSMs and has more than 20 years of experience growing customer teams in traditional and SaaS-based companies, and currently serves as advisor to Customer Success professionals around the globe. CONTRIBUTORS Alan Armstrong, CEO, Eigenworks Carine Roman, Global Head of Customer Success at LinkedIn Talent Solutions Chad Horenfeldt, VP of Client Success, Updater Chrisy Woll, VP of Customer Success, CampusLogic David Kocher, VP of Customer Success, GE Digital Easton Taylor, Director of Customer Success, Gainsight Eduarda Camacho, Executive VP, Customer Operations at PTC Elaine Cleary, Principal CSM, Director of Education Services, Gainsight Erin Siemens, SVP Client Success, ADP John Sabino, Chief Customer Officer, Splunk Jon Herstein, Chief Customer Officer, Box Mary Poppen, Chief Customer Officer, Glint Nadav Shem-Tov, Director of Teammate Success-CS, Gainsight Patrick Eichen, VP Client Success, Cornerstone OnDemand Stephanie Berner, Global Head of Customer Success at LinkedIn Sales Solutions Travis Kaufman, VP of Product Growth, Gainsight

Summary

The definitive "Customer Success Manager How-To-Guide" for the CSM profession from Gainsight, who brought you the market-leading Customer Success

The Customer Success Manager has become a critical asset to organizations across the business landscape. As the subscription model has spread from the cloud and SaaS to more sectors of the economy, that pivotal role will only grow in importance. That's because if you want to compete and thrive in this new environment, you need to put the customer at the center of your strategy. You need to recognize you're no longer selling just a product. You're selling an outcome. Customer Success Managers (CSM) are committed to capturing and delivering those outcomes by listening to their customers, understanding their needs, and adapting products and services to drive success. Although several existing resources address the customer success imperative, there is no authoritative instruction manual for the CSM profession--until now.

The Customer Success Professional's Handbook is the definitive reference book for CSMs and similar roles in the field. This practical, first-of-its-kind manual fills a significant gap in professional customer success literature, providing the knowledge every CSM needs to succeed--from the practitioner level all the way to senior leadership. The authors--acknowledged experts in building, training, and managing Customer Success teams--offer real-world guidance and practical advice for aspiring and experienced CSMs alike. The handbook is written by practioners for practioners. An indispensable resource for front-line Customer Success Managers, this much-needed book:
* Demonstrates how to build, implement, and manage a Customer Success team
* Helps new CSMs develop their skills and proficiency to be more employable and grow in their careers
* Provides clear guidance for managers on how to hire a stellar CSM
* Presents practical tactics needed to drive revenue growth during renewal, expansion, and customer advocacy opportunities
* Explains proven methods and strategies for mentoring CSMs throughout their careers
* Offers valuable insights from Gainsight, the Customer Success Company, and the broader customer success community with more than a dozen of the industry's most respected leaders contributing their perspectives

Currently, with over 70,000 open positions, Customer Success Manager in one of the fastest-growing jobs in the world. The Customer Success Professional's Handbook: How to Thrive in One of the World's Fastest Growing Careers--While Driving Growth For Your Company will prove to be your go-to manual throughout every stage of your CSM career.

Product details

• Authors: Ruben Rabago, a Vaidyanathan, Ashvi Vaidyanathan, Ashvin Vaidyanathan, Ashvin Rabago Vaidyanathan
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.01.2020
• EAN: 9781119624615
• ISBN: 978-1-119-62461-5
• No. of pages: 288
• Subjects: Guides > Self-help, everyday life > Lifestyle, personal development; Social sciences, law, business > Business > Management; Marketing, Business & management, Wirtschaft u. Management, Marketing & Sales, Marketing u. Vertrieb