In many organizations – especially Hi-Tech, SaaS, and Media companies – there is a huge gap between sales success and customer success, and it will get wider unless companies do something about it.

In such companies, the majority of focus is given to the sales process and success of the sales team. Celebrations start the minute an agreement is signed, and everyone is congratulating each other on a job well done. This has always reminded me of the fairy-tale endings of our childhood stories: The prince and princess get married and live happily ever after…. Or do they?

Because of my operations background, I believe sales success is only half the story. What I am seeing, and it seems that a lot of companies are seeing the same thing, is that the other half of this puzzle is completely overlooked and that is the Customer Success half.

Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in branding, messaging, marketing, and sales operations to sign a client and then totally (or partially) forget about them. Traditionally, we assign them an account manager who helps them with the first-phase implementation and then…. we have customer service representatives to respond to their problems. But are we truly investing in their success?

Companies that excel at customer success, think of the customer as a strategic investment. These companies invest in analyzing post-implementation customers’ journey, needs & pains, service expectations & touchpoints; and develop (or procure) products that can address those needs and pains of the customer and set up customer service models that anticipates the need of the customer. These customer success plans not only make the customer successful but will get them to stay with the company longer, continuously increase their spend, and more importantly, become an advocate for the company by being a referenceable account, and to refer other customers to the company.

The last piece is the most important piece: How many of your customer are true advocates for your business and are willing reference points and are continuously referring customers to your company?

Developing, implementing, and managing a customer success strategy is not easy and will take effort, resources, and expertise – but so does the running a successful organization. Management teams should start thinking about this strategy as soon as possible, otherwise, the gap between sales success and customer success will continuously grow.

 

Majid Abai – August 2021 – Los Angeles.

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About The Author:

Majid Abai is the Chief Sherpa at Concepts Rise (www.ConceptsRise.com), a Customer-Success and Operational Excellence Advisory firm based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. With over 30 years of experience in supporting US and global organizations, Mr. Abai advises small and mid-size organizations on implementing customer success, operational excellence, and innovative technologies to increase revenues and profit. Majid could be reached at 424-320-0524 or via email at majid.abai@ConceptsRise.com