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2 November 2023 11 min read


THE BLUEPRINT FOR BUILDING AN ELITE CUSTOMER SUCCESS TEAM

Customer success operations

AMY OILMAN

Read More

 1. A journey to customer success
 2. Why customer success matters today
 3. Crafting the customer success dream team
 4. The value of diverse perspectives in your customer success team
    1. Creating inclusive job descriptions
    2. Tapping into your networks
    3. The importance of internal and external diversity
    4. Emphasizing customer-centricity in onboarding
 5. Scaling your customer success team
    1. Vision
    2. Challenges
    3. Leadership support
 6. Let’s wrap it up
 7. How about building a customer success team of your own?
    1. It's time to learn how
    2. By taking this course, you'll discover how to:

This article is based on Amy’s episode of the CS School podcast. 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a customer success leader who has built and scaled numerous CS organizations
over my career, I cannot stress enough the critical importance of hiring and
developing high-performing customer success teams. 

Your customer success team is the face of the company to customers and directly
impacts retention, expansion, and advocacy. To drive these outcomes, you need CS
reps who are skilled, motivated, and working together towards shared goals. 

It starts with bringing on people with the right mix of domain expertise,
communication abilities, analytical skills, and emotional intelligence. 

With the proper structures in place, a customer success team is transformative
for a business. When set up correctly, it can become an invaluable asset that
strengthens customer relationships, provides valuable insights to the product
team, and ultimately fuels business growth.

Your customer success team is the beating heart of the customer experience, so
building a high-performing customer success operation must be a top priority for
any customer-centric organization.

Your guide to customer-led growth
What if instead of expensive sales blitzes to find new customers, you focused
more energy on current successful customers? The path to sustainable growth has
been right under your nose – through a strategy focused on retaining your
current customers.
Customer Success CollectiveGrace Gupta



A JOURNEY TO CUSTOMER SUCCESS

It's funny; most of us in the customer success industry didn't really plan on
this career path. We didn't head to university with dreams of becoming a
Customer Success Manager (CSM) and then moving up the ladder. 

For me, it all began between 2010 and 2014 at Google, where I led Service Cloud
implementations. 

These tasks were centered around constructing contact centers and training teams
to utilize the Salesforce platform. There, I was fortunate to collaborate with
some incredibly talented customer success directors from Salesforce. Recognizing
my potential, they encouraged me to join Salesforce, which led me to leave
Google in 2014 and dive deep into the world of customer success.

The time I spent at Salesforce was enlightening. I mostly collaborated with
Hollywood studios and entertainment companies in LA, guiding them to extract the
utmost value from the platform. 

The unique chance to help establish a customer success team in Google Cloud for
infrastructure drew me back to Google. This allowed me to spearhead a
high-performing customer success unit. By last December, my journey had brought
me to RingCentral, where I focused on rejuvenating the mid-market segment of
customer success.

Reflecting on it, this path seems perfect. I've been able to channel both my
skills and my empathy for customers and employees into building successful
teams. I genuinely enjoy creating robust customer support systems, and that's
where my passion lies.


WHY CUSTOMER SUCCESS MATTERS TODAY

At its core, customer success isn't just about making clients happy. 

There are tangible revenue outcomes linked to an outstanding customer success
team. Acquiring a new customer can cost up to 25 times more than retaining an
existing one. Thus, it's crucial to nurture and expand our current client
relationships, ensuring they get the best out of our products and possibly
introducing them to new offerings that can be of value.

At RingCentral, CSMs play a vital role in this. They're the frontline soldiers
who develop genuine client relationships, earning their trust through high-touch
interactions. As the business landscape shifts and evolves, it's pivotal for
customer success teams to be present and proactive, addressing customers' needs
promptly and effectively. This not only ensures revenue growth but also
minimizes churn.


CRAFTING THE CUSTOMER SUCCESS DREAM TEAM

The process of creating a formidable customer success team starts with a clear
vision. 

This includes understanding both the needs of the customers and the experience
of the team members. Throughout my career, I've emphasized collaboration with
recruiting teams, whether it was at Google or now at RingCentral.

A critical aspect is the crafting of job descriptions, which I’ll go into
shortly. They should be concise, ideally with fewer than six bullet points, to
ensure inclusivity and a broader applicant base. 

These descriptions should be unique to your organization, avoiding merely
imitating the JDs found on your competitors’ sites. Remember, while technical
proficiency is beneficial, an excellent CSM should be a quick and adaptable
learner. They need to be detail-oriented, too. This is paramount.

At RingCentral, our hiring process is fine-tuned to identify candidates who
display genuine empathy for customers. This empathy extends not just to the
clients but also to our sales teams and other internal stakeholders. 

Ultimately, we're on the lookout for team players who believe in collective
growth, sharing knowledge, and driving success together.

Why customer empathy is the key to building trust
Empathy is a critical skill. By putting ourselves in the shoes of our customers,
customer success managers can better understand frustrations or roadblocks
customers may be facing.
Customer Success CollectiveGuru Bhat



THE VALUE OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES IN YOUR CUSTOMER SUCCESS TEAM

When recruiting customer success team members, it’s a must that we consider
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in our process. 


CREATING INCLUSIVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS

There can be an overwhelming feeling when sifting through job adverts and being
constantly bombarded with overly lengthy job descriptions. 

I've noticed it's a universal challenge, certainly not isolated to customer
success. It becomes especially concerning when companies are striving for DE&I.
If a job description deters potential candidates because they think, “Well, I
can only do seven out of those 12 tasks, maybe this role isn't for me,” then
we're sidelining so many talents.


TAPPING INTO YOUR NETWORKS

Now, the perk of being a remote team is the liberty to hire from any location in
the US. This geographical diversity is a bonus. Plus, a good chunk of our hires,
probably about 80%, comes from recommendations within my network.

It's a testament to how networking in diverse companies, like Salesforce or
Google, can introduce you to an array of fantastic candidates.


THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DIVERSITY

Considering RingCentral’s customer base, diversity is paramount. Our customers
come from all walks of life, and it's essential to meet them where they are.

That's why I ensure my CSMs hail from various backgrounds and experiences. Some
have been in customer success for five years, others transitioned from account
management, and we've also welcomed fresh college grads eager to dive into this
field. The result? A vibrant, diverse team!

But what's equally crucial to remember is that our team should mirror the world
we operate in. Whether it's dealing with customers, sales teams, or product
teams, having CSMs with specialties in different areas has constantly enriched
our approach.

I've seen many aspiring candidates from diverse industries eager to break into
customer success. While it might seem challenging now due to the current job
market, I always suggest they immerse themselves in the customer success
community and join local groups or even women-focused customer success
networks. 

These platforms are instrumental in gaining insights, networking, and
understanding if this is the path they want to pursue. Personally, understanding
technology and being a customer of the product you're representing can give you
an edge.

Why we need to amplify diverse voices in our companies
Learn from a CMO why diversity is important in a business and how to do it
effectively for the benefit of your customers, fellow employees, and society as
a whole.
Customer Success CollectivePatrick Reynolds


Speaking of forming a fantastic customer success team, here's a tip for those
embarking on this journey. 

Always commence the interview by sharing your vision for the team. It's
paramount that potential candidates grasp the team's culture and goals and see
where they fit in this picture. I take extra care to continually remind my team
of our top priorities, ensuring our objectives stay aligned even amidst evolving
circumstances. Candidates who I interview need to want to be a part of a team
where everybody helps each other.

Every team member has a role that goes beyond just their day-to-day. They lead
initiatives aligned with their skills, interests, and the company's needs. It's
a way to nurture their leadership and problem-solving skills.


EMPHASIZING CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY IN ONBOARDING 

Finally, fostering a sense of customer empathy is paramount. When I refer to the
“rules of the road” for our team, the top priority is always empathy. 

We stress the need for our CSMs to be the face of our company, ensuring
customers genuinely feel valued and understood. Whether it's showing up to
meetings with a point of view or maintaining an open channel for feedback, our
team is built on trust, collaboration, and, most importantly, understanding our
customers.

Feedback on my team is always a two-way street. It's always bi-directional. And
so it's really important for them to give me feedback and not feel conscious
that I'm senior, or be worried to tell me that our plan isn't great. But, as a
customer success leader, I need to hear that because, as CSMs, they're the
experts on the customer because they're with the customers every day.


SCALING YOUR CUSTOMER SUCCESS TEAM


VISION

Building and scaling a customer success team goes far beyond hiring. It's about
fostering a collaborative environment, communicating the company's values, and
ensuring the team is adaptive in a constantly changing industry.

As companies experience growth and change, customer success teams need to adapt
and scale with them. Now, when we talk about growing the team, there's a need to
keep them aligned with the company's vision and mission. I often take our
overarching company vision and distill it into a tangible customer success
vision.  

But what do the company's goals and initiatives mean for our customers? How can
we build a customer success organization to bring that vision to life for them?
The CSMs are the primary interface between customers and the company, so they
need that north star. Let me give you an example. 

If a company's mission revolves around growth, I incorporate this by coaching my
team on their own career development. This way, they align with the company's
objectives while meeting our customers' needs.


CHALLENGES

To build a customer success team and then scale it? Let’s be real: it isn’t
always smooth sailing. 

In any scaling endeavor, challenges are inevitable. One of the pitfalls I've
encountered is replicating the strategies of other teams verbatim, particularly
if your team doesn’t have the systems and scale to execute it properly. 

Here’s a “for instance”: sending numerous emails to customers just because your
marketing team does. We’ve all been on the receiving end of these spammy emails,
and it’s crucial to design a unique customer journey, especially for a scale
team. 

Keeping an eye on metrics like customer health scores and discerning trends in
data helps to pivot our strategies effectively. We’ve previously considered the
idea of engaging customers way before their renewal phase.

However, our experiments revealed it wasn’t as effective. So, for those in
similar roles, my advice is to experiment on a small scale, gather data, and
decide based on that. It’s okay to try different strategies, but always back
them up with data.


LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

A big aspect of scaling and evolving the team lies in the hands of the senior
leadership. They play an instrumental role in shaping the vision and direction
of the customer success team. 

For instance, when I decided to shift from an outsourced team to an onshore team
with more experienced CSMs, I had to make a solid pitch to our leadership. This
wasn't just about transitioning but understanding the impact such a move would
have on metrics and overall customer experience. It's about predicting possible
rocky terrains during transitions, prepping the team, and ensuring everyone,
including sales teams, is on board with the changes.

Having a consistent team, one that doesn't constantly turnover, is vital for our
customers. It's no surprise they'd be frustrated having to re-explain themselves
to new CSMs time and again. Thus, winning over senior leadership and
communicating the larger benefits is essential. If there's something my team
doesn’t know, they admit it, find out, and move forward, ensuring our sales
teams are supportive and informed every step of the way.

8 winning tips for stellar customer success leadership
There’s a colossal difference between leaders and managers. While managers are
there to enforce processes, ensure compliance, and make sure people are hitting
their KPIs, leaders work for their team
Customer Success CollectiveRichard Convery



LET’S WRAP IT UP

Building a stand-out customer success team doesn't happen accidentally – it
takes intention and effort. Based on my experience, here are some of the key
ingredients:

 1. First, you've gotta find the right people. Look for team players who ooze
    empathy, adaptability, and a customer-first mindset. Creating an inclusive,
    thoughtful hiring process pays off. 
 2. Once they're on board, immerse the new hires in the team's vision and
    culture from day one. Make customer centricity and collaboration the norm,
    not just buzzwords.
 3. Since customers come from all walks of life, make sure your team reflects
    that diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. It'll give you an edge in
    understanding customers' needs.
 4. When it's time to evolve or grow the team, get leadership on board by
    showing how changes will benefit customers and the biz. Back up ideas with
    data from small experiments.
 5. Promote constant learning and sharing amongst the team so their skills grow
    in step with the company's needs.
 6. And routinely look at customer success metrics to see what's working and
    what's not. Be ready to pivot based on what the data says, not assumptions.

Do those things, and you'll be on your way to building a customer-obsessed dream
team that becomes indispensable to the company's growth. A stellar CS team pays
its dividends in loyalty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HOW ABOUT BUILDING A CUSTOMER SUCCESS TEAM OF YOUR OWN?


IT'S TIME TO LEARN HOW

Has this article opened your eyes to the possibility of building your own
customer success function, we have the perfect course to help you position CS to
a leadership team and establish a successful customer success operation.

Introducing... Building a Customer Success Team Certified: Masters.


BY TAKING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL DISCOVER HOW TO:

🔧 Leverage technology and automation to streamline customer success operations
and improve efficiency.

🧑‍🎨 Sculpt out a strong CS function and learn for your business, including
where CS slots into the client experience and why it’s an investment for the
future.

🎨 Create effective customer onboarding processes and ensure a seamless
transition from sales to customer success that sets the stage for long-term
relationships.

🧱 Build a culture of continuous improvement by cultivating a mindset of
learning and growth within your customer success team.

Discover the building blocks to operational success


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Written by:

AMY OILMAN

Amy builds high-performing customer success organizations and coaches GTM
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