Meetings are the most expensive activity in Customer Success Management, yet we often overlook their true cost. If we fully understood the financial and strategic impact of meetings, we would likely conduct far fewer unproductive ones. There are three key types of costs associated with meetings: Direct Cost, Opportunity Cost, and Prioritization Cost. Understanding these […]
Meetings as a Customer Success Metric: The Misguided Path
November 3, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Meetings as a Value Metric:Too often, we mistakenly equate the number of meetings with the value we’re providing to the customer. The assumption is that more meetings equal more engagement, and thus more value. However, this approach is fundamentally flawed. Value isn’t derived from the frequency of meetings; it’s derived from the outcomes those meetings […]
No Goals, No Customer Success: Unlocking the Power of the Goal Discovery Framework
September 12, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Why Understanding Customer Goals Is the Key to Real Customer Success They don’t like it when I say this. To paraphrase my wife’s yoga shirt about peace: No Goals, No Customer Success.Know Goals, Know Customer Success. It’s time to get real. But let’s revisit something first—the definition of Customer Success.
Revenue Roadblocks: How We’re Sabotaging Our Own Growth
August 7, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
It’s Time to Get Out of Our Customers’ Way Ever tried to give someone your money, only to find yourself jumping through hoops to make it happen? Frustrating, isn’t it? Now flip the script: What if your customers are experiencing that same frustration with your company? What if, despite their willingness—even eagerness—to invest more in […]
Good Fit vs. Bad Fit vs. Ideal Customers: The Key to Unlocking Sustainable Growth
July 7, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Maybe you need to not acquire those customers. I know—that might sound counterintuitive in a world where we’re often told that more customers equal more success. But the reality is, chasing every potential customer can be a costly mistake that hinders your growth, drains your resources, and even damages your brand reputation. Think about it: […]
Opt-In vs. Opt-Out Trials: The Hidden Impact on Customer Retention and Success
June 11, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
You’ve spent countless hours perfecting your product, confident that it will make a significant difference for your customers. You’ve set up trials to let potential users experience its value firsthand. But here’s a critical question: Could your trial strategy be unintentionally driving customers away? Picture this: A potential customer signs up for your trial, excited […]
From Transactions to Relationships: Unleashing Customer Potential with AX
May 5, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Imagine securing a new client who seems like the perfect fit for your product or service. The contract is signed, the initial transaction is completed, and everything appears promising. But as weeks turn into months, the client’s engagement dwindles. They barely use the product, seldom reach out for support, and renewal seems unlikely. What went […]
Renewal Psychology: From an Adversarial Process to a Celebration of Success
April 4, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Ever felt that knot in your stomach when it’s time to discuss contract renewals with a client? You’re not /alone. Renewals often carry an undeserved stigma—seen as adversarial negotiations rather than opportunities for mutual growth. But what if we could flip the script? What if renewals became a natural, even exciting, part of the customer […]
Pods in Customer Success vs. Sales: A Side-by-Side Comparison
March 18, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Pods, a collaborative team structure, have been around for several years but have become increasingly popular in both Customer Success (CS) and Sales, especially as the former has become even more efficiency-focused in the past year.
The Role of Pods in CSM Coverage Models: The Evolving Landscape
March 11, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
The concept of “pods” in Customer Success Management (CSM) continues to evolve, offering a flexible approach to structuring CSM teams within an overall coverage model strategy. Here’s a breakdown of how pods can fit into your CSM coverage models:
Pooled CSMs: Benefits, Challenges, and Requirements for Success
March 11, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
The concept of pooled CSMs, where a pool of CSMs manage a portfolio of customers without dedicated account ownership, has emerged as an alternative approach to CSM org design. Here’s a breakdown of the current thinking on pooled CSMs, including the key requirements for success. Potential Benefits of Pooled CSMs Potential Challenges of CSM Pools […]
Beyond Touch Levels: Scaling Customer Success through Appropriate Experience (AX)
March 9, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
There’s no such thing as a ‘tech-touch’ or ‘high-touch’ customer. There are only customers and their Appropriate Experience (AX). This is the modern take on Customer Success Management that leaders of world-class CS organizations operationalize around.
The Goal Discovery Framework for Customer Success Management
March 9, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
In the realm of Customer Success (CS), understanding customer goals is the cornerstone of building meaningful relationships and driving long-term value. Traditional customer interactions often involve direct communication, allowing for immediate clarification of needs. As I’ say all the time: No Goals. No Customer Success. Know Goals. Know Customer Success.
Storytelling in Customer Success: Use the Power of Goal Discovery
March 9, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
The Goal Discovery Framework is an invaluable tool for storytelling in customer success, enabling you to demonstrate value beyond the traditional focus on Return on Investment (ROI). By combining data, storytelling, and this framework, Customer Success Managers (CSMs) can effectively showcase the true value proposition of their product or service. Here’s how to apply the […]
Bridging the Engagement Gap: Keeping Customers Actively Invested
March 9, 2024 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Did you know that a significant portion of your customers, even those who seemingly appear satisfied, consider exploring alternatives before renewing their contracts? This statistic highlights a crucial reality in today’s competitive SaaS landscape: customer engagement is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity for survival.
Build a Social Proof Machine: Consistently Generate Real Advocates at Scale
October 25, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
As a Head of Customer Success, you’ve heard the benefits of advocacy. You get that it’s somehow the golden ticket—a game-changer that’s supposed to turn the business flywheel faster than ever. But somehow, the magic hasn’t happened for you. Your advocacy program is more of a flicker than a flame, and you’re wondering if the […]
The Untapped Potential of Social Proof through Earned Advocacy
October 19, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Hold on a second. You’re smart; you’ve got your finger on the pulse of Customer Success, and you’re up to your ears in metrics, strategies, and buzzwords. But let’s cut through the noise for a moment. If you’re not focusing on genuine, earned customer advocacy, you’re leaving an unparalleled opportunity on the table. You know […]
From KPIs to Connection: Transforming Metrics Into Meaningful Relationships
October 12, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Customer Success isn’t a monolith; it’s a symphony of moving parts. Think of it as a well-oiled machine with gears both large and small. The larger gears—your customer-level KPIs—offer those broad-stroke indicators that often make you nod in satisfaction. “Yes, we’re on the right track,” they seem to say. Then there are the smaller, more […]
Every Department Must Recognize the Value of Customer Success
October 6, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Customer Success teams continually strive to advocate for their significance, often finding themselves undervalued by other departments. Heads of Customer Success are no strangers to this feeling, and while the importance of their roles is crystal clear to them, they sometimes feel isolated in this perspective. This sentiment isn’t a reflection of their desire to […]
Retention: Shifting from Reactive to Proactive to Stop Chasing and Start Leading
September 24, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Let’s get real. You’re swamped, your team is overwhelmed, and you’re juggling the constant demands of retaining customers while chasing that elusive long-term success. You’re in firefighting mode—again. You know you need to shift from a reactive approach to a proactive one. Deep down, you feel the urgency, but the ‘how’ eludes you. It’s like […]
Why High Usage Doesn’t Guarantee Customer Success
September 6, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
You’re feeling pretty good about your customer engagement metrics. The data shows that users are logging in daily, clicking around, and seemingly making the most of your platform. But hold on. Your churn numbers are still concerning. Contraction at renewal is creeping up. And expansion is way lower than it should be. Something doesn’t add […]
Scaling Your Customer Success Team Without Losing Control
August 30, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
You’ve built your Customer Success team from the ground up, and you’re rightfully proud of it. You’ve always had your hands on the steering wheel, ensuring smooth rides for your clients. But now your team is growing. The very thought of scaling conjures up fears of losing that intimate control you’ve had—over your team and […]
The Art and Science of Continuous Goal Alignment in Customer Success
August 23, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Every Customer Success Manager (CSM) and Head of Customer Success has felt it at some point: the nagging sense that although Goal Discovery is essential, something is missing in the process of keeping those goals continually aligned. You know it’s important, but somehow staying in-sync with your customer’s evolving goals seems elusive. Perhaps it’s the […]
Goal Discovery: The Essential Task You Never Had Time for (Until Now!)
August 16, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
You get it; Goal Discovery is essential. It’s not just another buzzword or a fleeting trend in Customer Success. It’s the foundation of everything we aim to accomplish with our clients. But here’s where the frustration mounts: you have clients to manage, meetings to attend, fires to put out, and an inbox that never seems […]
Aligning Customer Success and Sales: Bridging the Great Divide
August 9, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
You know the feeling – it’s a shared frustration among many in Customer Success. Another seemingly ‘bad fit’ customer is passed to us, and we’re left questioning the Sales team’s understanding of what a good fit really is. It’s easy to think: “Why can’t they just get it right?”. But perhaps we’re addressing this from […]
Motivating Action: The Hard Truth of Driving Customer Engagement
August 2, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Every Customer Success Manager (CSM) knows the struggle: you have an incredible product that can truly enhance the work of your customers, but they resist. They feel overwhelmed, underprepared, or simply unwilling to take on the new responsibilities that come with implementing your product. Sound familiar? Then buckle up. We’re going to unpack the challenges […]
Customer Retention: Proactive, Reactive, and At-Risk Analysis
July 31, 2023 Article by Lincoln Murphy
How often have you found yourself scrambling at the last minute to save an at-risk account, pouring time and resources into what could often be a losing battle? You’re not alone. Many Customer Success Managers (CSMs) fall into the trap of reactive retention. It feels like part of the job, right? The truth is, there’s […]
What is a good SaaS Churn Rate?
July 17, 2020 Article by Lincoln Murphy
What is a good SaaS Churn rate? The easy answer is as low as possible. But there’s more to it; that’s what this post is for.
Customer Success: High/Low/No Touch Customer Segmentation
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
The traditional Customer Success method of simply looking at what a customer pays us and giving them a particular level of ‘touch’ is old and outdated. It’s time to logically segment customers based on Appropriate Experience (AX). For context, on Friday, May 19, 2017, I did a Customer Success Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Facebook […]
Customer Success: Incorporating High/Low/No Touch into Onboarding
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Proper Customer Onboarding isn’t done to prevent churn; it’s done to ensure the customer achieves their Desired Outcome. Retention comes from that. But what is “proper” customer onboarding? Let’s find out. For context, on Friday, May 19, 2017, I did a Customer Success Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Facebook live. It was awesome. The video […]
Customer Success: How to help Salespeople with Customer Segmentation
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
The age-old issue of Customer Success and Sales alignment, only this time focused on segmentation. This is my attempt to definitively address this eternal quandary. For context, on Friday, May 19, 2017, I did a Customer Success Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Facebook live. It was awesome. The video is embedded below and below that […]
Customer Success: Determining Which Customers on which to Focus
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
From a Customer Success perspective, this is the wrong question to ask. You must “focus” on all customers since proper Customer Onboarding is critical for all customers to achieve their Desired Outcome. The way you operationalize around all of your customers to ensure they’re all Onboarded in an Appropriate way will come down to logical […]
Customer Success: Who Should Handle Upsells?
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
One of the great Customer Success questions – regardless of how many answers are given or by whom – that refuses to ever actually be answered is who should handle upsells… sales or Customer Success. This is my attempt to definitively answer this question. For context, on Friday, May 19, 2017, I did a Customer […]
Customer Success: How to Reset Mismanaged Expectations
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Carefully. One of the biggest drains on Customer Success Management resources is customers that have not had their expectations properly managed and having to work around that. Avoid that where you can by doing things correctly from the outset, but if you’re there already, maybe this will help you. For context, on Friday, May 19, […]
Customer Success: Customer Engagement Across the Entire Lifecycle
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Customer Success is when your customers achieve their Desired Outcome through their interactions with your company. Those interactions occur across the entire lifecycle. I define Customer Success Management as the process of moving customers toward their ever-evolving Desired Outcome. Again, across the entire lifecycle. You can’t have Customer Success without engagement across the lifecycle. For […]
Customer Success: Working with Customers that don’t like Technology
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Luckily this type of thing is rare, but with Customer Success as our operating philosophy, or Customer Success Management as our operating model, we need to work within the confines of our customer’s comfort zone… not ours. This is a thought-provoking question with, hopefully, an equally thought-provoking answer. For context, on Friday, May 19, 2017, […]
Customer Success: How to Tell Customers What to Do
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
For many Customer Success Management teams, it’s easy to fall into the trap of ‘just let your customers figure it out.’ In fact, it’s easy to think that’s in their best interest. Leave them alone and they’ll discover what they need to on their own. But in most cases, that’s the exact opposite of what […]
How to Get Customers to Help Define Engagement Models
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Don’t hide from your customers. Don’t pretend you know everything. Talk to your customers and figure out from that discovery process what your engagement model should look like. You can then extrapolate segment-based models or, for some customers, create unique engagement models just for them (if it makes sense). For context, on Friday, May 19, […]
Customer Success-driven Marketing: Targeting Offline Customers
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
Customer Success should drive everything your company does, including sales and marketing. When it comes to targeting customers that aren’t online, first, I’d push back on the assumption that your customers aren’t online. Second, I’d remind you that Customer Success-driven Marketing means understand the customer’s Desired Outcome so you can craft a message that gets […]
Lincoln Murphy Customer Success AMA Transcript and Video – May 19, 2017
May 19, 2017 Article by Lincoln Murphy
On Friday May 19th, 2017, I did a Customer Success Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Facebook live. It was awesome. The video is embedded below, along with the questions that were asked and my answers. Yep, if you don’t want to watch or listen, no problem! I got the entire AMA transcribed (and cleaned it […]
