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 drive. When we focus on meetings as a value metric, we risk losing sight of the true goal: making the customer successful.
Meetings as an Operational Metric:
Operationally, meetings are often tracked to gauge the efficiency and productivity of the Customer Success team. But using meetings as an operational metric can lead us astray, driving behavior that prioritizes quantity over quality. The goal should not be to fill the calendar with meetings, but to ensure that every customer interaction—whether it’s a meeting, an async communication, or a self-service engagement—is purposeful and moves the customer closer to their Desired Outcome.
Meetings as a Performance Metric:
When meetings become a performance metric for Customer Success Managers, the risk is that CSMs may prioritize meeting targets over customer outcomes. This can create a false sense of productivity, where success is measured by the number of meetings held rather than the progress made toward the customer’s goals. Performance should be measured by the impact on the customer’s success, not by the sheer number of touchpoints.
The Right Path: Focus on the Outcome
Meetings are just one tool in the Customer Success toolkit. They are a means to an end, not the end itself. The real focus should be on the outcome—the customer’s success. Achieving that outcome often requires a mix of meetings, asynchronous communications, and self-service deflection, tailored to the customer’s Appropriate Experience (AX).
Your job isn’t to meet with the customer; your job is to make the customer successful. Depending on the customer’s AX, the role of meetings in that journey will vary. Some customers may require more frequent, in-depth meetings, while others may benefit from fewer meetings supplemented by strong async communication and self-service options.
But when meetings are necessary, they must be as efficient, effective, and powerful as possible. This means having a clear purpose, staying focused on strategic outcomes, and ensuring that every meeting drives the customer closer to their Desired Outcome.
Conclusion
The key takeaway is this: Don’t get lost in the numbers. Don’t measure your success—or your customer’s—by the number of meetings you have. Measure it by the progress you make toward the end goal. Focus on the outcomes, and use meetings as one of many tools to achieve those outcomes, ensuring they are always purposeful and impactful.
