As a Customer Success Manager (CSM), it’s easy to fall into the trap of just going through the motions with your customers.
You have a list of tasks to complete, metrics to track, and goals to achieve.
But what if I told you that being curious could transform your relationship with your customers and position you as a trusted advisor and strategic partner?
Let’s dig in.
Source of Inspiration
I was reminded of the power of curiosity while I was listening to the episode of David McRaney’s You are Not So Smart podcast with Mónica Guzmán, author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.
In that episode, Mónica and David dive deep into how curiosity, more than anything else, can be the bridge that brings two seemingly permanently divided sides together.
So I thought it was wise to revisit the power of curiosity as it relates to Customer Success.
Curiosity and Engagement
Curiosity is a powerful tool in Customer Success because it allows you to engage with your customers in a deep, meaningful way.
When you’re genuinely curious about your customers and their business, it shows that you care and that you’re invested in their success.
This level of engagement can help you build rapport quickly and establish a foundation of trust.
Uncovering Pain Points
Curiosity can also help you uncover pain points that your customers may not even be aware of.
By asking questions and digging deeper, you can identify areas where your product or service may be falling short and work to address those issues before they become bigger problems.
This proactive approach can save your customers time, money, and frustration, and can position you as a valuable partner in their business.
Unlocking Opportunities
In addition to uncovering pain points, and something that positions you as more valuable in the customers’ mind, curiosity can also help you unlock new opportunities for your customers.
By asking questions about their business goals (objective + time frame), you can identify areas where your product or service can help them achieve those goals.
This can lead to upsell opportunities, increased adoption, and advocacy.
Curiosity as a Competitive Advantage
In the weird mix that is today’s competitive landscape and market conditions, curiosity can be a powerful differentiator.
By being genuinely interested in your customers and their business, you can stand out from competitors who may be more focused on closing deals than building relationships.
This can help you retain and grow customers over the long term.
How 5 Minutes Changes Everything
So how do you make curiosity a habit in your practice as a CSM, taking into consideration your limited “extra” time for having deeper conversations?
Free-up 5-mins on a call by off-loading something to async that you would typically do live, on the call; Like having the customer review a report on their own, with the intent to discuss on the call.
Now, use that “extra” 5 mins to ask open-ended questions that encourage your customers to share their thoughts and experiences.
Listen actively and follow up with additional questions to dig deeper.
And don’t be afraid to ask “why” or “how” to get to the root of an issue or opportunity.
The async off-load also helps ensure the meeting is there to move us forward instead of looking back and is a way to generally make meetings more productive and add some level of “scale” to your operation.
Stay Curious My Friends
Curiosity is a powerful tool in Customer Success Management that can help you engage with your customers in a deep, meaningful way, uncover pain points, unlock new opportunities, and position yourself as a trusted advisor and strategic partner.
By making curiosity a habit in your daily practice, you can transform your relationships with your customers and differentiate yourself in a competitive landscape.
So next time you’re working with a customer, remember to be curious – it just might be the key to unlocking their full potential.
About Lincoln Murphy