CS School

Customer Success Collective

Tired of overly niche customer success conversations that might as well be in a different language? CS School is the podcast that strips customer success back to basics. Tune in so you don’t zone out. Ever wanted to have a full overview of how segmentation works in customer success? Check out CS School. Always wondered what the psychology behind CS is? Head to CS School. Wanna know the best way to tackle renewals? Find out at CS School.

  1. 28/08/2024

    Redefining customer experience with Raymond Otero, Microsoft

    In this episode of CS School, we're joined by Raymond Otero, the Director of Global Customer Experience (Strategic Programs) at Microsoft, about the intersection of customer experience (CX) and customer success (CS). Raymond discusses the evolution of CX and CS, the cultural shift towards customer centricity, the use of technology in CX, and the measurement of CX success. Raymond shares a case study of how Microsoft integrated CX and CS with Adobe, resulting in cost savings, improved app performance, and increased customer satisfaction. He also addresses common misconceptions about CX and CS and offers advice for implementing CX initiatives in small to medium-sized businesses. Key takeawaysCX and CS have evolved significantly in recent years due to technological advancements and changing customer expectations.CX and CS are not limited to customer service or support; they encompass the entire customer journey and focus on proactive engagement and value realization.Cultural shifts towards customer centricity have improved customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.CX and CS initiatives should involve collaboration across departments, including marketing, product development, and sales.Metrics such as net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and customer effort score (CES) can be used to track and measure CX success.Implementing CX initiatives in small to medium-sized businesses requires starting with one metric, collecting data, and demonstrating the return on investment to gain buy-in from leadership.ResourcesAttend Ray's keynote session "Anticipating customer needs: Proactive services and analytics strategies for support teams" at Customer Support Summit on October 9, 2024.Connect with Ray on LinkedInJoin the CSC Slack community

    Redefining customer experience with Raymond Otero, Microsoft
  2. 08/08/2024

    Emotional intelligence in customer success with Jenelle Friday

    Think empathy is the key to customer success? It's just the tip of the iceberg! Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the real game-changer, not just for your clients, but for YOU too. We were lucky enough to chat with EQ champion Jenelle Friday, VP of Customer Success at Forecastable, about emotional intelligence (EQ) and its importance in customer success. We discuss the four pillars of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Janelle emphasizes the need for self-awareness as the foundation of emotional intelligence and the importance of understanding oneself and one's emotional triggers. Emotional intelligence is essential to customer success and involves self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Key takeaways from this episode:Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence and involves understanding oneself, emotional triggers, and past experiences that shape behavior.Building authentic relationships in the workplace requires empathy, curiosity, and active listening.Difficult conversations can be navigated with emotional intelligence by understanding one's own fears and the motivations of the other person.Embracing change and being open to new perspectives are key aspects of emotional intelligence in customer success. Leaders need to prioritize emotional intelligence (EQ) in their interactions with team members and customers.A relationship-driven approach is more effective than a sales-focused approach in business.Training and development in EQ are essential for leaders and customer success teams.EQ is crucial in the evolving digital and automated world.EQ can lead to personal and professional transformation.Connect with Jenelle on LinkedIn to learn more about this fascinating topic and transform your approach to customer success, work-life and beyond!

    Emotional intelligence in customer success with Jenelle Friday
  3. 14/03/2024

    CSMs: The customer's guide to advocacy with Cristy Rahman

    Most companies drop the ball when nurturing customers into passionate advocates. Advocacy is the real payoff. So, why are so many companies getting it wrong?  For customer success specialist Cristy Rahman, CSMs are the customers' compass toward advocacy. In this episode, we dive deep into the vital role Customer Success Managers play in championing their clients and ensuring lasting success - bridging that critical gap between closing the deal and nurturing long-term customer relationships. Cristy brings a wealth of experience from her background in sales and her passion for customer success. She shares how shifting from transactional sales interactions to prioritizing relationships completely transformed her approach to customer success. What we discussedIn this insightful episode, Cristy opens up about the transformative journey of CSMs toward championing customer advocacy, focusing on key areas such as: Her transition from sales to customer success and its profound effect on cultivating deeper customer connections.The critical importance of seamlessly passing the baton from sales to you, the CSM, to kickstart the advocacy journey.Essential strategies you can employ to build rapport and trust, laying the groundwork for strong advocacy.How to navigate the bumps along the way and keep your customers' trust when outcomes fall short of expectations.The power of empathy and proactive communication in solidifying your relationship with customers.Actionable advice tailored for you, the CSM, to foster advocacy by aligning with customer goals and sharing valuable insights for shared victories.Aiming beyond mere satisfaction to extend customer lifetime value through deliberate advocacy and partnership efforts.

About

Tired of overly niche customer success conversations that might as well be in a different language? CS School is the podcast that strips customer success back to basics. Tune in so you don’t zone out. Ever wanted to have a full overview of how segmentation works in customer success? Check out CS School. Always wondered what the psychology behind CS is? Head to CS School. Wanna know the best way to tackle renewals? Find out at CS School.