Support Driven Title Slide
Hey Support - I know it's Friday afternoon, but is there any way we can get this ticket closed by today?
2014
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2022
2023
Solutions Architect
Director of Support
Director of Support
Brigade Operations
Officer
STRUCTURE - COMP - FRICTION
Tension
A (Brief) History of Customer Facing Teams
Sales
Customer Support
Professional Services
Customer Success
A (Brief) History of Customer Facing Teams
Sales
1600 - 1700's
A (Brief) History of Customer Facing Teams
Sales
Customer Support
1600 - 1700's
Mid 1800's
A (Brief) History of Customer Facing Teams
Sales
Customer Support
Professional Services
1600 - 1700's
Mid 1800's
Early 1900's
A (Brief) History of Customer Facing Teams
Sales
Customer Support
Professional Services
1600 - 1700's
Mid 1800's
Early 1900's
Customer Success
1990's - 2000's
Professional Services
Support
Sales
Customer Success
Success Teams Face Challenges
Customers are Confused about Success Role
Customers are Confused about Success Role
"It's hard for customers to differentiate when to reach out to success vs support"
"We don’t do a good job of setting expectations with customers"
“I was answering a lot of support tickets"
Internal Stakeholders Are Confused about Success Role
Internal Stakeholders Are Confused about Success Role
"We have been referred to internally as support”
"Sometimes senior leaders don’t understand the distinction between us and Support"
“The CEO will just pull in the wrong resource”
Ways to Reduce Confusion
Ways to Reduce Confusion
Document roles/responsibilities. Provide to new hires.
Ways to Reduce Confusion
Document roles/responsibilities. Provide to new hires.
Educate your organization on your team and their roles. Pair with Success if possible.
Ways to Reduce Confusion
Document roles/responsibilities. Provide to new hires.
Communicate to customers. Recognize this is endless, repetitive work.
Educate your organization on your team and their roles. Pair with Success if possible.
Success Teams Have Multiple (and conflicting) Priorities
Adoption
Retention
Upsell
“Our North Star isn’t clear”
Onboarding
NPS
QBRs
KPIs
Success Teams Have Multiple (and conflicting) Priorities
30% were responsible for adoption, retention and upsell
70% were only responsible for 1 or 2 functions
50% had some form of variable compensation
30% had other KPIs (NPS, QBRs, testimonials, etc.)
40% of the respondents worked with renewal or sales teams
Adoption
Retention
Upsell
“Our North Star isn’t clear”
Onboarding
NPS
QBRs
KPIs
Ways to Clarify Priorities
Understand your Success team's priorities. LAER is a good framework to use
Land
Adopt
Expand
Renew
Ways to Clarify Priorities
Understand your Success team's priorities. LAER is a good framework to use
Land
Adopt
Expand
Renew
Find out which other teams may be involved in these functions
Ways to Clarify Priorities
Understand your Success team's priorities. LAER is a good framework
Land
Adopt
Expand
Renew
Don't forget to ask about other KPIs that they may be goaled on
Find out which other teams may be involved in these functions
Success doesn't hear about customer issues
"I just didn't have a way knowing what was going on with the customer"
"Support was a black box for customers and customer success"
"I never know what’s happening until a customer reaches out [to me]"
“Support didn't want to bother other groups"
Success doesn't hear about customer issues
"I just didn't have a way knowing what was going on with the customer"
"Support was a black box for customers and customer success"
"I never know what’s happening until a customer reaches out [to me]"
“Support didn't want to bother other groups"
"I know the Support team is getting slammed with tickets, I don't want to bother them"
Provide an easy way for Support to alert the CSM
Simple Criteria
Provide an easy way for Support to alert the CSM
Support Requirements:
Simple Criteria
Provide an easy way for Support to alert the CSM
Support Requirements:
Simple Criteria
Make it Public
Lack of Account & Issue Priority Alignment
Success goes directly to support team members to get attention
Support people will handle a ticket without account context
Success priorities are not aligned with Support ticket prioritization
Integrate Account Context into Ticketing System
Account Review Meeting
Make it easy for Success to Prioritize Issues
Make it easy for Success to Prioritize Issues
Very Simple Criteria
You have a situation that needs immediate action!
Make it easy for Success to Prioritize Issues
Support Requirements:
Very Simple Criteria
You have a situation that needs immediate action!
Make it easy for Success to Prioritize Issues
Support Requirements:
Very Simple Criteria
You have a situation that needs immediate action!
Make it Public
Role Confusion
Conflicting Priorities
Success doesn't have account awareness
Lack of Account & Issue Priority Alignment
Recapping the Success Challenges
Closing Thoughts
Understand Business Priorities
Closing Thoughts
Understand Business Priorities
Create a Shared Understanding
Closing Thoughts
Understand Business Priorities
Create a Shared Understanding
Invest in the Relationship
Closing Thoughts
Understand Business Priorities
Create a Shared Understanding
Product Management and Engineering Drive Everyone Crazy
Invest in the Relationship
CX
Work: kincy@onestudy.ai
Personal: me@kincy.com
Support Driven: @Kincy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kincy/