In this insightful episode, host Elizabeth Italiano sits down with Lukas Alexander, VP of Customer Success at ChurnZero, to explore the best practices and strategies for building and executing a successful digital customer success (CS) program.

Lukas, with his extensive experience in both customer success and operations, shares his journey from leading client success at Cision to his current role at ChurnZero, where he champions innovative digital CS solutions.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between Digital CS and Scaled CS and how they complement each other.
• Essential components to consider when building a digital CS strategy from scratch.
• How to maintain personalized engagement in a scaled, digital environment.
• The role of segmentation and data in crafting effective digital CS strategies.
• Common pitfalls to avoid when implementing digital CS initiatives.
• Emerging trends in digital CS, including predictive analytics and emotional intelligence.

Whether you're new to digital CS or looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you elevate your customer success game.

🔗 Connect with Lukas Alexander on LinkedIn: Lukas Alexander LinkedIn 🔗 Learn more about ChurnZero: ChurnZero

In this episode, host Emma Lo chats with Kristine Kukich, the Training Shepherd, and Shannon Howard, Director of Content and Customer Marketing at Intellum.

They explore the crucial role of customer education and marketing in scaling customer success.

• Scaling Success: Customer education and marketing are essential in helping customers succeed with the product and in their careers, especially as companies grow.
• Proven Impact: A Forrester study shows 86% of customer education programs see positive ROI, with notable increases in customer satisfaction (26.2%) and retention rates (22.3%).
• Growth Through Training: Trained users become more engaged and drive additional business growth.
• Metrics & Systems: Emphasizing the importance of data-driven metrics aligned with business goals, such as retention and revenue impact.
• Iterative Approach: Start with basic content and refine over time to achieve long-term success.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Building strong relationships across departments is crucial for aligning education initiatives with business objectives.
• Role of Certification: Certifications play a key role in driving revenue and ensuring product mastery, especially in large organizations.

Kristine and Shannon emphasize the importance of starting with a solid plan, iterating toward success, and using storytelling to highlight the value of customer education.

For more insights, connect with Kristine and Shannon on LinkedIn, and check out their YouTube channel, "Mixology," where they discuss customer education and marketing over a cocktail!

Contact Information:

• Kristine Kukich: LinkedIn
• Shannon Howard: LinkedIn
• Mixology: https://www.youtube.com/@mixology7259

In this episode of "Spotlight by CS In Focus," host Emma and co-host Elizabeth Italiano from What Not To Do engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Peter Armaly, author of Mastering Customer Success.

Peter, a seasoned Customer Success (CS) professional, shares insights from his extensive experience and discusses the evolving role of Customer Success in driving business growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Article Discussion: Peter and Dan Sperring's collaborative article on leveraging Customer Success to build a go-to-market flywheel.
• Holistic View: Importance of considering the entire customer journey and integrating CS with sales, marketing, and product teams.
• CS Evolution: The need for Customer Success to adapt and evolve with changing business landscapes.
• Strategic Contribution: How CS can contribute more strategically to the overall business by sharing intimate customer knowledge.
• Proving Value: The necessity for CS to provide proof of its value to gain buy-in from other organizational departments.
• Churn and Retention: Challenges of addressing churn rates and the need for better cross-functional collaboration.
• Product Fit: The role of CS is to continuously measure and ensure product-market fit.
• Open-Minded Leadership: CS leaders must be open to new ideas and working closely with product teams.

Discussion Highlights:

• Intimate Customer Knowledge: CS teams possess deep insights into customer needs and experiences, which can drive product and service improvements.
• Proactive Communication: The need for CS to communicate its value and contributions clearly to other departments.
• Customer Journey Integration: Encouraging a more integrated approach where CS is a key player in the go-to-market strategy.
• Leadership Accountability: CS leaders should embrace accountability for revenue and work collaboratively to achieve business goals.

Advice for CS Leaders:

• Build Relationships: Spend time with product and sales teams to understand their needs and share customer insights.
• Educate the Organization: Continuously educate other departments on the role and value of CS.
• Measure and Prove: Implement metrics that demonstrate the impact of CS on business outcomes, particularly in terms of revenue and customer retention.
• Stay Dynamic: Be willing to adapt and lead in a rapidly changing business environment.

Peter Armaly emphasizes the transformative power of Customer Success when it is fully integrated into a company's strategic framework, urging CS professionals to step up, collaborate, and lead the charge in driving business success.

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn:

Don't Ditch CS - leverage it to build "The Flywheel"

Peter's new book, Mastering Customer Success