Customer Success is Key

With SaaS solutions, the implementation phase is no longer an on-premise fit and fix and you are done. Now, there needs to be an on-going relationship to prevent SaaS attrition. With this comes a growing need for a focus on Customer Success, something that is seen by many pundits as the biggest area for growth in recent years. There are now “Customer Success” teams in both vendors and partners whose sole purpose is to ensure customers are happy so, when asked, they provide a positive rating or review. 

 

This is more essential than ever to maintain SaaS clients and as customer advocacy is an increasing indicator of growth for businesses. Let’s look briefly at the definition of success: 

“Success is the state or condition of meeting a defined range of expectations (the opposite of failure) and the criterion for success depends upon the content and is relative to the subjects.” 

 

And therein lies the tale – it is all predicated upon the expectations set and achieved. So, if you set the bar low, you can still succeed. 

 

Looking at SaaS implementation, many solutions have been developed to require minimal implementation and that must be the way forward. Some solutions however, still require customisations, design and settings modifications and these require collaboration between internal teams and the supplier (and perhaps a 3rd party implementation partner). In these circumstances, there must be a customer success champion in place. 

 

We have been involved in projects where multiple teams need to collaborate and their success or failure is utterly dependent upon that customer success champion who co-ordinates all the moving parts, the contractors, the employees, the suppliers and the stakeholders. 

 

This growth in Customer Success is good news for the customer as we all appreciate being looked after and for someone to have our best interests at heart. These are a few tips to use as a yardstick when evaluating suppliers: 

· After purchase do they provide an implementation team? 

· Do they help with adoption and optimisation to ensure you are using the solution to its very best? 

· Do they help with on-boarding and training? 

· Do they take your success seriously? 

· Do they provide you with a Customer Success Champion? 

· Do they want you to be an advocate? 

 

Project management and system implementation is a skill we possess in spades with a team of experienced consultants we can ensure your project meets expectations. Just get in touch HERE