CSP S3 E16 - Eleni Vorvis - Product management- Communication and Strong Relationships

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In this compelling episode of The Customer Success Playbook, Eleni Vorvis, a fractional CS leader and consultant, shares invaluable insights on fostering effective collaboration between Customer Success and Product Management teams. She emphasizes the crucial importance of building strong relationships and understanding mutual goals before diving into feature requests and roadmap discussions. The conversation reveals practical strategies for breaking down silos and creating alignment between these two critical departments.

Detailed Analysis

The discussion delves deep into the fundamentals of cross-functional collaboration in SaaS organizations. Vorvis presents a methodical approach to building effective partnerships between Customer Success and Product Management teams, highlighting two essential strategies:

First, she emphasizes the importance of establishing alignment on basic definitions and metrics. Before jumping into feature requests or roadmap discussions, CS leaders should invest time in understanding how the Product Management team operates, their goals around usage and adoption, and how they measure success. This foundational work ensures both teams speak the same language and work toward common objectives.

Second, Vorvis advocates for direct communication about collaboration preferences. She challenges the common assumption that Product teams are too busy to engage with customers directly. Instead, she recommends explicitly asking Product Management about their preferred level of customer interaction, which often reveals they want more direct customer contact than CS teams might assume.

The episode illuminates how these strategies can lead to more effective product development and customer satisfaction. It becomes clear that both teams ultimately share the same goal: building software that delivers genuine value and outcomes for customers. The key lies in creating structured approaches to communication and collaboration that serve both departments' needs.

The discussion also touches on the importance of timing and context in these interactions, suggesting that while Product Management's direct involvement might not be necessary for all customer interactions (such as bug fixes), their participation is crucial for strategic discussions about product roadmap and version transitions.

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