In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon are joined by Sasha Anderson, Global Head of Customer Success at Canva and customer success management (CSM) expert to explore the evolving role of CSMs in sales organizations. The discussion covers whether CSMs should be more commercially focused or technical, based on product complexity and pricing models. Sasha emphasizes the importance of driving customer value and usage, especially in consumption-based models where revenue is tied to product usage. The conversation also delves into the challenges of specialization, the need for alignment between sales and CS teams, and the importance of performance metrics and operating rhythms. Practical advice is provided on building a high-performance culture within CSM organizations. This episode is a must-listen for leaders aiming to optimize their customer success strategies.

Tune in and learn more on this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Connect and learn more about Sasha Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-b-anderson/

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT

[00:00:43] The Evolution of the CSM Role
[00:01:32] Commercial vs. Technical Focus for CSMs
[00:02:22] Impact of Consumption-Based Models
[00:04:30] Challenges and Strategies in CSM
[00:08:47] The Shift from Customer Support to Business Partner[00:11:13] Aligning CS with Revenue Goals
[00:16:55] Building Strong Relationships Between CS and Sales
[00:19:42] The Importance of Customer Engagement Models
[00:28:58] Aligning Sales and Customer Success
[00:31:18] The Importance of Specialization
[00:31:55] Pros and Cons of Specialization
[00:34:52] When to Consider Specialization
[00:38:11] Performance Management in Customer Success
[00:46:51] Building a High-Performance Culture
[00:48:55] Operating Cadence in Customer Success

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HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:28:47] "Tight handoffs are so important...if you don't understand that there's a competitor sitting right there that understands it and they're willing to take advantage of that opportunity."
[00:49:21] "The whole point of the operating cadence is a couple different things: everyone should know what's expected on them on what cadence too."
[00:52:12] "If you want one of these roles in CS, in today's environment, you better know how to communicate up."
[00:53:28] "As a CS leader, you're responsible for owning the narrative with your C suite, with your customers, with your board about what's happening in the business. And if you don't own the narrative, somebody else is going to own it for you."

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