The Customer Success Playbook
Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon
Welcome to “The Customer Success Playbook,” a fresh podcast initiative spearheaded by Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon. Immerse yourself with us in the dynamic realm of customer success, where we unravel the latest insights, inspirations, and wisdom from recognized leaders in the Customer Success domain.Our journey began with a simple yet profound belief: that meaningful conversations can significantly impact our professional trajectory. With this ethos, we’ve embarked on a mission to bring to you the voices of seasoned and revered professionals in the field. Our episodes have seen the likes of Sue Nabeth Moore, Greg Daines, Jeff Heclker, James Scott, David Ellin, and David Jackson, who have generously shared their expertise on a variety of pertinent topics.We’ve delved into the intricacies of Profit and Loss Statements in Customer Success with Dave Jacksson, explored the potential of Customer Success Platforms with Dave Ellin, and unravelled the role of AI in Customer Success with all guests. With Sue, we navigated the waters of Organizational Alignment, while Greg brought to light strategies for Reducing Churn. Not to be missed is James insightful discourse on the Current Trends in Customer Success and Jeff’s thoughts on Service Delivery in CS.Each episode is crafted with the intention to ignite curiosity and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement among customer success professionals. Our discussions transcend the conventional, probing into the proactive approach, and the evolving landscape of customer success.Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the industry, our goal is to propel your customer success prowess to greater heights. The rich tapestry of topics we cover ensures there’s something for everyone, from the fundamentals to the advanced strategies that shape the modern customer success playbook.Our upcoming episodes promise a wealth of knowledge with topics like CS Math, Training, AI, Getting hired in CS, and CS Tool reviews, ensuring our listeners stay ahead of the curve in this fast-evolving field. The roadmap ahead is laden with engaging dialogues with yet more industry mavens, aimed at equipping you with the acumen to excel in your customer success journey.At “The Customer Success Playbook,” our zeal for aiding others and disseminating our expertise to the community fuels our endeavor. Embark on this enlightening voyage with us, and escalate your customer success game to unparalleled levels.Join us on this quest for knowledge, engage with a community of like-minded professionals, and elevate your customer success game to the next level. Your journey towards mastering customer success begins here, at “The Customer Success Playbook.” Keep On Playing!!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 3, 2023 • 33min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 10 - Ed Powers - Data Driven Decisions
Send us a textIn this episode of the Customer Success Playbook podcast, hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger interview customer success expert Ed Powers on leveraging data to drive better decisions. Ed teaches courses on using statistics and data analysis to unlock insights for customer success professionals.They discuss how proper statistical tools help separate meaningful signals from noise in data. Following the scientific method of asking the right questions generates impactful solutions rooted in understanding root causes. Combining qualitative customer interviews that uncover the “why” with quantitative data for the “what” provides the full picture.Ed explains how variation is normal and improving systems and processes reduces variation for more consistent results. For predicting customer health, data-driven models are more reliable than subjective assessments. Machine learning can boost accuracy further when ample data is available.The key takeaways are:Proper statistical analysis tools help separate signal from noise in dataAsking the right questions and following the scientific method leads to impactful solutionsQualitative data provides the "why", quantitative data provides the "what"Understanding and reducing variation improves consistencyData-driven models predict customer health better than subjective assessmentsLeveraging data and statistics enables better prediction and decisionsKevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Sep 26, 2023 • 9min
Customer Success Playbook Posgame 3 - Jeff Heclker - Service Delivery in Customer Success
Send us a textDescription:In this insightful postgame episode of the Customer Success Playbook podcast, hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger reflect on their enlightening conversation with Jeff Heckler, the Director of Customer Success at Market Source. Diving into the pivotal realm of service delivery, they unravel its crucial role in fostering a seamless transition from the promises of product/service to real-world customer experiences. Key discussion points encompass the integral facets of relationship management, onboarding, and the potential for upselling through effective service delivery.Takeaways:Service Delivery as a Backbone: Uncover how service delivery forms the backbone of customer success, acting as a vital conduit between what's promised and what's delivered.Elevating Customer Experience: Explore the dynamics of how a robust service delivery framework can significantly elevate the overall customer experience.Relationship Management and Upselling: Delve into the nuanced interplay of relationship management and upselling, enhanced through streamlined service delivery.The Underestimated Value: Reflect on the often underestimated value of service delivery in the broader spectrum of customer success and why it deserves more spotlight in the discourse.Join Roman and Kevin as they dissect these critical elements, shedding light on the tangible impacts of service delivery in achieving and exceeding customer success goals.Please Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Sep 19, 2023 • 36min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 9 - Jeff Heckler - Service Delivery in Customer Success
Send us a textJoin hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger in this episode of the "Customer Success Playbook" podcast as they converse with the seasoned expert, Jeff Heckler, to dissect the finer points of customer success and service delivery. Dive into a rich discussion filled with hands-on advice and deep insights aimed at enhancing your approach to customer success.Discussion PointsService Delivery Transformation: Jeff narrates how transitioning from a reactive to a proactive service delivery approach can substantially benefit your business.Customer Success Journeys: Explore the varied paths customers take in their journey to success and understand why personalizing experiences based on individual narratives is essential.Key InsightsProactive vs. Reactive Approach: Jeff shares the advantages of being one step ahead in anticipating the customers' needs and preferences.Understanding Customer Narratives: Learn the significance of understanding the unique narratives of each customer to build stronger relationships.Final ThoughtsTeam Dynamics and Culture: Jeff imparts his philosophy on cultivating a team culture that prioritizes customer satisfaction.Predictions on Future Trends: The trio shares their predictions on the forthcoming trends in the customer success and service delivery sector, providing a glimpse into what the future holds for professionals in this field.Tune in for a session with practical advice and foresight shared by Jeff Heckler, a maestro in the field. Find more from Jeff at Marketsource.com. Find more from the customer success playbook at customersuccessplaybook.ai.Kevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Sep 11, 2023 • 7min
Customer Success Playbook Postgame 2 - Greg Daines
Send us a textIn the "Customer Success Playbook" podcast post-game show, hosts Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon discuss their recent episode with guest Greg Daines, who delved into the primary reasons for customer churn in 2023.Main Points:Churn Categories: Early, mid, and late churn, with a significant focus on early churn which comprises 70% of the churn reasons.Early Churn Insights:Primarily caused by a mismatch between customer expectations and the services or products offered.Sales and marketing strategies, including deep discounting and free trials, often contribute to early churn.Solutions:Companies should strive to understand and align with customer goals better.A focus on organizational alignment to effectively cater to customer needs.Greg's eBook: Encouraged listeners to read "23 Churn Reasons in 2023" available online for deeper insights. You can find Greg's ebook here.The conversation underlines the necessity of aligning a company's offerings with customer needs to reduce early churn and foster satisfaction.Please Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Sep 5, 2023 • 39min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 8 - Greg Daines - 23 Ways to Reduce Churn
Send us a textGreg Daines is the founder and CEO of Churnrx.com. He holds multiple advanced degrees in business and economics from MIT and Cambridge University. This episode is a discussion about Greg's ebook 23 Ways to Reduce Churn in 2023.Discussion PointsGreg emphasizes that business has fundamentally changed and old ideas about customer retention no longer work.He mentions that customer success at scale is challenging and even seemingly similar customers can have different outcomes.Key InsightsGreg stresses the importance of data in justifying best practices for customer retention.He criticizes commonly used metrics like churn rates, stating that they are often distorted and don't provide a clear picture.Final ThoughtsThe episode aims to provide actionable insights for customer success professionals, with Greg's eBook serving as a resource for reducing churn in various stages of the customer lifecycle.Kevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Aug 29, 2023 • 9min
CS Playbook Postgame 1 - Sue Nabeth Moore
Send us a textThis is the first postgame episode of the Customer Success Playbook. In this episode, hosts Roman and Kevin discuss the interview we conducted with Sue Nabeth Moore. We call out some of the highlights of the interview and discuss some of the challenges we've faced that were discussed in the interview. Check out the postgame of the Sue Nabeth Moore CS Playbook interview. Please Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Aug 22, 2023 • 37min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 7 - Sue Nabeth Moore- Organizational Alignment
Send us a textThe podcast discusses how companies can align their entire organization around customer success. The hosts Kevin and Roman interview Sue Nabeth Moore, a thought leader in customer success.Key points:- Customer success needs to be part of the company's strategy, not just a tactical support function. It should be infused top-down in all departments.- Educating the organization on what customer success means is crucial. It focuses on driving outcomes and business gains for customers, which in turn benefits the vendor. - Alignment around objectives and key results (OKRs) is important to get all teams working towards the same goals. - Common challenges include siloed teams, product-centric rather than customer-centric thinking, lack of executive buy-in, and friction between departments like sales and customer success.- Customer intelligence coming into customer success teams should feed into AI to provide insights on customer segmentation, predictive analytics, and ideal customer profiles.- The end goal should be designing customer success into the operating model and all aspects of the company from the outset, not just parachuting it in later as an operational function. It should evolve from a churn-buster to an earn-booster.Kevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Aug 8, 2023 • 34min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 6 - James Scott - Trends in Customer Success
Send us a textGet ready for a jam-packed episode with hosts Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon as they dive into the transformation trends in customer success with expert James Scott! James brings the energy as he unpacks how digital CS is becoming essential for efficient scaling. The insights come rapid-fire as James explores slam dunk starting points like onboarding, leveraging data and AI to unlock new potential, and rallying the entire company around CS as "everyone's job". Learn how tying metrics across teams can drive real outcomes. We discuss the "Help Me" exercise that exposes gaps between what companies think they deliver and what customers really experience. James doubles down on why CS is getting hyper personalized thanks to improving data. Don't miss this episode of the customer success podcast.Kevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Jul 25, 2023 • 39min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 5 - David Ellin - The Playbook to Implementing CS Platforms
Send us a textWelcome to 'The Customer Success Playbook,' your essential guide to mastering the customer success arena. Hosted by Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger, we bring you thought-provoking insights, strategies, and experiences from the industry's leading minds. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer, this podcast is your resource to elevate your customer success game.Show Topic and Guest Intro:Today, we delve into the pivotal process of maturing an organization to the point of selecting and implementing a Customer Success platform. This isn't just about the platform - it's about the right strategy, people, and processes that make it successful. From identifying organizational goals to discussing change management and resources for successful implementation, we're covering it all. To help us navigate this complex topic, we're joined by David Ellin.David, is a top-rated Customer Success leader with over two decades of experience spanning start-ups to multibillion-dollar corporations. David, recognized twice as a Top 100 Customer Success influencer, has a track record of transforming Customer Success teams and delivering increased client value. He's achieved significant feats in client renewals and up-sell/cross-sell revenue growth. Currently, as a Revenue Architect at Winning by Design, David is leveraging his deep expertise to emphasize a customer-centric approach and the importance of measuring improvements.Join us as we blend expert advice and insightful discussions to help you navigate the customer success landscape. With David Ellin's wealth of knowledge, let's explore how to take your customer success journey to the next level.Kevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
Jul 11, 2023 • 36min
Customer Success Playbook Episode 4 - David Jackson - CS P&L
Send us a textJoin hosts Kevin and Roman in this insightful episode as they interview David Jackson, a renowned Customer Success expert and CEO of customer.co. The discussion is focused on the financial aspects of Customer Success within the B2B SaaS domain.Episode Highlights:Customer Success P&L (CSPNL): David introduces the concept of CSPNL and discusses its benefits for financial planning and strategic decision-making.Margin Contribution: Learn how to demonstrate the financial contributions of Customer Success to senior management and the strategies for staying margin positive.Net Revenue Retention (NRR): David explains what NRR is, why it's essential, and how to use it effectively in Customer Success.AI and Automation: David talks about the current and future applications of AI and automation in optimizing Customer Success operations.Deep Dives:Roman asks David about the role of Customer Success in an organization and how it should align with broader organizational goals.Kevin discusses the challenges in building a CSPNL and asks David for practical advice.The conversation touches on the distinction between Customer Success, Support, and Account Management from the customer's perspective.Kevin asks for David's insights on the importance of a Customer Success-centric culture.The episode concludes with David providing insights into the financial workings of SaaS companies and their impact on Customer Success strategies.Summary: This episode is a practical guide to understanding the financial dimensions of Customer Success in B2B SaaS. David Jackson provides valuable insights have a CS P&L planning tool on key metrics like NRR, the importance of being margin positive, and the potential of AI and automation in Customer Success operations.Tune in to The Customer Success Playbook Podcast for an engaging and educational discussion that's a must-listen for Customer Success professionals and SaaS executives. #CustomerSuccess #B2BSaaS #NRR #CSPNL #AIKevin's offeringPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
