Welcome to another episode of Impact Weekly! In this week's episode, we're bringing you part two of the best advice from our previous episodes in a condensed version, so you can cherry-pick the advice you need right away. We received feedback from our listeners that they would like to fast track to the best advice, and we listened. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed at work or just looking for new ideas to bring back to your job, we've got you covered. Episodes being summarized:* Ideal Customer Profile* The Secret to Thriving in Expansion Sales, Even If You're Not a Natural* Soften the blow - Strategies for Managing and Communicating Pricing ChangesDo you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

Welcome to another episode of Impact Weekly! In this special 20th episode, we're bringing you the best advice from our previous episodes in a condensed version, so you can cherry-pick the advice you need right away. We received feedback from our listeners that they would like to fast track to the best advice, and we listened. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed at work or just looking for new ideas to bring back to your job, we've got you covered. Episodes being summarized:* NRR as the main KPI* When is it over?* QBRs in Customer Success Myths and Alternatives* The Customer Onboarding Dilemma part II* Customer Success Evolution Balancing Ownership and SpecializationDo you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:In this week's episode of Impact Weekly, Lincoln and Johan delve into the debate of whether or not to charge customers for customer success. While offering customer success is a crucial aspect of any SaaS company's customer experience strategy, the question of whether or not to charge customers for these services can be a difficult one. They discuss the different interaction models, separating professional services from customer success, and the importance of seeing customer success as a profit center rather than a cost center.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“Should we charge our customers for Customer Success?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* The internal mindset towards Customer Success* The different interaction models* Aspects to consider when setting the CS-pricing structureQUOTES:Lincoln Murphy (02:53): “Am I looking at CS as a cost center, or something that's gonna lead to the growth of my customer?”Johan Nilsson (04:27): “it's not about minimizing cost, it's about growing your customers”Lincoln Murphy (05:47): “Putting a value on things can really help”Lincoln Murphy (09:56): “We have to remember to switch hats.”Johan Nilsson (12:13): “Professional services can be a really great way to also accelerate the value your customers will get from your platform”Johan Nilsson (15:47): “You need to be very clear on how this works internally, because then it's gonna work externally with your customers as well”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:Connecting with C-level executives can be intimidating for customer success managers, but it's an essential skill for success. In this week's episode of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln offer valuable advice on how to approach executives confidently and effectively. They discuss the importance of preparation, understanding executive goals, and finding power in positioning, as well as creative strategies for handling objections and leveraging social proof. Tune in to learn how to connect with C-level executives and get their attention.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“My head of customer success is asking me to engage with C-level executives on the customer side and I have a hard time getting through to them, not to mention getting them to listen to me. Any advice?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* Strategies for connecting with C-Level Executives* The proper positioning and preparation before meetings with C-Level Executives* The importance of Objective ConfidenceQUOTES:Lincoln Murphy (05:00): “It all starts with how you approach the executive”Lincoln Murphy (07:17): “Objective confidence is this process where we kind of analyze our personal professional traits”Johan Nilsson (11:50): “We need to understand the real purpose why our head of customer success has asked us to engage with the C level”Lincoln Murphy (14:38): “To get [the C-Level Executive] to pay attention to you, understand what they're trying to accomplish”Lincoln Murphy (16:48): “You can lean on other people inside of your company to help you”Lincoln Murphy (18:17): “We need to set aside time to prepare for meetings”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:In our latest episode, Johan and Lincoln dive into the crucial role that goals play in our relationships with customers. But how can we uncover their goals in the most effective way? Tune in as they explore the what, when, and why of understanding customer goals, and share the power of brainstorming to unlock new insights.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“Could you do an episode on how to properly conduct goal discovery with customers?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* The importance of goals* The right approach to discovering goals* Goal discovery frameworkQUOTES:Lincoln Murphy: “Even though the customer wants to start with how they still have goals”Lincoln Murphy: “Make sure that you as a CSM are positioned in a valuable way”Lincoln Murphy: “You don't want to be seen as just a problem solver.”Lincoln Murphy: “There's a reason that they need to accomplish that goal.”Lincoln Murphy: “You have a choice to be strategic with them or just to push features and functionality on them”Johan Nilsson: “Social proof is a very effective way to talk goals with the customer”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:Expansion is a crucial aspect of any business, and it's largely in the hands of the Customer Success Team. But how can I maximize growth potential and how do I develop a solid expansion plan? In this week’s episode of Impact Weekly, Lincoln and Johan share strategies for assessing and acting on growth potential, as well as the critical role of segmentation, goal discovery, and orchestration in achieving exponential growth and account value.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:How can you assess your expansion potential? And more importantly, how can we act on that potential and achieve these expansion targets that we have in customer success? TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* The importance of customer growth* The role goal discovery plays in expansion* Strategies to drive and execute expansion salesQUOTES:Lincoln Murphy (05:13): “We just need to recognize that not all of our customers are the same.”Johan Nilsson (06:05): “If you're looking from an NRR perspective, you need to look at how we can have expansion to compensate.”Lincoln Murphy (06:34): “You can impact NRR by trying to reduce contraction”Johan Nilsson (07:36): “Where you put the focus, the energy goes”Lincoln Murphy (11:27): “incremental growth comes from applying new business sales tactics to expansion, exponential growth comes from looking at this as something very special and unique”Lincoln Murphy (16:52): “Giving the customer what they need when they need it, doesn't hurt trust.”Lincoln Murphy (22:59): “Goal discovery is not a one-time deal”Johan Nilsson (29:00): “If you initiate a lot of these orchestrations across your portfolio you will start seeing these expansions coming in”Lincoln Murphy (30:19): “Know their goals, give 'em what they need, and we're gonna have really successful customers and a lot of expansion.”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:Starting a new CSM position is exciting. But how do you actually get started and what should the first weeks look like? In this episode of Impact Weekly, we've got you covered. Lincoln and Johan discuss the importance of setting clear goals and direction during the first few months of a new role and provide a framework for establishing a 90-day plan. THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“I'm new at my job. What should my first 90 days be?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* The struggles and opportunities of starting a new role* The 3-month journey of a new CSM * Creating your own success planQUOTES:Lincoln Murphy (02:21): “Going into a new role, you need to know what you need to accomplish.”Johan Nilsson (03:11): “The first few weeks or even 90 days, can be like a roller coaster when it comes to the confidence you have in being able to do the job”Lincoln Murphy (08:15): “Each month essentially has a theme: establishing, optimizing, and accelerating”Lincoln Murphy (11:29): “You need to make sure that you're not falling into the negative trap of feeling like an imposter.”Lincoln Murphy (14:05): “Nobody has any delusions that you're gonna just know everything “Johan Nilsson (15:58): “You have to kind of own the way to get there.”Lincoln Murphy (20:45): “We're not trying to change anything. We're just trying to figure out how we can optimize that and be the most efficient in our role as possible.”Lincoln Murphy (23:23): “Optimizing is always gonna be a part of whatever we do.”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:This week's episode of Impact Weekly is all about the important topic of meetings and how they can be a catalyst for progress. Johan and Lincoln discuss the importance of preparation and follow-up in meetings, and share valuable tips on how to make the most of your customer interactions. They emphasize the role of clear objectives and agendas in effective meetings, and highlight the value of brainstorming as a key part of the preparation process.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“What is the ideal way to prepare for meetings with customers?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* The purpose of meetings* Common mistakes in meetings* Tips and strategies for proper meeting preparationQUOTES:Johan Nilsson (02:00): “Meetings are a catalyst”Lincoln Murphy (02:22): “A full schedule of meetings [is not] a badge of honor”Lincoln Murphy (04:22): “Creating that sense of urgency around a deadline that's why we have the meeting”Lincoln Murphy (09:33): “It comes down to understanding what we're trying to do here.”Johan Nilsson (11:31): “it's not about having longer meetings with the customer, it's about the preparation”Lincoln Murphy (12:14): “Different types of meetings are gonna require different levels of preparation”Lincoln Murphy (14:48): “If you're better prepared for your meetings, you're gonna be more confident in your meetings.”Lincoln Murphy (21:12): “Just spend some time thinking about what your customer [or stakeholders] might bring up.”Johan Nilsson (22:17): “[Brainstorming] is a muscle that you train”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:In this week’s episode of Impact Weekly, Johan and Lincoln explore the important difference between Customer Success and Support and discuss when it's a good idea to split them up. They discuss the importance of correctly positioning customer success managers as strategic advisors as well as planning resources and capacity for maximum efficiency.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“When is it a good idea to split up Support and Customer Success?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* Distinguishing between Support and Customer Success* Crafting effective positioning strategies* Optimizing resources and capacities for greater efficiencyQUOTES:Lincoln Murphy (02:16): “You have to get really clear on what the differences are”Lincoln Murphy (04:53): “The main distinction that people used to make between customer success and customer support was one is proactive and one is reactive”Johan Nilsson (07:15): “It's the phases of how a company grows that plays into this”Lincoln Murphy (08:50): “You should ‘split’ customer success and support either from the very beginning or starting today, whichever is soonest”Lincoln Murphy (14:42): “Bad positioning for a CSM is definitely one of the biggest issues”Lincoln Murphy (18:52): “Nothing ever takes five minutes.”Johan Nilsson (19:22): “Sometimes it can be the famous iceberg where you have official support above the surface, but the actual support is what all the CSMs are doing every day.”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:The relationship between customer success and product is crucial in ensuring that the right decisions are made to make the product a success. In this week’s episode, Johan and Lincoln dive into the topic of Customer Success and Product collaboration. They discuss the role of CSMs in providing feedback and valuable insights, as well as the importance of having a structured process for communication between the two teams. They share tips on how to make the most of customer success interactions and how to improve the overall customer experience.THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:“What is the best way for Customer Success and Product to collaborate? How should product feedback be fed back from Customer Success to Product in a consistent and structured way so that the right product decisions can be made?”TOPICS BEING ADDRESSED:* The role of Customer Success Managers in providing feedback and insights to Product teams* The process for CSMs to communicate valuable customer insights to the Product team * The relationship between Customer Success and Product and how to collaborate effectively to make the right product decisionsQUOTES:Johan Nilsson (02:42): “Maybe 5% of feature requests will actually become a feature”Lincoln Murphy (05:39): “The user that you're talking to didn't necessarily want to switch to your product”Lincoln Murphy (07:11): “It’s  better if we have a system for collecting feature requests that the community can vote on.”Lincoln Murphy (07:46): “You want to make sure that they feel heard, but without thinking that by being heard that it's going to be implemented.”Lincoln Murphy (09:26): “There's an opportunity there for  the product side to sort of be a little bit more transparent in how these decisions are made.”Johan Nilsson (11:17): “Passing things on to product and kind of excusing our product for not having that feature will not help you either.”Lincoln Murphy (12:43): “As part of that trusted advisor role there's an expectation that the CSM is going to be advocating for the customer behind the scenes”Lincoln Murphy (14:20): “There needs to be an internal path for this information to be conveyed from customer success to product”Lincoln Murphy (19:15): “Make a little compliment sandwich, share an interesting use case, then an issue that needs to be addressed, and then a piece of positive feedback.”Do you want more of this? Check out Impact Academy for interactive Customer Success training programs. https://www.impactdemy.com/Do you have a question you want us to answer? Submit it here.