Brian Hansen, Director of Customer Success at Aurora Solar, discusses innovative compensation strategies in the solar industry. He shares insights on aligning product usage with customer success and sales efforts. The conversation explores the benefits of transitioning from traditional commissions to ongoing payouts, promoting accountability and collaboration. Hansen emphasizes the importance of a mission-driven culture and how qualitative data can enhance customer engagement. The chat also highlights career development and the challenges of resource allocation in a rapidly evolving market.

Micki Howl, Chief Revenue Officer at Marigold, opens up about her journey through the ranks and the critical importance of communication in bridging sales and customer success. She shares insights on valuing customer feedback and fostering collaboration to drive business growth. Micki also discusses the balance of hard work and luck in career advancement, and the necessity of an outcome-driven approach to ensure effective team development. Tune in for valuable strategies to enhance accountability and champion continuous improvement!

Rachel Orston, Chief Customer Officer at Instructure, shares her insights on the intersection of customer success and revenue goals. She discusses the challenges of implementing a variable compensation model and emphasizes the importance of cultivating collaboration across teams. Rachel also highlights the significance of engaging educational institutions effectively, sharing strategies for enhancing user adoption of their platform. Listeners will appreciate her perspective on fostering genuine connections with customers beyond immediate crises.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business Aanal Patel, Senior Director of Customer Success at Crunchbase joins the hosts ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jon Johnson⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Josh Schachter⁠⁠ to discuss how she and her team navigated a significant downsizing in July 2023, cutting half of their Customer Success team while maintaining top-tier service for their users. She also sheds light on Crunchbase's strategic partnership with Perplexity, how they enhanced customer onboarding with automated processes, and their plans for 2025. Timestamps 0:00 - Preview, 1:15 - Meet Aanal Patel, Senior Customer Success Director at Crunchbase 1:47 - Overview of Crunchbase 4:40 - Using internal data for prediction and risk mitigation 7:37 - Team structure & current hiring 9:28 - Team downsizing and adaptation 13:15 - Implementing an automated onboarding process 16:30 - Strategy to ensure a positive customer experience 20:22 - Celebrating milestones with customers 22:18 - Plans for 2025 25:08 - Accessibility of AI-driven insights 28:00 - Partnership with Perplexity to integrate Crunchbase data ___________________________ 👉 Follow the podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl 👉 Connect with the guest Aanal Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patelaanal/ 👉 Connect with hosts Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/ Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/ 👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams. 👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠ ________________ Keywords: How to keep your customers happy , customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Senior Customer Success Director, Crunchbase, historical insights, predictive insights, growth insights, funding predictions, market researchers, lead scores, churn risks, customer-driven approach, high-growth companies, renewals, July 2023 downsizing Crunchbase, knowledge training tutorials, automated onboarding, AI search feature, Crunchbase and Perplexity partnership, customer satisfaction. ______________________ Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI About UpdateAI At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Paul Staelin, Chief Customer Officer at Vercel and a seasoned leader in SaaS, joins Josh Schachter to discuss innovative strategies for customer success. They delve into the game-changing role of AI in streamlining customer support and enhancing response times. Paul emphasizes shifting from Quarterly Business Reviews to Executive Business Reviews, fostering stronger relationships with executive stakeholders. With insights on net dollar retention and proactive support, this conversation reveals how to elevate customer satisfaction and drive growth in today’s fast-paced market.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business In this episode, Josh Schachter, Founder & CEO of UpdateAI sits down with Rohan Shah, the Chief Revenue Officer and Co-founder of Extend to discuss the importance of understanding and addressing customer pain points to generate revenue and create value. We also look at how Rohan assembled a personal adviser network to stay updated on industry trends and build a knowledgeable team. He emphasizes hiring motivated individuals, fostering a diverse team with complementary skills, and creating a strong company culture that adapts to remote and hybrid work environments. Timestamps 0:00 - Preview & Intros 7:13 - Understanding customer needs and delivering value 15:15 - Managing growth through culture and employee motivation 21:20 - Managing post-sales success as a CRO 24:26 - Communication gap between teams 29:07 - Gathering the voice of the customer ___________________________ 👉 Follow the podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl 👉 Connect with the guest Rohan Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohanshah8/ 👉 Connect with hosts Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/ Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/ 👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams. 👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠ ________________ Keywords: How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Product growth, Sales-driven model, Usage-driven model, Customer engagement, Product-led growth, Sales-led growth, Revenue alignment, Net revenue, Customer success, Renewal expansion, Revenue goals, customer needs, generate revenue, customer pain points, delivering value, end consumers, UpdateAI, CS teams, knowledge management, managing employees, leadership, remote work, hybrid work environment, relationship building, customer trust, customer service, consumption-based revenue model ______________________ Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI About UpdateAI At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business Nicole Guarino, the Director of Customer Success at Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) joins hosts Jon Johnson, Principal CSM (Key Accounts) at UserTesting, and Josh Schachter, Founder & CEO of UpdateAI, to discuss the pivotal roles of sales and customer success in driving business expansion. Nicole sheds light on her transition from sales to customer success, sharing the challenges and insights she’s gathered along the way. Timestamps 0:00 - Preview, BS, distracted driving & intros 14:10 - Nicole shares her company's goals & hurdles 20:25 - KPIs for CSMs 23:00 - Should CS offer support for renewals? 26:05 - Focusing on net new revenue & current revenue 29:20 - We are all revenue, we are all gonna win 30:05 - CS & Sales collaboration __________________________ 👉 Follow the podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl 👉 Connect with the guest Nicole Guarino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-guarino-15a6468/ 👉 Connect with hosts Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/ Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/ 👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams. 👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠ ________________ Keywords: How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Product growth, Sales-driven model, Usage-driven model, Customer engagement, Product-led growth, Sales-led growth, Revenue alignment, Net revenue, Customer success, Renewal expansion, Revenue goals, Enterprise client relationships, Telematics, Distracted driving, Safe driving habits, Technical account management, Usage-based insurance, Cambridge Mobile Telematics. ______________________ Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI About UpdateAI At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business Brian Weinberger, CRO at Sisense, joins the host, Josh Schachter, Founder and CEO at UpdateAI, to discuss the gap between sales and post-sales with actionable insights and lessons from his experience. He also shares insights into his dual focus on sales and customer success and emphasizes the importance of creating long-term customer relationships. How Crucial Are CSMs in Empowering Sales Success? Timestamps 0:00 - Preview 0:40 - Meet Brian Weinberger, CRO at Sisense 9:00 - Breaking down silos between sales and CS teams 11:07 - Brian's transition to CRO 12:28 - Land with a plan 16:30 - Role of CS as a champion for the customer 18:25 - Challenges and solutions in integrating sales and CS 24:46 - AI as an Enablement Tool ___________________________ 👉 Follow the podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl 👉 Connect with the guest Brian Weinberger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianweinberger/ 👉 Connect with hosts Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/ Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/ 👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams. 👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠ _____________________ Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI About UpdateAI At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business Rachel Tsui, Head of CS at Komodo Health, joins hosts Jon Johnson, and Josh Schachter to gear up for Halloween with a light-hearted discussion about costumes and candy choices before diving deep into the intricacies of customer success. Rachel highlights the innovative use of healthcare data to identify patient trends and enhance service delivery. The conversation explores how Komodo's customer success team navigates post-sales processes, strategically collaborates with account management, and the essential role of data-driven decisions. Jon and Rachel also delve into career growth challenges, touching on the balancing act of flat organization structures, professional development, and the evolving expectations of newer workforce generations. Join us for a captivating journey through customer success strategies, organizational dynamics, and how they shape the future of innovation at Komodo Health. Timestamps 0:00 - Preview, Halloween & Intros 7:30 - Customer Success at Komodo Health 10:28 - KPIs for customer success at Komodo 12:00 - Plans and Priorities for the Q4 13:22 - Focusing on separating support from CS activities 16:03 - Managing expectations around promotions 20:06 - Navigating career growth 23:50 - Cross-functional Collaboration and Tools for knowledge sharing ___________________________ 👉 Follow the podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl 👉 Connect with the guest Rachel Tsui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheltsui 👉 Connect with hosts Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/ Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/ 👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams. 👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠ ________________ Keywords: How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, healthcare map, health data, AI, big data, Komodo Health, customer success, net dollar retention, CSM, customer engagement, healthcare platform, data platform, CS team, account management, product utilization, strategic initiatives, executive relationships, customer influence, renewal rate, Gainsight, CRM, AMs (Account Managers), team structure. ______________________ Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI About UpdateAI At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business Reanna Dempsey, VP of CS at Unanet, joins our hosts, Josh Schachter, Jon Johnson, and Kristi Faltorusso, to explore how executive engagement, data management, and product adaptability have led to improved client retention rates. They also discuss her innovative approaches, including multithreading customer interactions. Reanna emphasizes the critical role of persistence and strategic involvement from internal executives to connect with key stakeholders, while also adding a lighter note, on enjoying Reese's pumpkins. Plus, we'll touch on the unexpected challenges Customer Success Managers (CSMs) face in securing CEO attention and provide actionable strategies for building long-term executive relationships. Timestamps 0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros 8:53 - Stepping in to level up CS initiatives 12:29 - Customer feedback & internal data 15:40 - Service Levels for different customers 18:40 - Ongoing process of cultivating successful business partnerships 22:20 - Difficulties CSMs face in getting CEO attention 25:20 - Strategies to get the executive buy-in to facilitate customer interactions 28:10 - Importance of multithreading approach 29:00 - Setting realistic expectations for executive relationship-building 31:27 - Communicating the importance of tracking & maintaining data ___________________________ 👉 Follow the podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl 👉 Connect with the guest Reanna Dempsey : https://www.linkedin.com/in/reanna-dempsey-9402076/ 👉 Connect with hosts Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/ Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/ 👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams. 👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠ ________________ Keywords: How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Unanet, CRM solutions for project-based businesses, Customer success strategies, Team growth in customer success, Transforming customer success roles, Stakeholder engagement ratings, Quarterly and annual executive engagements, Data accessibility challenges, Product certification gaps, Customer feedback in product offerings, Customer Success Managers (CSMs), Executive buy-in, client touchpoints. ______________________ Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI About UpdateAI At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.