Rethinking Customer Success: Is it Really About the Customer?

The term "Customer Success Management" has always rubbed me the wrong way. It sounds promising, but the reality often falls short of the ideal. While the concept of ensuring customer success is noble, too often it becomes vendor-centric rather than truly customer-focused.

I've had the privilege of working in a role that allowed me to delve deeper with seemingly happy customers. Scratching beneath the surface often revealed hidden frustrations and churn risks. Fortunately, I was empowered to address these issues head-on and "make the noise go away." This allowed me to get into the weeds to better undertsand the environment and the problem. There is always a limit to where the problems need to be handled by other departments such as support, engineering or pro services, but being able to provide a immediate response is invaluable to build trust.

This experience highlighted a common problem in the IT industry: Customer Success Managers (CSMs) often operate on a superficial level. They might conduct quarterly business reviews, but fail to build deeper relationships. Beyond these scheduled check-ins, customer interaction often revolves around support tickets, becoming reactive rather than proactive. CSMs rarely have the opportunity, or perhaps the mandate, to truly "dig in" and understand the customer's world, uncovering potential roadblocks before they become major issues.

This begs the question: What do customers *really* want from a Customer Success function? In my experience, customers value CSMs who understand their specific environment – the internal politics, the key players, and their unique processes. They appreciate proactive engagement to resolve issues, and a technical understanding that allows for meaningful conversations when problems arise. This kind of support takes a significant weight off the customer's shoulders.

Of course, a CSM isn't a support technician or a professional services engineer. However, when a CSM embodies a blend of these roles, combined with exceptional customer relationship skills, they become a valuable asset. They can cultivate strong, long-term customer relationships and serve as a crucial resource for the account team, providing insights into the account's health and identifying opportunities for further engagement. It's about moving beyond the buzzword and truly focusing on *customer* success.