Daphne Costa Lopes’ Post

Customers as ATMS is not a growth strategy.

At some point over the years, we began to lose the essence of the CS role, focusing only on sales rather than on partnership, problem-solving, and client success. Yes, sales should and in my opinion MUST be a KPI for CS, but they need be the result of the work, not the only driver. Sales should be tied to other KPIs that prioritize client success, this is how companies achieve the sustainable growth they seek.

Dear SaaS Execs, go beyond the Churn Blame Game Churn is NOT a CS Problem: Often, churn is placed squarely on the shoulders of the customer success team, but the reality is that it’s a company-wide issue. The quality of our product, our pricing strategies, and even the promises made during sales all play crucial roles in customer retention. Instead of singling out the CS team, we need a holistic approach that involves all departments working together to tackle the root causes of churn. Addressing churn effectively requires collaboration across the entire organization. 🔹 The product team must ensure that our offerings meet and exceed customer expectations.  🔹Sales needs to set realistic expectations and communicate transparently.  🔹Pricing strategies should be evaluated regularly to ensure they reflect the value delivered. When these elements align, customer success becomes a more attainable goal. Let's shift our perspective: Embrace a cross-functional strategy and create synergy across departments to tackle churn at its roots. Until next time, share what you are doing. What's working for you and what's not working? ……………………………………. First time seeing my posts? I post regularly about: ✅ Customer Success Leadership ✅ Ways to Improve CS Operations ✅ Proactive Customer Success Mindset 🔔Hit the bell to not miss a post 👩🏽🏫Want to improve your CS operations?- visit https://successguardian.in #customersuccess #saas #cco 

It's not the CSMs' job to discover your customers' initial goals (they should be capable though). Because it needs to be done BEFORE customers are acquired. If you can't deliver what the customer wants, you've spent money to close customers who will churn as soon as they find out. The CSM's mission is to deliver what the customer came for. Customer success (the outcome) starts with setting the right expectations from the beginning. Most SaaS companies don't do it because they still believe that if they don't exclude any use case, they will grow faster. However, keeping things vague and not clarifying them during the sales process will backfire. Because on top of churn, as mentioned above, they might feel that they've been deliberately misled and talk about it in public. Build a strong positioning that clearly defines what your customers get out of your product, who it is for, and who it is not. PS: Join 6.4k+ CS professionals and sign up for my weekly newsletter if you like this post --> https://lnkd.in/dtC7MEjP

I was once obsessed with making every customer happy. Sounds noble, right? The problem is that trying to please everyone is a recipe for disaster: 1- you use a cookie-cutter approach 2- you spread yourself too thin 3- you get overwhelmed Here's why focusing on the right customers is a gamechanger: → It's about VALUE, not VOLUME. 🔹 Identify your high-value customers. These are the ones who bring in the most revenue or have significant growth potential. 🔹 Prioritize your efforts on them. Nurture these relationships. Give them the attention they need to realise their growth potential. → Not all customers are created equal. 🔸 Some customers will never be satisfied, no matter what you do. Accept it and move on. 🔸 Focus on those who align with your product and vision. These customers have a huge potential and can me a force multiplier. → Your team's time is limited. 🔹 Spending hours on low-value customers is a waste of time. They are not needle movers. But that doesn't mean you don't serve them. Find scalable ways to drive adoption and retention here. 🔹 Invest in customers who will drive your business forward. Think about their whitespace and potential. → Happy customers are nice; loyal customers are gold. 🔸 Loyalty comes from mutual value. When you deliver results your customers keep coming back. Obsess over value delivery. 🔸 Focus on building long-term relationships, not just quick wins. That means challenging customers and holding them accountable. Remember: Customer Success isn't about making everyone happy. It's about making the RIGHT customers successful. Start focusing on those who matter most. You'll see the difference. 📥 If you're interested in building and scaling Customer Success Teams, consider joining 10k+ CS Professionals who read my weekly newsletter on how to build and scale a CS Team [sign up in the comments section]. #csm #customersuccess #customerexperience #gtm #revops

Focusing solely on upsells and cross-sells can create a transactional relationship, rather than a true partnership. When we lead with customer success and value, we're naturally aligning our goals with those of our clients, creating deeper trust and longer-lasting relationships. #customersuccess #saas #cco 

If you're asking your CS team to own upsell/cross-sell But you haven't: ✅ Gotten your churn rate under 10% annually ✅ Figured out what value realization is for your product, and how to help customers achieve it ✅ Given your CS team any sales training... You're setting everyone up for failure. You need a certain level of organizational maturity to pull this off, and you need to train your CSMs to sell. Otherwise, it's like sending the marketing team to the engineering department because "we all work in tech..." Before you start yelling: 🔈 YES, the CS team IS a revenue center, and if properly trained, CSMs can be some of the best salespeople ever!  But it doesn't happen by magic 🎩 🐰 Agree? Want to fight me? Go! #customersuccess #provansuccess #sales #saas

Yes, I couldn’t agree more. I have been a seller, an entrepreneur and now have found my way working in customer success. So the vantage point I have bee able to see from these experiences has allowed me to understand the importance of operating businesses in particular ways. Just like our emotions when you have the right tools in the tool belt, you are able to use them when needed and can navigate situations with an anchor, because you have the right foundations. And that breeds confidence and assurance in any pathway forward.

Today's successful upsell and cross-sell strategies hinge on understanding the unique goals and needs of your customers. It's about offering tailored solutions, not bombarding them with generic offers. Pushing products without personalization is not just ineffective—it's counterproductive. Your customers aren't cookie-cutter templates, so why treat them like they are? Personalization isn't just a buzzword; it's the key to fostering genuine relationships and driving real value. And the best part is that as a CSM, you already them well enough to actually do personalisation. Let's ditch the spray-and-pray approach and embrace a smarter way to grow revenue. It's time to shift from selling to serving. Are you ready to personalize, not push? Share your thoughts! Until next time, share what you are doing. What's working for you and what's not working? ……………………………………. First time seeing my posts? I’m on a mission to empowering Customer Success and have some fun while doing it. I post regularly about: ✅ Customer Success Leadership ✅ Ways to Improve CS Operations ✅ Proactive Customer Success Mindset 🔔Hit the bell to not miss a post 👩🏽🏫Want to improve your CS operations?- visit https://successguardian.in #saas #customersuccess #customerretention 

Churn isn't the Disease, It's the Symptom: When customers leave, it's not just dissatisfaction—it's your product falling short of its promise. Rather than chasing new leads to fill the gap, listen to your customers. They're not just critics; they're your most honest guides to refining your product's true value. Until next time, share what you are doing. What's working for you and what's not working? ……………………………………. First time seeing my posts? I’m on a mission to empowering Customer Success and have some fun while doing it. I post regularly about: ✅ Customer Success Leadership ✅ Ways to Improve CS Operations ✅ Proactive Customer Success Mindset 🔔Hit the bell to not miss a post 👩🏽🏫Want to improve your CS operations?- visit https://successguardian.in #customersuccess #saas #cco