4 – min read “If you invest in the post-sale, and you have somebody that can focus just on the digital journey, you’re going to keep more customers, and you’re going to expand them, because they’re going to have a better experience.” – Katie Yagodnik, Director, Customer Success Operations and Digital Programs, Totango + Catalyst Customer success operations (CS […] The post Spotlight on CS Ops: Supercharging Customer Success with Data-Driven Strategies appeared first on Best Customer Success Blog: Articles for Enterprise Growth ..read more

“Success is revenue. You get success right; your revenue is coming.” – Charlie Sonnenberg, VP Sales, Totango + Catalyst   Customer-led growth is the only way to protect and sustain revenue growth. Bold statement? Perhaps, but industry data backs up this claim—SaaS companies are putting more resources and more strategic focus behind retaining and growing revenue from the existing customer base. Achieving higher retention and growth, however, requires effective collaboration and mutual support between customer success and sales teams. And that, sadly, is easier said than done. At Totango ..read more

“Traditionally, customers have focused on acquisition. When money was a little cheaper, it was easy to throw money at the problem and grow at all costs. But, what we’ve found over the last year – in a real painful way – is that it’s no longer working.” – Chris Dishman, Senior Vice President of Customer Success, Totango + Catalyst For years, SaaS leaders thought new customer acquisition was the fastest way to grow. However, the data doesn’t bear that out—indeed, the majority of high-growth companies get the majority of their growth from existing customers via expansion and cross-selling. The co ..read more

“Customer success [needs to understand] the value that a customer is getting, [what is] driving that value, and then ultimately driving growth and having a hand in what the revenue picture looks like for your company long-term.” – Chris Dishman, Senior Vice President of Customer Success, Totango + Catalyst   When the term “customer success” was first coined in the early 2000s, the role wasn’t a clearly-defined concept; it was simply a combination of reactive motions that individuals in roles like customer support or service saw added to their task lists.  Customer complaint? Question ..read more

Drive customer-led growth and retention by giving your Sales and CS functions a shared vision Selling ≠ delivering long-term value. Lasting relationships are the lifeblood of great Customer Success and, really, of great companies. It’s easy to spot organizations that just look for net new revenue hits and then move on to the next win. (Hint: They’re the ones who prioritize acquiring new customers at all costs, whether they fit in the ICP or not. And also the ones with Sales compensation structures that don’t factor in retention.)  Those of us in CS know there’s a better way. When the whol ..read more

“AI may not replace me, but AI will definitely change the way I work.” This bold statement, shared during a keynote at the recent Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) World INTERACT conference in Orlando, set the stage for a series of thought-provoking discussions and insights from industry leaders. As CS grapples with rapidly evolving AI opportunities, executives from top companies gathered to share their hot takes on the advancements that will shape the future of the industry. In our exclusive on-the-ground reporting, we bring you the most compelling revelations from the conferenc ..read more

Both CS and Sales leaders agree: Retention is the #1 priority. But there’s a problem.  Achieving higher retention requires close alignment between CS and Sales teams, yet 87% of CS and Sales leaders told us there’s significant room for improvement in their collaboration.  If you’d like to see more data around the top priorities and challenges for CS and Sales leaders this year, check out our report.  By our math, that means nine out of 10 revenue-accountable leaders need a hand getting on the same page as their fellow go-to-market (GTM) counterparts. We can’t pretend that’s easy ..read more

Is 2024 the year of customer success or sales? Our CS and sales experts say, “Neither.”   Chris Dishman, SVP of Customer Success for Totango & Catalyst, hosted a roundtable discussion with industry leaders, including Rashmi Chari, Head of Global Customer Success for ThousandEyes, Kevin McIntyre, Chief Revenue Officer for Dealfront, and Madelyn DePrey, VP of Customer Success for Aircall. They unanimously agreed that 2024 is the year of the ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). This signifies that fostering an exceptional partnership between CS and sales teams — vital for long-term revenue ..read more

“What’s your company’s most important business outcome in 2024?” If you asked your customer success (CS) and sales leaders this question, what do you think each of them would say? Would everyone have the same goal, or would it vary from team to team? Revenue retention hinges on the collaborative efforts of CS and sales teams as they collectively shepherd customers throughout the lifecycle journey, from acquisition to retention and expansion. While acquisition and new logos will always contribute to a part of growth, the ongoing engagement, support, and alignment between CS and sales solidify c ..read more

In today’s dynamic landscape, the customer holds unprecedented power. It’s no longer sufficient for businesses to merely survive; they must deliver measurable value quickly and consistently. While new customer acquisition remains important, our era of responsible growth underscores the vital importance of guiding customers toward positive business outcomes as the most sustainable pathway to success. This is a revolution for the next turn of customer success: a focus on revenue and post-sale monetization. I am thrilled to announce that Totango has joined forces with Catalyst, innovative thought ..read more