CUSTOMER SUCCESS: Why is it in high demand?
For any business that depends upon continuing income streams from its customers, the choice is becoming clear. You either actively manage your customer relationship as strategic portfolio assets, or you actively cede control over them, and your company’s future to chance and competition. Putting this in layman's terms, not having a structured customer success team in your business, can either mar or make your business, as they are seen as the heart of all businesses.
Often time, Customer Service/Support has been mistaken for Customer Success, However, there are distinctive features that separate them. Both are critical to the success of any company or brand. The difference between customer success and customer support lies in their nature: one is proactive and the other is reactive. Using these terms interchangeably can confuse (even I have been confused) people within, and outside your organization. Because of this, we must define and explore the differences between each and how, when combined, they can propel your business to new levels.
What is the difference, you might ask? Let’s first start with the definition of Customer Service/Support before delving deeper into Customer Success. Customer support involves helping a customer overcome an issue or problem they happen to be experiencing when interacting with your company or products. Other times, it may involve help with finding ways to better utilize your services to overcome an issue independent of your offerings. While it is okay to be a provider of solutions, giving adequate information about your products, can only take you far. It still doesn’t promote the intimacy that your customers want/seek with your organization.
This is where Customer Success comes in. It takes that relationship with your clients a step further, helping customers to identify and capitalize on the things that will drive long-term success and engagement.
Customer Success is a proactive, holistic, and organization- level approach that leverages technology and real-enough-time visibility into customer health to ensure your customers- including those who directly use and those who benefit from the use of your product- continually and increasingly receive value from your products over the course of their lifetime as a customer. it isn’t about solving customers’ problems, or providing services and saying goodbye, it is about having a deeper relationship with your customers. Getting feedback from them, letting them know their suggestions count and that you cherish their output in all your business transactions with them. It is way more than ‘exchange of transaction’ (you pay me, I give you what you want), it is driving customer retention, boosting their happiness, and increasing your own revenue.
Yes, there is some maximum difference between Support and Success. However, it is the integration of functions, and activities of marketing, sales, professional training, and support. All these departments work together to ensure that your organization gives its best to customers.
It is in high demand because it is all about customer relationship retention and optimization, which foundation is acknowledging that it is the most effective way to keep your customers long-term, and making them successful, fulfilled, and satisfied using your products.
