Customer Success: what is it and how to use it

In this article, we analyze what customer success is and how it can positively impact the fate of a company. Firstly, however, it is appropriate to understand how the market and, above all, consumer habits have changed.

The Covid-19 pandemic has considerably increased the number of users requesting online services. For e-commerce, and in general for companies that operate predominantly on the web, this has certainly represented an advantage, but it has also brought some disadvantages.

While it is true that potential customers have increased, it is equally true that competition has grown exponentially and is indeed fiercer than ever. Let's take as an example an e-commerce site that sells clothing, for which competitors have literally tripled. Many physical stores, with constant lockdowns, have had to adapt to the new situation by bringing much of their commerce online.

The average modern customer is also more attentive and experienced, knowing very well that a product can certainly be found at the best price. How does a business make a difference then? What strategies should be adopted to stand out from competitors? The answers are to be found in customer success.

The customer success manager: what does this new figure do? 

KPIs customer success

A new figure has been born in the market: the customer success manager. This professional, supported by a customer success team that has across-the-board experience, works closely with the marketing and sales departments to generate effective word of mouth and respond comprehensively to customer requests.

Specifically, below is a list of what the customer success manager does

  • builds a "human" relationship with customers to identify their desires and objectives and gain their trust;
  • creates onboarding strategies to entice customers to use a product or service;
  • lowers the percentage of customer abandonment;
  • increases sales with effective up-selling and cross-selling strategies.

The success of a company is closely linked to full customer satisfaction, which has become the central pivot of every business strategy. If a consumer buys a product, is happy with it and is constantly supported and advised, this person will likely continue to spend at your business.

The customer's wishes must be fulfilled, but don’t promise and under-deliver. For this reason, customer support and customer success must walk together to create an efficient and satisfying customer journey. Our analysis in this regard is not surprising, where our clients who have improved customer satisfaction have seen an increase in positive feedback of 23%, which has been accompanied by a significant increase in sales over the medium and long term.

Positive effects of customer success: word of mouth

Customer success must be built over time: after sowing, the fruits are reaped. One of the positive effects is word of mouth, which continues to be amongst the most popular marketing tools, despite new technologies.

Most buyers do not blindly trust advertisements or marketing initiatives. In practice, they only trust people who are similar to them, that is, other consumers or neutral players in the game. For this reason, feedback and comments have assumed a strategic role of extraordinary importance in marketing.

So, word of mouth can determine the fate of a product, or even of an entire company. Word of mouth must be continuous and positive, therefore you must constantly satisfy the needs of your customers, so that they become an advertising vehicle capable of attracting other potential customers in the form of friends, acquaintances and relatives.

Up-selling and cross-selling

Customer success creates a favorable environment which the company should use to its advantage. This includes up-selling and cross-selling, two sales techniques that can significantly increase sales and earnings.

Upselling is a technique that allows you to sell a similar product, but of greater value, to the buyer; cross-selling, on the other hand, is a technique that allows you to sell accessories to be used in combination with the purchased product to improve its performance.

In both cases, it is necessary to maintain contact with the customer even after the sale, to demonstrate that the company is always ready to answer questions and provide support. In this way, the customer feels valued, is more likely to become loyal and hence more inclined to spend and follow your advice.

Customer success and customer service: what changes?

There are subtle differences worth knowing between customer success and customer service. Customer success is proactive, as it anticipates possible critical issues during the sales process to create a smooth and pleasant shopping experience.

Customer service is, instead, reactive, that is, it starts up after receiving a request or a complaint from the customer, finding the solution in real time.

To enhance your customer success service and satisfy your customers entirely, contact us!

 

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