CS School

In this episode of CS School, we're joined by Raymond Otero, the Director of Global Customer Experience (Strategic Programs) at Microsoft, about the intersection of customer experience (CX) and customer success (CS). Raymond discusses the evolution of CX and CS, the cultural shift towards customer centricity, the use of technology in CX, and the measurement of CX success. Raymond shares a case study of how Microsoft integrated CX and CS with Adobe, resulting in cost savings, improved app performance, and increased customer satisfaction. He also addresses common misconceptions about CX and CS and offers advice for implementing CX initiatives in small to medium-sized businesses.Key takeawaysCX and CS have evolved significantly in recent years due to technological advancements and changing customer expectations.CX and CS are not limited to customer service or support; they encompass the entire customer journey and focus on proactive engagement and value realization.Cultural shifts towards customer centricity have improved customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.CX and CS initiatives should involve collaboration across departments, including marketing, product development, and sales.Metrics such as net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and customer effort score (CES) can be used to track and measure CX success.Implementing CX initiatives in small to medium-sized businesses requires starting with one metric, collecting data, and demonstrating the return on investment to gain buy-in from leadership.ResourcesAttend Ray's keynote session "Anticipating customer needs: Proactive services and analytics strategies for support teams" at Customer Support Summit on October 9, 2024.Connect with Ray on LinkedInJoin the CSC Slack community

Think empathy is the key to customer success? It's just the tip of the iceberg! Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the real game-changer, not just for your clients, but for YOU too.We were lucky enough to chat with EQ champion Jenelle Friday, VP of Customer Success at Forecastable, about emotional intelligence (EQ) and its importance in customer success. We discuss the four pillars of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Janelle emphasizes the need for self-awareness as the foundation of emotional intelligence and the importance of understanding oneself and one's emotional triggers. Emotional intelligence is essential to customer success and involves self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.Key takeaways from this episode:Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence and involves understanding oneself, emotional triggers, and past experiences that shape behavior.Building authentic relationships in the workplace requires empathy, curiosity, and active listening.Difficult conversations can be navigated with emotional intelligence by understanding one's own fears and the motivations of the other person.Embracing change and being open to new perspectives are key aspects of emotional intelligence in customer success. Leaders need to prioritize emotional intelligence (EQ) in their interactions with team members and customers.A relationship-driven approach is more effective than a sales-focused approach in business.Training and development in EQ are essential for leaders and customer success teams.EQ is crucial in the evolving digital and automated world.EQ can lead to personal and professional transformation.Connect with Jenelle on LinkedIn to learn more about this fascinating topic and transform your approach to customer success, work-life and beyond!

We discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that CS Ops presents, as well as the specific skill sets and pathways that aspiring professionals in this domain should cultivate.Join us as we unpack the intricacies of CS Ops, learn about Roger's day-to-day operations, and explore the future of this vital aspect of customer success within the tech industry. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, this episode promises to be an informative and engaging exploration of a field that is rapidly gaining prominence.How CS Ops differs from traditional customer successTransition into CS OpsImportance of personalization and proactivityCross-functional collaborationData-driven approachScaling and operational excellenceOvercoming challengesA typical CS Ops dayBreakthrough momentsFuture of CS Ops

In this episode, we're joined by Akash Singh, Head of Customer Success (APJ) at Software AG, about the importance of customer success in go-to-market (GTM) strategy. We discuss driving adoption, navigating compliance and user privacy, evaluating customer success team performance, and aligning CS with GTM culture.Akash shares innovative strategies his team has implemented, such as using capability adoption scores and telemetry data to measure adoption, automating risk tracking and mitigation, and aligning compensation targets with NRR.Tune in if you're in the market for practical insights for building a successful customer success function within an organization.Key takeawaysIf you listen to this episode, you'll learn how to:Implement innovative strategies to drive product adoption while navigating compliance challenges and diverse deployment scenarios.Leverage alternative data sources like capability adoption scores and telemetry insights to track usage without relying on sensitive user data.Evaluate and optimize your customer success team's performance through automated risk tracking, sentiment analysis, and aligned success plans.Align customer success compensation with your go-to-market strategy by focusing on unified metrics like net revenue retention.Build an effective customer success function by taking a customer-centric approach, continuously measuring results, and tightly aligning with broader commercial teams.ResourcesWant to follow along with the slides Akash mentioned? Click here to download the presentation deck:Capability adoption scoring: 09:49Transaction metering: 14:24Catching and mitigating risks early: 19:34Sentiment update: 20:45Success plans: 22:01Success plans and how they can lead to CSQLs: 22:47Carry on the conversation and connect with Akash on LinkedIn for more insightful conversations.Plus, you can did you know Akash is one of our 24 CS leaders to watch in 2024? Check out his feature in CSC's 24 in 2024 report.Shout out to Software AGNo one achieves greatness alone; Akash's achievements were made possible through the contributions and encouragement of the Software AG customer success leadership team!A very special shout-out to:Sanah Ali, Customer Experience Operations Manager at Software AGBridget Cleary, Director of Customer Success at Software AGAndrew Cutler, Senior VP of Customer Success at Software AG

Onboarding new CSMs is crucial for their success and the success of the company. In those first 90 days, you have the opportunity to establish the mold of your customer success team and determine its future.In this episode, we're joined by Jess Galenski, Director of Customer Success at Apryse, to discuss how she onboards her new Customer Success Managers to set them, and their future clients, up for success. TakeawaysSet clear goals and milestones for new hires during their onboarding process.Provide resources and training documents to help new CSMs learn about the company, systems, processes, and products.Facilitate connections with other teams and stakeholders to help understand the company's ecosystem.Encourage your new hires to be curious, ask questions, and provide feedback to improve the onboarding process.Onboarding practices should be sustainable and scalable to accommodate the growth of the company.

Most companies drop the ball when nurturing customers into passionate advocates. Advocacy is the real payoff. So, why are so many companies getting it wrong? For customer success specialist Cristy Rahman, CSMs are the customers' compass toward advocacy.In this episode, we dive deep into the vital role Customer Success Managers play in championing their clients and ensuring lasting success - bridging that critical gap between closing the deal and nurturing long-term customer relationships.Cristy brings a wealth of experience from her background in sales and her passion for customer success. She shares how shifting from transactional sales interactions to prioritizing relationships completely transformed her approach to customer success.What we discussedIn this insightful episode, Cristy opens up about the transformative journey of CSMs toward championing customer advocacy, focusing on key areas such as:Her transition from sales to customer success and its profound effect on cultivating deeper customer connections.The critical importance of seamlessly passing the baton from sales to you, the CSM, to kickstart the advocacy journey.Essential strategies you can employ to build rapport and trust, laying the groundwork for strong advocacy.How to navigate the bumps along the way and keep your customers' trust when outcomes fall short of expectations.The power of empathy and proactive communication in solidifying your relationship with customers.Actionable advice tailored for you, the CSM, to foster advocacy by aligning with customer goals and sharing valuable insights for shared victories.Aiming beyond mere satisfaction to extend customer lifetime value through deliberate advocacy and partnership efforts.

Do your customers rave about your brand to friends and colleagues? They should! Turning satisfied customers into loyal advocates is essential today. Yet most companies drop the ball when it comes to post-sale customer experience. In this episode, we're exploring why customer success teams must radically shift their approach to spark organic advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing in an online review world. We chewed the fat with CX maestro, Haig Kingston, Head of Customer Success at OpenBlend, on how to obsess over lifetime customer value, foster brand loyalty, and leverage your happiest customers as a secret sales team.

Joining us on this episode of the CS School podcast is Alex Turkovic, Director of Adoption Programs (Digital Customer Success & Customer Education) at Snow Software. Alex and our host Grace delve into the fascinating confluence of digital customer success. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to demystify digital customer success and leverage it to its full potential. Alex expertly navigates through the complexities of digital customer engagement, the critical role of generative AI, and the indispensable balance between technology and human interaction. With engaging anecdotes and practical advice, the conversation reveals how digital customer success strategies can not only simplify processes but also significantly amplify the impact of customer success teams. Whether you're a customer success professional aiming to refine your strategy, or simply curious about the future of customer engagement, this episode offers valuable insights into making digital customer success a driving force in your organization.With a rich background that spans audio engineering in the music industry to leading customer education and digital customer success initiatives, Alex brings a unique perspective to the table, shedding light on the transformative power of digital tools and strategies in enhancing customer journeys.

“How do I see tech touch coming into play? I see that it's really going to make a difference, specifically, if you've got one customer who isn't going to respond well to a QBR, or who perhaps doesn't want a biweekly call. We need to make sure they're engaged in other ways."Customer segmentation is an indispensable part of customer success. Without it, you can't truly aim to provide every customer with the service and experience they require. In this episode of CS School, we sat down with Kimberly Ayala, Director of Customer Success (North & South America) at Akeneo, and chatted about everything segmentation-related. Digital segmentation, AKA “tech touch” is touted as a vital approach in all businesses, but how and why is it employed? Tune in to find out just how Akeneo's customer success team tackles this crucial topic.Key topicsHow you can customize your tech touch approach for different segmentsAkeneo's secret recipe for efficiency through technologyWhat automation and AI really mean for segmentationHow you can segment to monetize customer successThe trick to balancing tech touch with customer expectationsKimberly's advice to overcoming challenges with customer segmentationResourcesConnect with Kimberly on LinkedInDon't miss her talk at Customer Success Festival New YorkBe a part of the conversation in the CSC Slack channelBecome a member and tap into a bank of expert-vetted resourcesA little about our guestCustomer success has been Kimberly's calling for over a decade now – you could say she's one of the OG's in this field! Her passion for helping customers achieve their goals lit a fire early on. She loves rolling up her sleeves, getting scrappy, and doing whatever it takes to drive success.The thrill of project management combined with genuine connection with people makes customer success the perfect space for her. Now Kimberly's fortunate to lead a team of remarkable CSMs. It's deeply fulfilling to help them grow into their own as professionals. Be on the pod!Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please subscribe to the CS School podcast and leave a rating and/or a review – we appreciate your support! Alternatively, you can speak to us on our socials, or get involved with the discussion on the Customer Success Collective Slack channel.Have you got something to say? Perhaps you wanna be on the podcast, or know someone who'd be a great guest? Get in touch, contact hello@customersuccesscollective.com.

In the second installment of our podcast two-parter that inspects the relationship between customer success and sales, we had the pleasure of being joined this time by Taylor Hodges, the Global Head of Customer Success at JLL Technologies, who shared invaluable insights from their journey in customer success. Taylor revealed how JLL has ingeniously aligned their sales and customer success teams by industry verticals. This innovative approach involves the formation of “pods” – small, focused teams consisting of a sales rep, a CSM, and a Product Manager. Wanna hear more about how JLL defines and distinguishes their roles and RACI? Hit play and you'll find out.

Balancing your sales and customer success functions is crucial for any growing business seeking to drive revenue while delivering ongoing value. But there are ongoing questions that surround both customer success and sales functions: who's responsible for revenue growth, customer outcomes, and new acquisition metrics, and how can C-suite leadership create alignment between the two?There isn't anyone better suited to answer our burning questions and shed light on this critical topic than Chris Dishman, SVP of Customer Success at Totango. We sat down with Chris and dived into the nuances between these two pillars, specifically how to:Navigate how the customer success role has evolved in relation to sales,Choreograph collaboration between the teams,Steward seamless transitions and handoffs,Intertwine metrics for mutually reinforced success.Get your AirPods ready for practical wisdom on fostering a tight-knit relationship between sales and CS from one of SaaS's most respected CS leaders.

This one goes out to the people in the back: customer success is not monolithic. It's all well and good talking about the ins and outs of the CSM role, but one size definitely doesn't fit all.CSM roles can vary wildly depending on the organization's priorities and business model. In some companies, CSMs are sales superstars who live and breathe renewals and upsells. But in other organizations, CSMs take on more of a project manager hat, directing and overseeing the successful delivery of the product or service. So while all CSMs want happy customers and shared value, their day-to-day reality can be quite different depending on whether their employer wants them to be a sales machine or a delivery guru.This important nuance is what brings Romiel Noumbissi, Customer Success Manager at Synup, back on the podcast. Tune in to find out just how to evaluate these very different CSM roles.Key points:Which key metrics are utilized by sales-focused CSMs vs. project-delivery CSMs.Onboarding is crucial across both models to form a good vendor reputation and relationship with the customer.Achieving time to first value requires understanding the customer's use case, maintaining open communication, and setting realistic expectations.When transitioning between models, CSMs should understand the new organization's expectations, draw connections from their experience, and ask questions about the role in interviews.CSMs should tailor their resumes and highlight relevant metrics - sales-focused roles may highlight revenue metrics more, while project-focused roles emphasize delivery metrics.

The journey from a customer's first interaction with your product to their long-term success hinges on one crucial phase: customer implementation. It bridges a promising sales pitch and the tangible value a customer derives from your service. Deanna Sotolongo, Senior Implementation Manager at Catalyst, joins us on the podcast to provide us with a deep dive into the nuances of customer implementation, shedding light on Catalyst's unique approach and sharing invaluable insights that every SaaS company can benefit from.Key discussion pointsAdoption vs. implementationThe Catalyst approach to implementationThe Sales-to-CS handoverStakeholder involvementValue realization metrics

Catalyst's very own Scale Customer Success Manager, Wes Gibson, talks us through the significance of communities in relation to customer success scale programs. If you weren't convinced about the value community brings to the table before this episode, rest assured you'll be setting your own up in no time. Key discussion pointsWhy community is the backbone of Catalyst's organization How to keep a human-touch approach when scaling with communitiesAdding value to your communityIncorporating SLAs ResourcesConnect with Wes on LinkedInCarry on the conversation in the CSC community Slack channelBecome a member and tap into a bank of expert-vetted resourcesUnearth about the power of community-led growthLearn more about Catalyst

Want to discover the secrets to building and growing high-performing customer success teams? Amy Oilman, RVP of Customer Success at RingCentral lets us into a secret: it's all about hiring strategies, supportive leadership, and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Key discussion pointsThe process of building a customer success team.The strategies for attracting and vetting high-performing customer success professionals.Setting the "rules of the road" for CSMs to work independently and effectively.The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in building a high-performing customer success team.ResourcesAttend Customer Success Festival in San Francisco on September 19-20, 2023.Connect with Amy on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Learn how to build your own customer success team, and get accredited with our specialist online course: Building a Customer Success Team Certified.Chat with other CS leaders in the CSC Slack channel for more tips and tricks.

With the rise of the subscription model over the last 20 years, customer success has radically changed. But what will it look like in years to come? How will CSMs adapt to this brave new world?Answering this question is Carlos Quezada, VP of Customer Experience Strategy, Automation & Enablement at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, who probes into the past, present, and future of customer success.

In this captivating episode of the CS School podcast, we're joined by Danielle Martin, Senior Customer Success Manager at TryHackMe. Danielle believes that a genuine commitment to customer success requires a human-first approach. Join us as we delve into the essence of being human-first, and discover how you can incorporate this approach into your own customer success strategy. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation!Key talking points➡️ What it means to be “human-first”➡️ How to advocate a human-first approach internally➡️ Resolving conflict by being human-first ➡️ The effect of human-first on customers➡️ Software solutions to aid a human-first approach➡️ Challenges to human-first➡️ The difference between sales and customer-led companiesResources➡️ Attend Customer Success Festival in London on November 29-30, 2023➡️ Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.➡️ Become leadership certified by taking the Customer Success Leadership Accelerator Program➡️ Chat with other CSMs in the CSC Slack channel for more tips and tricks.➡️ Schedule a demo with Vitally

Aspiring toward customer-led growth doesn't have to be a pipe dream, a concept punctuated with the addendum, “One day we'll get there!” You can start applying customer-led strategies right now. But how? In this episode of the CS School podcast, customer success leader, Dutta Satadip, joins us on the podcast to discuss how Customer Success Managers (CSM) can be customer-centric. It doesn't have to be a company-wide initiative; it can be small achievable steps to incorporate into your daily operations.Key talking points➡️ Common daily challenges which can be solved with customer-led growth➡️ How CSMs can shift their mindset to become more customer-centric➡️ Handling negative feedback while being customer-led➡️ Tools to boost customer-centricity➡️ Dutta's upcoming session at Customer Success Festival in San Francisco on September 19-20, 2023Resources

Whether you're looking to break into the customer success field, or are looking to climb the CS career ladder, figuring out how to best position your experience in job applications and interviews can be tough. Seriously, where do you start when it's so competitive out there?Discussing this, and more, is Romiel Noumbissi, who has much to share on the customer success hiring journey – from résumé-writing and interview prep, all the way to networking.Don't miss out on this firecracker of an episode.Key discussion points➡️ How to craft a stand-out résume to catch the attention of employers➡️ The importance of storytelling during the interview process➡️ Staying up-to-date with industry trends➡️ Strategies to provide thoughtful and impactful interview responses➡️ Tips for building and maintaining a solid network within the CS community➡️ The role of LinkedIn in the recruitment gameResources➡️ Connect with Romiel on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.➡️ Give your job hunt the best possible start with a CSC Pro membership.➡️ Chat with other CSMs in the CSC Slack channel for more tips and tricks.

In the vast sea of information swirling around (yes, we're talking about you, LinkedIn...

This episode delves into a pivotal aspect of customer success – the renewal process. Yes, we've previously talked about onboarding, customer health scores, success plans, and more. Now, it's time to uncover how to keep the relationship strong when a subscription comes to an end.

In this podcast episode, we had the privilege of interviewing Achraf Maouloudi, an experienced CS professional who shares valuable insights on the power of technology in scaling CS operations.Discover Achraf's journey into customer success, the importance of maturity assessments before tech investments, the role of technology in scaling CS, leveraging customer journey mapping with technology, personalizing customer success approaches, recommended tech stacks, and building a business case for tech investments. Get ready to optimize your customer success strategy with cutting-edge technology. Let's dive in!Connect with Achraf on LinkedInBe a part of the conversation in the CSC Slack channelBecome a member and tap into a bank of expert-vetted resources

Value needs to be at the core of every business decision, whether it's marketing campaigns, sales calls or onboarding new customers. Value is vital. Haig Kingston explores how CSMs can implement value-led customer success frameworks to truly make your customers realize value at every step of their post-sales journey.Key talking pointsUnderstanding what “value” meansHow to measure value realization. The five pillars of customer success.A real-life example where a value-led customer success framework significantly improved a customer's experience.ResourcesFollow Haig on LinkedInJoin the conversation in the CSC Community Slack channelAccess a treasure trove of ready-made templates and frameworks

Whether you're scrolling through LinkedIn or doing a quick “best customer success metrics” search on Google on your lunch break, you'll inevitably come across the mother of all metrics: the customer health score. Key discussion points Unlocking business growth through customer health scores.The evolution of customer health scores: From startups to established companies.How to deliver value through customer health scores.Addressing the consumption gap with customer success.The future of health scoring: Bridging the gap between B2B and B2C experiences.ResourcesConnect with Patti on LinkedInAttend the Customer Success Festival in Las VegasJoin the Customer Success Collective community Slack channel

In this episode of the CS School podcast, we're doing what we do best: stripping standard customer success terms back to basics. That's right, we're debunking the pre-conceived ideas around "empathy" and "accessibility" with the help of Niina Majaniemi, Sr. Customer Success Account Manager at Microsoft.Key discussion pointsHow empathy and accessibility are applicable to customer successHow these terms impact other key CS metricsThe common myths or misconceptions around empathy and accessibilityHow to take the first actions in recognizing empathy and accessibility in your organizationSome metrics to measure the impact of empathy and accessibility initiatives led by CS teamsResourcesConnect with Niina Majaniemi on LinkedInCarry on the conversation in the Customer Success Collective community Slack channelFind out more about our in-person events

Key discussion pointsThe benefits that outcome-based thinking provides to both the business and its customersHow to effectively communicate the benefits of an outcome-based approach to senior executivesMeasuring the success of your outcomesThe importance of education and setting expectations with customersThe drawbacks of outcomes-based thinkingResourcesConnect with Shane on LinkedInSend Shane a message in the Customer Success Collective Slack channelAttend his session on outcomes-based thinking at the Customer Success Festival in Las Vegas

Key discussion pointsWhy customer success plans are importantThe value these plans bring to the client relationshipThe expected outcomes of having a customer success plan in place?The process of rolling out a customer success plan with your clientsHow to involve clients in the creation processHow to set up a success plan if you're new to CSHow to make the process accessible for your CS team and your clientHow can CSMs collect the information needed to create an effective success planWhat types of questions to ask your client to gather the necessary informationResourcesConnect with Melanie on LinkedInBecome a Customer Success Collective contributor like Melanie

We discuss the importance of having a customer-centric culture, empowering your team to make decisions, and measuring success beyond just revenue. Whether you are a seasoned leader or just starting out, this episode offers valuable insights into what it takes to be a successful leader in customer success. Tune in to learn how to build a winning customer success team that drives long-term success for your business.Fostering a culture of open communicationWhy failure isn't a step backward Practical ways to motivate your teamThe importance of asking the right questionsHow to plan out your goalsHow to get buy-in from the sales teamRichard's personal brand of leadershipResourcesConnect with Richard on LinkedinConnect with Richard on SlackSee our Customer Success Festival 2023 events calendar

Jenna Chau was the third official hire at Invelo, so knows a thing or two about getting started from the ground running. In her time so far at Invelo she's built out a customer success function from scratch, expanded her team, and realized that CS is where her heart lies. Listen to discover:When do you know the right time to start a CS function?Are startups more product-led than customer-led? The qualities to look for when hiring your CS team members.What CS tech stack a startup should choose.The CS metrics you should start with.How processes shift and develop over time.How to balance the expectations of the C-suite/senior leadership with your own CS team.The importance of conferences and networking when building a CS function from the ground up.ResourcesConnect with Jenna on LinkedinConnect with Jenna on SlackProduct-Led OnboardingMeasure What MattersFind a Customer Success Festival near you

For the most part, customer success tends to operate within tech companies that offer a subscription service, and for the most part, our audience will be familiar with B2B companies. When people think of customer relationship management in regular businesses, our mind is drawn to customer support or customer service. But customer success goes beyond the confines of a team or a department. It ought to be absorbed into the wider organization's philosophy, and whether that's in a company that sells subscriptions or one that provides education, customer success has a place. Mimi is a CS wizard, having a varied and illustrious career with a background not only in customer success but account management, marketing & business development in the B2B SaaS world and non-SaaS alike.Listen to discover:The key differences between CS in SaaS companies with a rolling, subscribed customer, and a more traditional, non-subscription business modelHow core SaaS metrics like retention, churn and health score can be applied to non-SaaS business modelsThe ways in which customer success functions in SaaS companies could learn from the way non-SaaS companiesMimi's advice to a non-SaaS company looking to implement a customer success functionResources and mentions from this episodeConnect with Mimi on LinkedInSign up for our free Customer Success Collective Slack communitySubscribe to the CS Scoop newsletter

Customer success often seems split in two; half based on human behaviors like empathy, and half based on data. In this episode of CS School, we were joined by Josh Horsman, Head of Customer Success at The Alliance, the umbrella company for community-led L&D businesses such as Product Marketing Alliance, Sales Enablement Collective and Product-Led Alliance. Prior to his current role, Josh worked for startups in customer success and account management. Josh is now tasked with leading the customer success team at The Alliance and its fast-growing communities, marrying data-driven strategies with proactivity and empathy.Listen to discover:What 'proactive' customer success really isThe benefits of data-driven customer successThe types of data critical for measuring overall customer healthThe data collection points along the customer journeyWhy cross-departmental collaboration is keyTools or software solutions Josh recommends for a newly-established CS functionResources and mentions from this episodeConnect with Josh on LinkedInSign up for our free Customer Success Collective Slack communitySubscribe to the CS Scoop newsletter

Transferrable skills have become a bit of a recruitment buzzword, but we promise it's for a good reason. Whether you're wanting to start your career in customer success, or perhaps want to re-address your current performance, you can draw on transferrable skills you've developed over the years. But what are they? In this episode of CS School, we were joined by Ryan Noakes, Customer Success Manager at SAI360. SAI360 is an integrated risk management solution using a combination of software and learning content.Ryan has had a varied career, from working in a fish and chip shop and working as a barista, to working in compliance and customer success. Currently managing SAI360's clients in EMEA, he's the perfect guest to chat with about customer success and transferrable skills. Listen to discoverThe key transferable skills can you bring to a CS roleThe aspects of customer success came naturally to RyanRyan's advice for people trying to break into their first CS roleQuick wins for job interviewsHow to harness other departments' skillsets and apply them to your CS functionResources & mentions from this episodeConnect with Ryan on LinkedInSign up for our free Customer Success Collective Slack communitySubscribe to the CS Scoop newsletter

Customer onboarding is an essential step in customer success, and it's a process that needs to be addressed properly. In the first episode of CS School, we sat down with Brittany Yandura, Senior Customer Success Manager at Fieldguide. Brittany's primary focus is creating and refining Fieldguide's customer onboarding program and onboarding new customers, as well as Fieldguide's existing customers to increase adoption and focus on expansions and renewals. Prior to her current role, Brittany worked for 10 years in product support, then in customer consulting and training, and then as a manager in professional services.Brittany's a customer onboarding enthusiast and has a lot of tips and tricks to help others create a smooth onboarding process. Listen to discover:What customer onboarding isThe psychology behind onboardingWhat successful customer onboarding looks likeHow Fieldguide onboards its customersHow to measure product adoption and engagement during onboardingHow to onboard customers faster to drive product adoptionThe best way to approach customers and create engagement plans tailored to their needsResources and mentions from this episode:Connect with Brittany on LinkedInSign up for our free Customer Success Collective Slack communitySubscribe to the CS Scoop newsletter