Customer Journey Mapping, CSM Skills, KPIs, and More

Welcome to this week's round-up of the top five revenue, retention, and customer success resources!

Each week, we comb through all the resources we shared the previous week in our daily curated newsletter and find the five most popular articles and resources for you to enjoy.

This week, we've compiled a list of articles that cover a range of topics, from customer journey mapping and essential skills for customer success managers to key performance indicators and metrics used in customer success.

Whether you're new to the field or a seasoned professional, there's something for everyone in this week's round-up.

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So without further ado, let's dive in and take a look at the top articles from last week...

5. 9 Actionable Strategies to Build an Effective Customer Journey Map | socPub

If you are looking to build an effective customer journey map for your business then look no further than this article from socPub, which came in at number five in this week's list of top resrouces.

The article offers nine actionable strategies to help you create a successful map that will give you insight into where customers may face obstacles, less satisfaction, misunderstandings, and other issues. From setting clear objectives and defining the goals of the map to establishing visible map notes and defining resources, this article covers all the essential steps to help you create a journey map that will drive customer satisfaction and improve your business. Don't miss out on these valuable tips – read the full article here.

4. 5 Essential Skills CSMs Need to Succeed | ClientSuccess

Number 4 on our list this week comes from the folks at ClientSuccess and is an excellent resource for CSMs that are looking to up their skills.

This article discusses the top five skills that customer success managers (CSMs) in the software as a service (SaaS) industry need to succeed. The skills include listening and seeking to understand customers, problem-solving and resolution, data integration, empathy, and level-headedness. These skills are essential for building strong relationships with customers, addressing their challenges and needs, managing customer data effectively, understanding customer pain points, and maintaining professionalism in difficult situations. By mastering these skills, CSMs can deliver the best possible customer experience and drive success with their customers. Click here to read the full article.

3. What are the go-to KPIs and metrics used in customer success? | Customer Success Collective

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are critical measures used to evaluate the success of an organization or employee in meeting performance objectives. In the world of customer success, retention rate is a key KPI, with 46.7% of survey respondents indicating that they use churn rate as a measure of success. Other commonly used KPIs include increased product usage and net promoter score (NPS).

In this article from Customer Success Collective, they delve into the go-to KPIs and metrics used in customer success, including customer churn and retention, and offer insights from customer success professionals on how to measure your way to success.

Click through to read the full article and learn more.

2. 5 Skills That Can Make You Indispensable as a CSM | CS Insider

Customer success is a critical role in the technology industry, especially in the face of a potential economic recession. In this article from CS Insider, they explore the top five skills that are necessary for success in customer success positions.

These skills include writing, running meetings, executive networking, understanding customer objectives, and product expertise. With over 200,000 open customer success roles in the US alone, understanding and honing these skills can set you apart in the job market.

Click here to read the full article and learn more about how to thrive in a customer success role.

1. Customer Journey Mapping: What, Why, and How | Parative

With the number one spot this week, we have a blog post we wrote for the Parative blog which is a super deep dive into Customer Journey Maps - what they are, how to create them, and when to use them. Don't forget to check out the *free customer journey map templates*!

Click here to read the full article and learn how to create your own customer journey map.