Customer Success - 1:Many & Many & Many More

Notes from a recent presentation by Kristen Hayer of The Success League and Amity - Thank you all for the info, I've added a few of my own thoughts and hopefully this make sense...Cheers!

Most organizations have go to market strategies that take one of the following approaches:

1. Build an Entry Level/SMB product, ready for roadmap input from some smaller businesses which operate in the space being serviced. Years may go by as the product is finalized, feedback is incorporated into the roadmap and many specific pain points are alleviated. The result is often an incredible solution...for the SMB customers that partnered in its development.
2. Build an Enterprise targeted product from the get go. This extends the development timeline significantly, with a less agile methodology being there are not (often times) MVP/POC/SMB customers to partner with the product team and thus drive roadmap decisions and engineering resource allocation. The sales cycle is generally much longer as well. Which, for an early or growth stage start-up might delay the Product/Market Fit and lack of revenue could disrupt the investment community.

But the question remains...If you start with option number 1, how do you ever scale up and prep to be Enterprise serving and thus target customers from option #2? The first issue is resources...so how do we alleviate the resource constraint needed to support and drive success for the vast number of SMB customers - all while executing a VERY high touch, Enterprise program for new business coming on?

The short answer...One To Many Communications. 1:M as it's more commonly known, allows organizations to transition from a very high touch, personal manner to one of automated systemic execution and monitoring. When done right the tech touch messages can appear personal and high touch. This approach allows the vendor to move their focus from High Touch to Tech Touch. The rule of thumb is, "Start from High-Touch Journey, Then Look For Ways To Translate Human Touchpoints Into Automation." In other words...Start with a High Touch (Manual) Model & as resources, tools and experience become readily available, move those functions back into Tech Touch in preparation of scaling.

Designing the program should look something like this (Thanks Kristen & Amity!):

1. Map The Customer Journey
2. Identify Key Content At Each Touchpoint
3. Select Appropriate Communication Tool
4. Design Messaging Content and Layout
5. Build Automation
6. Test For Results & Feedback
7. Iterate

Some Best In Class Communication Options - Across Various Channels:

?Personalizing Automation - How To Make Automatic, Not Look Automatic

1. Anticipate The Needs Of Your Customers: Pair applicable content and data to each stage of your customers journey. You shouldn't be surprised by what they need.
2. Personalize Your Messaging: Dear Sir or Madam...Doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Dear Samantha (enter your name) - Everyone likes their name...use it!
3. Humanize A Robot: Sign your automated messages from people, not bots. Use real people, with real names and real personalities in your automated messages.
4. Lighten Up: Make it fun! Everyone will know you are sending automated messages so don't act like they aren't. But rather...Have fun. Be witty!

So...

Whoever you choose to run your 1:Many Program, make sure they have the following...

1. Solution Level Knowledge. Don't just dissect the symptom...Get into the underlying cause - Identify the root and solve the problem with an inclusive, complete, solution.
2. Customer Experience & Behavior - Make sure they know your customers like the back of their hand. They should have incredible insight into CX for your Customers.
3. CMR, Marketing & Communication Expertise - Ensure they know all of the systems, inputs, variables that make up your customer relationship management
4. Data Geek - Make sure your decisions are based on data and you've understood completely through appropriate analytics with adequate testing
5. Ernest Hemingway - Get a good writer. There will be many asks of this role to communicate in highly effective, unconventional ways

CSM + Marketing Analyst = Ideal Leader For 1:Many Program Management