"My CSMs are too busy for Advocacy" (No!)

This is what's wrong with CS.

“My CSMs are too busy to do Advocacy, Lincoln.”

“So pile even more onto my overworked CSMs? Umm, No.”

I’ve heard the same for Expansion, Renewal, etc.

Weird how their CSMs are too busy to do things like Advocacy or Expansion but not too busy to:

• Do the work for the customer
• Work escalated support tickets
• Train individual users
• Answer the same questions over and over
• Have meetings when they’re not necessary
• Have super-inefficient meetings
• And so much more nonsense

Saying their CSMs are "too busy" to do Advocacy or Expansion is NOT the flex they think it is.

When I hear this it tells me a few things:

1. They think of Expansion and Advocacy as extra and not part of the customer’s journey.
2. They assume doing those things will be inefficient and add a lot of overhead to their already overworked CSMs, because everything they are currently doing is inefficient and comes with a ton of overhead.

The job of a Head of CS is to create an environment for everyone to thrive: their CSMs and their customers.

A Head of CS that says their CSMs are too busy to do Expansion, Advocacy, etc. has failed to create that environment.

And saying their CSMs are “too busy” without following that up with “and I’m actively working to remedy this” is a huge part of what's wrong with this profession we call Customer Success.

Have a fantastic weekend,

~ Lincoln

BTW: I can help you make your CSMs less busy and more productive.

If you're up for it, I have availability, so just message and let me know that you’re interested in my help.