Reflections of a Customer Success Manager

The Subjectivity of What We Understand by Value

Every day we read publications about customer success (CS), talk to our clients, or simply share experiences with our peers, the inevitable concept always appears—a mantra that many repeat to define one of the main (but not the only) functions that a CS professional should generate, enhance, and deliver: Value.

Today, we have at our disposal an abundance of materials, guides, templates, and other tools that allow us to measure the value generated for a client and our own company through indicators. Generally, these elements pivot on different visions of the concept of value to give meaning to their own utility. Thus, we might see terms like Added Value, Value Propositions, Customer Value, and many others.

However, when we ask our clients and CS professionals about the pure concept of what we call "Value," we encounter a heterogeneous mix of concepts, ideas, and even aspirations. This is precisely the subjectivity of what we understand by value: understanding that this concept can be seen from different perspectives and that each contributes to the particular and unique construction (though with some common elements) of this idea.

Value Determined from Different Angles

The Customer Success Manager (CSM) typically works by interacting with different stakeholders within an account or project. Although not limited to these, the usual stakeholders are:

• The client as an organization
• The representative of that client
• The company you represent
• And, of course, yourself

All these entities may understand the value delivered and received differently, making this concept rather subjective.

It is important to highlight that subjectivity does not mean ambiguity, as there are generally common elements that can define value, such as achieving objectives, comparing what is paid for with what is received, and cost optimization, among others.

So, Is it possible to create a single definition of value?

The answer is yes. This is evidenced by definitions from various organizations and experts in the field, such as Gartner, Steinhardt, and Nick Mehta (Look references and links below), who explain what organizations seek and understand by value. However, these definitions are always constrained to a system or organizational structure, and are related to a particular vision of the concept of value (economic, strategic, utility, etc.).

?The complexity of the definition arises when we perform an exercise in abstraction that removes the system (organization) and perspectives like economic or strategic, focusing instead on individuals on a personal level rather than as part of a group within that system. At this point, we find that each individual acquires a unique definition of value, not tied to the collective, but constructed from their own individuality.

The Perception of Value According to Each Person

The definition of value for each individual depends on both personal and social factors. This shapes their objectives and the perceived value for each of them. Therefore, it's important to identify the type of person we are interacting with because, from that point, we can choose the best path to satisfy all expectations, both personal and organizational.

Let's illustrate this idea with a simple situation.

As a CSM, if your client representative is one of the following individuals:

1. Someone who has been with the company for many years and is close to retirement.
2. Someone affected by a restructuring and now in this area and project.
3. Someone with an entrepreneurial personality who wants to grow and stand out in the company.
4. Someone who is burned out with their company (yes, there are quite a few of those).

We could assume, based on the insights provided by the experts mentioned earlier, that by knowing the strategic objectives, organizational, and economic expectations, we know what actions the company might consider highly valuable, and therefore define our own roadmap to deliver that value. However, even if the company's objective is clear:

• Are the personal objectives of each of these individuals the same?
• And the company's objectives, are they 100% aligned with these personal objectives?
• Can we assume that on a personal level the perceived value for each of them will be the same?
• Would we use the same approach to deal with each interlocutor?

Common sense probably tells us to treat each of these profiles differently, as the value they perceive will depend on how we "connect" with that person.

The Importance of Connecting with People

While it is essential to have clarity on the main objective, it is equally important to align and understand the impact of all elements involved in our mission to deliver value to the client. In this regard, people can be even more important than strategic objectives. Let's be clear: An ally can smooth and illuminate the path to success, while an uncommitted person or a detractor can accelerate (and ensure) failure.

The question then is how must we connect with people so they become our allies in achieving objectives.

Investigating this matter, I came across an article discussing Maslow's hierarchy of needs model from a business perspective (I'll leave the link below so you can read it). This article made me reflect on the ability we should have to discover the professional and personal objectives of the interlocutor chosen by the client, understand what they desire, and what drives them each morning. Mainly, we need to understand their position on the board and determine how we can be a steppingstone for them to achieve their own objectives—in other words, to be seen as someone who delivers value at an individual level.

If our actions help our interlocutor achieve their professional objectives, demanded by the organization, and their personal objectives, driven by their internal motivations—such as having free time to spend more with their family, enhancing their image in front of their peers, etc.—we are undoubtedly delivering value to the individual, which will inevitably be reflected in the value to the organization.

The Value that Remains and Grows in the Environment

When I say that the value of the individual will inevitably be reflected in the value within the organization, it is because I consider that one of the intrinsic characteristics of value is that it is not unidirectional but rather propagates in multiple directions. Although initially this value is delivered to a specific individual, it remains and grows to encompass the rest of the organization and involved stakeholders.

At the moment we are generating and delivering value, we are simultaneously receiving it, whether through the reciprocity provided by client feedback, the improvement processes suggested by the project or organization itself, the results derived from reflection, or simply from gaining new experiences that we add to our knowledge.

Understanding what value means to each stakeholder (both organization and individuals), the elements that influence it, how we deliver it to each participant, and how they combine with each other, can help us determine how to generate a perception of value that is capable of transcending the project or account itself.

But Ultimately, Isn't This About Common Sense?

While we have tools and skills that allow us to connect with individuals, such as active listening, cognitive empathy, and non-verbal communication, among others, the key is that as CS professionals, we must be able to identify the different levels of perception and expectations of value, and harmonize them to deliver an asset that is meaningful for the collective and, among other things, helps achieve the desired success.

Finally, after considering all the elements discussed here, one might be tempted to meet all the requirements and wishes of organizations and individuals. However, the truth is that sometimes it is better for the client to deal with the discomfort of not having everything they want, as this will lead to organizational growth and maturity. But that is a reflection better left for another day

References:

1.- Definition of Value Proposition - Gartner Sales Glossary

2.- Steinhardt, G. (2019). Market-Value Pricing: Definitions, Concepts, and Processes for Market-Value Centric Pricing. Springer. Page 5.

3.- Mehta, N., & Pickens, A. (2020). The customer success economy: Why Every Aspect of Your Business Model Needs A Paradigm Shift. John Wiley & Sons.

4.- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in the Professional Sphere: Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs In Your Organization: How To Support Your Employees At Every Stage (forbes.com)