Solving for the Customer: It Takes a Village

The first time I tried to solve for the customer (SFTC) as an expat, I really sucked at it.

I arrived as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in the middle of nowhere in Africa. I was young, idealistic, and ready to save the world. No time to waste. During my first week, I scheduled a kickoff event, invited the entire village (my customers), and prepared to present my grand plan. SFTC for the win!

But no one showed up.

Instead of SFTC, it was SFTC (solving for Tim Cormier) #failure

Over a decade and hundreds of customers later, I’m more experienced and I’m proud to say my customers usually show up to our meetings. A world of difference, but I’m still learning what it takes to provide world-class customer service in places that are new to me and HubSpot - Sydney, Singapore, and Tokyo later this year. As our teams are getting to know customers and partners, we’re following a framework to exchange ideas and remain open to what SFTC means to people in these new markets.

Be cognizant of the way customers in the local market do business.
Do your homework. Talk with customers. Check out third-party research. Although it’s not feasible to change your entire services model overnight, etiquette awareness is an important step so your team understands business faux-pas and common relationship expectations. Even keeping business cards on hand could help you avoid those awkward facepalm moments. Plus, your customers will most likely appreciate your efforts and get a chuckle out of your attempt to blend in.  

Don’t make assumptions; take the time to really listen to customers. 
Having a better understanding of common cultural mores doesn’t mean stereotyping your customers based on their geographic location. Instead of going through the motions and doing most of the talking during intro meetings with customers, focus on genuinely getting to know them. Listen for cues on how their company works, what they value, and what they expect from their best business relationships. It’s also OK to admit you’re new to the region and welcome advice when you’re missing the mark culturally and professionally.

Share your philosophy on customer success and rationale behind it. 
Beyond SFTC, outlining the what, how, and why behind your customer engagement model demonstrates to customers in any place that you’re serious about impact. Customers won’t always agree with how you’ve gone to market, how you onboard new customers, or how your renewal process works. That’s fair. As long as there’s a feedback loop, measurement of customer satisfaction, and “flex” in your customer experience, you’ll be set up to move in the right direction together.

Challenge customers to try new technologies and ways of connecting.
Feedback and influence goes both ways, so don’t hesitate to find opportunities beyond your product to help your customers grow. Even modes of collaboration such as remote screenshares and web conferencing can be unfamiliar experiences for customers in new markets that rely on face-to-face. Encourage your partners to give it a try, emphasize the efficiencies gained, and get more bang for the buck meeting in-person at important events or during quarterly business reviews (QBRs). Don’t forget to turn on that webcam!

Experiment with new service delivery models without losing focus.
Although feedback is invaluable, don’t wait around for customers in a new market to tell you they’re unhappy before testing out new forms of engagement. Join the conversation pre-sale before a prospect becomes a customer, be proactive about hosting customers at your new office, attend and speak at industry events that are important to your customers. Have a system in place to measure the ROI of these plays, get your customers’ take, and schedule internal quarterly check-ins on the state of your model to ensure it’s optimized for customer success and retention.

More than a challenge, SFTC in new markets is a gigantic opportunity for your business - one worth investing in to make sure you’re speaking the right language. My hope is that this approach really opens up an authentic dialogue with your customers that challenges both stakeholders to strive for growth. I know I’ve come a long way in customer success. Sometimes, "it takes a village" in Africa.  

For others serving customers in new markets, how do you ensure you’re always meeting what can feel like a moving target from market-to-market? How do you customize your standard playbooks to make sure they resonate with customers across all markets?