In many ways, the relationship you have with an at-risk customer follows the same trajectory as dating. In the traditional sense of the word (read: not Tinder). Customer Success managers identify which customers need a little TLC and embark on recovering the relationship.
The first place to look for problems is the onboarding phase. While the adoption of cloud products and services has grown, 63% of SaaS executives report data loading and integration as the most time-consuming aspects of customer implementation. Get ahead of that statistic with a steady handoff from Onboarding to Customer Success.
When issues arise, the modern customer seeks answers immediately. A clear division of responsibilities between Support and Customer Success will make dealing with conflict easier on both parties. Forrester found that 29% of enterprises are now investing in proactive outbound communications, such as service alerts, customized cross-sell and up-sell offers, and new knowledge base content. Can you offer your customers the proactive support they need?
As your relationship with an at-risk customer matures, you’ll find yourself in the renewal stage before you know it. Renewals and up-sells are 5+ times more cost effective than a new sale – the cost of acquiring customers through a renewal is 15% of the CAC to acquire new customer dollars. Relish in the fact that you’ve not only saved your at-risk customer from churn, but you’ve also solidified the rocky relationship and built a strong foundation for continued growth.
