Lily Akwisombe, CDR’s Post

There is a common parable which has become loosely known as "the upstream principle". There are several variations, but generally they all describe the following situation: 🌊 You and a friend are enjoying a relaxing day down by a river, when suddenly you hear a desperate shout for help coming from the water. Alarmed, you both rush to the shore and see a drowning person in the river. You both rush in and safely pull them from the water. Not a moment after you've reached shore, you hear another shout for help, and both dive back in to save another struggling person. Then another person floats into view, and another, and another... until the two of you are utterly exhausted from trying to help them all. Without warning, your friend suddenly swims towards the bank, leaving you alone to retrieve several more oncoming drowning people. In frustration, you shout after him, wondering why he is giving up. He replies, "I'm going upstream to see why so many people are falling into the water and stop them." 🌊 This story reveals a challenging paradox in business - specifically around customer experience design. 🤔 Do you focus on the urgent need by helping the drowning people, thus individually making a huge difference to them, but in doing so, you commit yourself to unsustainable reactive work? 🤔 Or, do you allow some of the drowning people to float by and instead turn your attention to what is causing the problems, and through preventative measures save many more people before they even fall into the river in the first place? In short: do you prioritize preventative measures or recovery efforts? As companies, we tend to prioritize the reactive work. They are easier to identify, tangible, are urgent to solve, and tend to get more recognition. However, if not enough attention is paid to preventative work, the resulting problems compound and soon you are spending so much time putting out fires, that you don't have time to grow the business. It's a vicious cycle, and it is steadily killing your post-sales teams like Customer Success and Support. On the other hand, we can't focus on completely eliminating upstream causes of downstream problems. Friction is inevitable, and in fact, a necessary bi-product of innovative and growing companies.  Companies that are too cautious don't expand. 📉 The declining revenue performance of SaaS companies today shows us that customer experience must remain a top priority for sustainable, long-term growth. Poor CX increases the headwinds during down markets because customer retention is the outcome of what has preceded it. The renewal results you will achieve in Q2 are largely already determined by your strategies from prior quarters. Which means your teams are exhausted in the river right now, fighting to save drowning customers. Make sure you are also allocating enough resources towards stopping future churn by moving upstream.

Can a customer’s need for closure reduce their Time-To-Value and increase your revenue? A novel study suggests the answer is yes. The research clears up a scientific paradox and provides clues for a better Customer Success practice. Behavioral scientists have long known people are irrationally biased to choose smaller rewards sooner versus larger rewards later. Yet in some cases, people will also pay more sooner even if they get the same or less reward, an apparent contradiction. Through a series of experiments, scientists recently demonstrated this effect. In one test, over half the participants were willing to pay 10% more to complete a service compared to paying less three months later. In another, participants were three times more willing to perform a longer task if it could be done sooner rather than wrapping up a shorter task later. Interestingly, even referring to tasks as “finishing” rather than “bonus” led people to choose the former more often than the latter. The scientists theorized that leaving things undone increases a mind’s cognitive load, its level of uncertainty, and feelings of dread. Checking things off the list, in contrast, creates its own reward. The benefit of mental closure resolves the discounting paradox. It also helps explain the “goal gradient effect,” a phenomenon in which people work harder when they are nearing the finish line compared to when they start. How can we apply this? During onboarding, size up the situation and your customer. Recognize bias for closure and that some “list people” may be willing to pay a little more up front to get things done faster. And for your productive, goal-directed contacts, framing certain tasks as essential for completing onboarding naturally boosts their motivation and accelerates them to value. #customersuccess #customersuccessmanagement #customerexperience #cx #revenueoperations #saas

𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗮𝗦 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹: 6 𝙃𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 In the SaaS world, retention isn't just about keeping customers—it's a powerful growth engine. Here are 6 game-changing hacks from Jeff Kushmerek to supercharge your retention: 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗦𝗠𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀  Let CSMs focus on value-added activities like QBRs and usage analysis. This laser focus drives engagement and retention. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆  Tighten handoffs between sales, implementation, and post-sale teams. A seamless journey = happy customers. 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗦𝗠𝘀  Dedicated implementation teams ensure smooth onboarding, letting CSMs concentrate on long-term success. 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴  Streamline bug reporting through a dedicated portal. Quick resolutions = satisfied customers. 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 (or Internal Team Communication) Foster engagement by embracing Slack for customer conversations. Strong relationships = loyal customers. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲  Roll out community software for customer interaction. Peer-to-peer engagement builds a sense of belonging and boosts retention. Remember, retention isn't just about keeping customers—it's about creating an ecosystem where they thrive and grow with your product. What's your top hack for boosting customer retention? Share below! 👇 #SaaS #CustomerRetention #GrowthStrategy #CustomerSuccess #tech #software #jobs #hiring #retention #techjobs #saasjobs SaaSquatch: The Software Career Marketplace

Unlock 24/7 Productivity: Work Smarter, Not Harder With AI In today's fast-paced business world, time really is money, isn't it? As a business owner, I've learned that the more I can boost my productivity, the better it is for my bottom line. Over the past year, I've brought in some employees who don't take vacations, work 24/7, and never once grumble. And guess what? They follow instructions to the letter every time. These employees? They're my secret weapons - Automation tools. They've completely flipped the script on how I handle tasks. They've become my go-to buddies, always there to help me get things done. Here's why they're indispensable for businesses of all sizes: 1. Streamlined Communication: Automation tools like Pabbly and Zapier can seamlessly integrate with communication platforms like WhatsApp and email. Imagine swift, personalized responses sent out round the clock without manual intervention. Example: An e-commerce business using automation to instantly confirm orders via WhatsApp and send follow-up emails with shipping details. 2. Increased Efficiency:. Automation tools take over the routine, allowing your team to focus on high-value tasks. Example: Automating data entry for customer inquiries, freeing up time for sales reps to nurture leads. 3. Enhanced Customer Experience: Automation ensures no message goes unanswered, leading to happier, more engaged customers. Example: A travel agency using automated responses to provide instant quotes and booking confirmations, delighting customers with speedy service. 4. 24/7 Availability: Your business doesn't sleep. Automation tools are your 'always-on' employees, ensuring no opportunity is missed, regardless of the time of day. Example: A real estate agent using automation to instantly respond to property inquiries, even during non-office hours. 5. Cost-Efficiency: Automation tools can significantly reduce operational costs by minimizing the need for manual intervention. Example: A startup utilizing automation to handle customer onboarding, allowing them to scale without increasing overhead. 6. Scalability and Consistency: Automation tools ensure that every interaction, from onboarding to support, maintains the same level of quality and efficiency. Example: A SaaS company automating user onboarding emails to ensure every new customer receives the same helpful information. Automation tools are your AI employee, tirelessly working in the background to enhance productivity, save time, and elevate customer satisfaction. By integrating them into your business processes, you're not just automating tasks, you're amplifying your capabilities. Are you ready to unleash the power of automation in your business? Share your thoughts and experiences below #stayinformedwithsanil #AutomationTools #EfficiencyBoost #AIinBusiness #TimeSavers #CustomerExperience #ProductivityHacks #BusinessGrowth #WorkflowAutomation

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝘀. 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 🚀 In the realm of product development, two prevailing strategies often guide businesses: the "𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰" approach and the "𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱" approach. Each method has its merits and is chosen based on different strategic priorities. 📈 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: This strategy places the user at the heart of every decision. Companies that adopt this philosophy often live by the motto: "𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀." This approach is prevalent among direct-to-consumer (D2C) companies that thrive on strong customer relationships and loyalty. It emphasizes understanding and solving real customer problems, thereby creating products that genuinely meet user needs and, as a result, driving sustainable business growth. 💡 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Conversely, the business cashflow approach prioritizes financial outcomes as the primary objective. This strategy is often observed in markets with less competition and where survival hinges on immediate financial performance. Here, user needs may sometimes be secondary, with the primary focus being on maximizing short-term revenues. This approach can be effective in environments with fewer competitive pressures or in industries dominated by monopolistic practices. 💼 From my experience, fostering a culture that prioritizes user satisfaction and integrates customer feedback into the product development process proves to be a winning strategy for D2C models. It not only ensures product relevance but also drives innovation through genuine user engagement, ultimately bringing about positive returns and resource allocation. 🌟 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵? 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰, 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆? #ProductDevelopment #CustomerCentric #BusinessStrategy #D2C #Innovation #NexusBlueprint

Now more than ever, #hybrid revenue teams need a dedicated space to co-drive the opportunity together. That's especially true with technical products that require #presales or a #solutionsengineer to support the deal. You want a way to track work across the #buyersjourney, without resorting to manual time-entry or piecemeal opportunity fields that don't fit within teams' daily workflows. The answer? Guided & Automated Tracking that helps SEs & AEs: ✅ Track activities as they work internally & externally through the journey 💻 Collect technical discovery & scoping info *AS* they execute with buyers ⏱️ Drive automated time tracking of every task (e.g. workshops, test actions) With a purpose-built platform, people & process can move in lock step, so your team can focus on setting the buyer up for technical success and revenue. Don't just take our word for it! Follow the link in the comments to learn how one fast-scaling #SaaS company drives 50% less admin work on technical deals.

The example in below post related to transparency does not resonate with you as Product Person, because you work in more technical setup? You wonder if transparency can be applicable in such setting? The answer - definitely, yes! As a Product Person (PM or PO or BA), you may empower your team and organization by gathering data about reliability of an app/service that you manage and sharing the data with others. I suggest following steps based on my experience: Firstly, you need to get buy-in from the team to invest in additional effort of gathering data. I suggest to pitch an idea to tag bugs/incidents to group the root cause of the issues. Why is the effort worth it? You build good-quality data that guides the team and helps calculate an impact of particular group of bugs/incidents that at the end decreases reliability of the app/service (decreased reliability -> decreased customer satisfaction -> loosing customers). Then, make the data available and consumable by other teams. Lastly, educate other teams about the app/service's issues backed by the data. For example, if XYZ Service that your app/service uses is responsible for 30% of bugs/incidents that impacts reliability in meaningful way, take the bug related data you gathered and talk with the team responsible for XYZ Service to outline the size of the issue (the impact on customers) and motivate the team to invest their time in investigating the problem further. Results? The team feels more confident by understanding the root causes of the issues. Also, the team is more proud of the app/service - this benefit of such approach is very powerful and improves innovation in the team even further. As for benefits for the organization, you empower the company in making better investment decisions!