Companies are shifting from conventional software vendors to partners in their customers’ digital journeys. Lemax is following this suit, but to become a partner to our customers, we need a team of dedicated experts with a customer-centric mindset focused on their success. Hence, the name of the team we want to share in the spotlight is the Customer Success team.
The Emergence of a Dedicated Customer Success Team
For years, many companies, including Lemax, often found themselves in a cycle of providing software solutions and services, concluding the sale, implementing the software, and subsequently transitioning customers to customer care teams that typically support in a reactive mode. However, the evolution of organizations, customer needs, and the nature of technology have demanded a more dynamic approach.
Times such as the COVID-19 pandemic were the trigger to implement a more proactive approach within Lemax. We wanted to support our customers, understand the change and challenges they encountered, and offer guidance. As a result, the Customer Success team was born.
The path to establishing our Customer Success department wasn’t perfect or easy. We encountered a significant challenge in understanding how to approach customers and effectively set up our way of working.
Our initial strategy could have been better, as we underestimated the expectations and diverse perspectives held by our customers compared to our internal viewpoint. We needed to shift our approach as we acknowledged the importance of active listening, thorough comprehension, and objective analysis of customer issues. This required a deliberate shift from our usual product-centric perspective, and we realized that, despite being apparent, it took a lot of work to execute.
As our team grew, each member brought unique experiences and backgrounds to the table, changing our system of working and thinking. Learning from our customers, our mistakes, and other experiences, we feel like we finally paved the way for joint success – keeping the customer-centric mindset.
By achieving successes and co-KPIs, there is a palpable sense that we are making strides and progressing on our shared quest!
The Value of Customer Success within a Product Company
This team’s role should extend beyond support. The core focus is actively guiding our customers toward their desired destination (intentionally choosing words :)). This involves not only the provision of great software but also the sharing of the industry’s best practices, domain knowledge, and plans to achieve strategic goals.
In essence, the Customer Success team positions itself as the customer’s trusted advisor within the company.
Beyond this, Customer Success offers business consultancy, critical thinking, and problem-solving capabilities. Through service levels and managing expectations, they ensure that customers are well-informed and their needs are met, reducing misunderstandings and elevating overall satisfaction. What’s noteworthy is how they build strong, teamwork-based relationships, transforming the regular company-client dynamic into a genuine partnership.
Additionally, they work closely with our other departments, acting like the glue that brings the whole organization together for one shared objective: customer success. Equipped with a deep understanding of our customers and their business goals, they provide a crucial inside perspective. With those insights and a customer-centric mindset, we can start conversations about proactively anticipating their needs and working on product enhancements.
Navigating the Customer-Centric Journey
Let’s use an example to show their everyday work. What an easier analogy than using something we know and many people experience – traveling! Picture our customer as a traveler preparing for an adventure full of unknowns. In this travel scenario, our Customer Success team steps in as the trusted tour guide, committed to securing a smooth and memorable journey.
Similar to the bond between a traveler and tour guide, the Customer Success Manager builds strong connections with our customers through regular interactions. These connections are built on trust and loyalty, making them partners at every stage of their exploration.
The tour guide, just like our Customer Success Manager, actively participates in planning the journey and managing changes during its duration. They don’t just collect feedback from travelers; they engage in conversations, address concerns, and welcome suggestions, opening a loop of gathering feedback and acting upon it.
By assessing the interests and needs of travelers, the tour guide suggests and provides opportunities beyond the initial plan. Adding additional value through new travel activities is designed to enhance the overall experience and address evolving requirements. When issues occur on a trip, the guide will handle any challenge or escalation to ensure the journey continues smoothly and is back on track.
The tour guide, the same as the Customer Success Manager, never works alone. They work with the whole company behind the scenes. It is a collective commitment to providing the best experience for our travelers – and customers. The entire company comes together like a close-knit trip organizer, united in supporting our customers as they navigate their unique journey.
Impact as a Customer Success Manager in Lemax
The Customer Success Manager role is not just about assisting customers; it’s about becoming a strategic partner to ensure both the success of our customers and our company.
One of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the Customer Success role is the opportunity to influence the customers’ strategy and guide them toward their corporate and financial objectives. They engage with C-level executives and other key stakeholders, switching from full-operative to long-term strategic conversations. The ability to handle those conversations elevates a business acumen mindset, prioritization skills, and expectations management.
This is the position of trust and collaboration that Lemax allows for working with big and reputable companies globally. It offers a unique chance to gain insights into diverse markets, cultures, and business strategies from all over the world. You not only learn about your customers but also from them, broadening your horizons and knowledge.
In our long-term partnership, reaching milestones and celebrating many successes together makes the entire effort feel fulfilling.
Also, in our case, the Customer Success Manager role offers rewards and opportunities for impact not only on customers’ achievements but also on the way of work and standards within the whole travel industry.
Our Customer-Centric Progress
Customer Success is more than just a department in Lemax; it represents a commitment to customers and company success. It is a step toward innovation, collaboration, and customer-centricity.
This year, our focus revolves around collaboratively creating plans not only to meet but also to define success and value in alignment with customer expectations. Our progress is systematically evaluated through predefined key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring alignment with the envisioned path. We believe this is only the beginning and are excited about what comes next!
We invite you to explore our clients and check out their customer stories, which we are proud to have built together.
