We are inherently social as our brain is wired to connect with those around us. Lack of connection has severe consequences - one of them is churn.
As social creatures, we seek social connections;
From our colleagues at work, our friends and family at home, to the companies we do business with.
While we share this need with our customers,
How often do we assess our relationships with them?
Is it once a year upon their renewal? Or before the QBR?
Do we even know if it's enough for them?
Bottom line: You lose customers over a lack of engagement
As CSMs, we work hard to become the customers' Trusted Advisors.
But do we really work hard enough to deserve it?
As a Trusted Advisor, you need to earn the trust of your customers and build meaningful relationships with them.
You need to be consistent in your engagement and show genuine curiosity.
Without engagement and curiosity, these relationships are meaningless and will result in churn.
This guide is not about genuine curiosity - this skill takes time and practice. It is about customer engagement.
The Secret? Just Pick Up the Phone
If you have value to offer, your customers want to hear from you.
By calling your customers, you show them that you care about their success, but more importantly - you care about them.
I'm not saying that we should call customers once a week (or every month) - it would be a waste of your time.
But we should call them if we have value to offer.
Here are three must-call situations:
#1: Celebrating Milestones
Your customer just activated their subscription? They've taken the very first action?
Maybe they reached an important milestone you set up in the Kickoff Meeting?
This is your chance to celebrate with them.
All you need to do is to pick up the phone and congratulate them.
Show them that you've got their backs even if you don't talk every day.
#2: Offer a helping hand
Unfortunately, challenges are almost inevitable, and when our customers face a challenge related to our product, they will need our help.
If you've noticed that a customer is having trouble, you can call them and offer some guidance.
Not only are you showing them you care, but you also build trust between you and your customers.
#3: Just Released!
Has your customer asked about features that are now available? Great! Let them know about it.
Can your customer save time by using a different feature? Share it with them.
Whenever we can, we should help our customers achieve their desired outcomes.
If we're able to help them AND save their precious time, we need to pick up the phone and tell them.
Conclusion
These are only three out of many must-call situations. The key is to listen to our intuitions and act on them.
If we believe a customer would benefit from a call and from the value we can offer - that's a good reason to call them.
Share your must-call situations by leaving a comment below.
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