Leadership In Customer Service

I’ve lost count of the number of CS leaders that let me know they’ve been fired for poor retention. At the same time, I can’t remember the last time a product or engineering leader was fired for the same reason. Or a CEO. Critical board-level business metrics (ARR, NRR, GRR) are not delivered solely by one person or team. A CS leader can only control what they can control. 1) They can’t control if their competitors have better products.  2) They can’t control if the market thinks their product is a nice-to-have.  3) They can’t control if their budget has been shrunk in half by the CFO and are now barely scraping by w/ headcount to implement a technical & complex product with long time-to-value. 4) They can’t control if the product is buggy and unreliable.  5) They can't control if the customer shouldn't have been sold in the first place and was outside core ICP. What can they control? ♦️ Understanding customer-required outcomes in the sales to CS handoff process and understanding how they evolve throughout the Customer Maturity Model (aka customer goals change quarterly along with where they are in your value realization journey). ♦️ Delivering on those outcomes unique to the customer persona (a BTL individual contributor has different outcomes than an ATL decision maker) ♦️ Delivering multi-channel campaigns to each customer persona and A/B testing delivery & conversion. (aka, stop sending the same cookie-cutter emails that people don’t even read) ♦️ Tracking if the plays they are running are actually working or not. ♦️ Tracking customer health in a way that aligns with forecast methodology. Real health is not solely defined by usage and NPS alone. The reality is that the feature they are using... can be used somewhere else. Usage must be explicitly correlated to the decision maker's quarterly OKR. You must be solving real business problems if you want to be 'sticky.' An important pressure test question to ask yourself: What does my customer's CFO think about the product positioning and value messaging? Are my CSMs and content/messaging programs aligned to that? If they tried today, could they replicate your value somewhere else, cheaper? If so, there is major risk here awaiting you. ♦️ Recording CSM calls and training them on a weekly basis. Ensuring CSM teams are leveling up in Command of the Message, negotiation techniques, happy ears, give/get, deep discovery, etc. ♦️ Running proper renewal inspection with rigor and process. (aka not using next steps fields that are outdated).   If the VP of CS is not doing the above, then perhaps it’s time to replace them.  If the VP of CS is doing the above.. then you don't have a CS problem. You have a business problem. #sales #customersuccess #ceo

I had the privilege of sitting with multiple clients today. And every single conversation taught me something. About their business. About their goals, as a company and as individuals. About what makes things hard. And about what actually unlocks success. But the lesson that kept surfacing, over and over, was this one: Trust with customers can easily break when people change. And right now, in one of the most disrupted periods the software and tech world has ever seen, people are changing constantly. Getting promoted. Moving to different parts of the company. Leaving for new opportunities. Being reorganized. The humans your customers built their trust around? They're in motion. So here's the uncomfortable truth that every CS leader needs to sit with: If your customer's trust lives in a person, it's fragile. Full stop. The only trust that endures is trust built with the company. Not with a CSM. Not with an AE. Not with any single individual, no matter how talented or relationship-driven they are. And isn't that the whole point of Customer Success? It's not a department. It's not a headcount. It's a mindset and a company mandate. And while we absolutely ask our AEs, AMs, and CSMs to lead the relationship, that leadership comes with a responsibility that goes far beyond being likable or responsive. It means representing the full capability of the company. Every promise made in the sales cycle. Every product capability. Every team that touches the customer. Orchestrated through one accountable person, but never dependent on that one person alone. That's what it takes for customers to truly thrive. Not the heroics of an individual. Not the relationship skills of one great CSM. But the collective capability of a company, showing up consistently, delivered through someone who takes that responsibility seriously. So here's my challenge to my CS friends: Is that how you're showing up for your customers? Are you representing the whole company, or just your corner of it? And if you think I've got this wrong, let me have it. I mean that. #CreateTheFuture #CustomerSuccess #CSLeadership #GrowthMindset #Leadership #AlwaysLearning

Business leaders are often their own worst enemies when it comes to improving #CustomerExperience, lifting loyalty and retention, and improving lifetime value. Leaders typically seek to train their employees on how to say more empathetic things to customers without giving employees the time and autonomy to be more empathetic. Leaders regularly say they want employees to take the time to understand customers' needs while rewarding the employees who handle the most customers in the least time. Leaders frequently claim to want a more customer-centric culture while rewarding employees primarily (or exclusively) for short-term financial outcomes. Leaders ask employees to build stronger bonds with customers while at the same time demanding employees do more with less. Leaders say they want to provide effortless experiences to customers while failing to evaluate and alter the corporate policies, practices, and systems that add time, effort, and frustration to customer experiences. Leaders hold employees accountable to improve NPS and satisfaction scores without making the proper investments to address what drives down those scores. There is one and only source of long-term growth for brands: Customers. You can't cost-cut, efficiency-lift, or even out-acquire your way to growth. These are all short-term ways to lift margin and revenue, but they are not sustainable. If you won't listen to customers, understand what they need and want, and find ways to prioritize investments to match, then you cannot retain and grow customers, lift reputation and word of mouth, and increase the lifetime value of customers. Employees can lift #CX in small pockets from the ground up, but sustainable, customer-led growth only comes from top-down customer-centric culture.

Great customer service starts in-house. Frontline employees learn how to treat customers by observing how leaders treat them. When leaders are impatient or dismissive under pressure — employees absorb that. When leaders are composed, respectful, and personally engaged — employees absorb that too. The standard flows downward. Always. This means one of the most useful questions a senior leader can ask is not only “how do our people treat customers?” but “how do our people feel treated?” The tone of everyday leadership interactions — in corridors, briefing rooms, and operational environments — becomes the tone customers experience at the counter, the gate, and the check-in queue. Where there is alignment between the two, service feels consistent and genuine. Where there is a gap, customers feel it. They may not be able to name it. But they feel it. Dignity in customer interactions rarely begins with a training programme. It begins with the internal culture. And the internal culture begins with how leaders show up — every day, not just when someone is watching. Have you worked in an organisation where the internal culture was genuinely reflected in how customers were treated? What made it possible? #LeadershipCulture #CustomerExperience #FrontlineLeadership #OperationalLeadership

“What’s important to your customers has to show up in the numbers that are important to your business.” - Me Not sure how? I got you today. Keep reading for three practical ways to do it. 1. Time to Value: If your customers care about speed, then your business metrics should too. Stop measuring “average handle time” in a vacuum and start tracking “time to value” from the customer’s first touch to when they feel the outcome. If customers get value faster, you’ll see it show up in renewals and wallet share. Your Chief Revenue Officer will be so happy he’s flying you and your spouse to Nantucket to stay at their summer house in Sconset. Question to answer: if you cut your customers’ “time to value” in half, what would it do to your revenue line? 2. Cost to Serve: What’s important to customers isn’t just a great customer service interaction. It’s seamless service. Every time your customers hit unnecessary friction, you’re forcing more calls, chats, and escalations. That means higher cost to serve for you. Track “first contact resolution” or “friction-free journeys.” When customers solve issues on the first try, whether digital or via an agent, trust goes up and operating costs come down. Your COO will be so happy that they’re advocating for you to receive more RSUs this year. Question to answer: how much wasted spend is hidden in repeat contacts your team is fielding today? 3. Risk Reduction: Customers want trust and reliability. That’s not soft stuff. It’s hard risk. A single failure in onboarding, data accuracy, or billing erodes confidence and creates churn risk. Tie customer trust to metrics like churn reduction or compliance adherence. When customers feel secure, risk of lost revenue or regulatory risk gets so low your Chief Risk Officer is sending you cookies over the winter holidays. Be honest: are your trust metrics showing up in your quarterly business review deck, or are they buried in a VOC report no one reads? #clientexperience #leadership #growth #efficiency #coo #cro #voc

So, how much did being genuinely nice to our customers earn us this quarter? Now imagine asking this question to your CFO. Today we are well aware and sometimes even obsessed with metrics: NPS, CSAT, churn rates…all perfectly calculated. But translating the warmth of customer happiness into cold, hard financial results? Well, that's not so simple. After all, it is not easy to connect a ‘smiling support rep’ to ‘higher EBIT’. However, the truth bomb here - Top CX performers consistently outperform their competitors. But the magic they create is not just in making customers smile. It is about connecting every delighted customer with revenue, retention, and even willingness to pay a little extra. The question for us to answer is - Are we connecting dots, or just coloring the margins? As business leaders, are we digging deep enough? What would happen if CX was tagged to every financial review, not just a customary part of the annual presentation? You could be walking into your next review, armed with not just satisfaction scores, but a clear graph of what those scores added to the bottom line. If you think ROI from customer experience is not just fairy dust, then here are 4 metrics to add gravitas to your next board meeting: ☘️ C - Customer Retention Track repeat purchase rate/ renewal rate. Know how many customers come back. Even a 5% increase in retention can boost profits considerably. ☘️ T - Ticket Size Happier customers spend more. We all do that. Measure if your CX improvements lead to higher average order value. ☘️ S - Share of Voice Delighted customers talk. Track organic referrals, online reviews and social media mentions. Don't forget - word of mouth reduces marketing costs. ☘️ S - Service Cost Zero-effort experiences reduce complaints and rework. When customers don't need to call back, your cost to serve drops. Measure cost per support ticket and first contact resolution rate. These may not happen in a day, but start somewhere. One step of transition a day leads to transformation over a quarter or a year. Let’s get past the vanity metrics and start making CX pay its own bills. About time no? #cx #customerexperience #serviceexcellence

"Can you believe they completely ignored our feedback?" The prospective client's voice was filled with frustration. "It feels like they've forgotten we exist." This was more than just a complaint— and I knew right then that something had to change. We often talk about customer centricity, but how often do we truly reflect on what it means? My career started in a call center, where the customer was everything. Every call and every interaction was a reminder that the customer wasn't just a part of the business—they were the reason for it. As I've grown in my career, this mindset of "client first" has stayed with me. But hearing this client's dissatisfaction made me pause and ask: Are we really putting the customer first in everything we do? In the rush of targets, processes, and metrics, it's easy to lose sight of the customer. But when we do, the consequences are real—disconnected relationships, unmet expectations, and ultimately, lost trust. So, how can we ensure that customer centricity isn't just a buzzword but a guiding principle in our work? Here's what you can consider: 👉🏻 Listen, Really Listen: Take the time to understand your customers' pain points. What are they unhappy about? What's missing in their current experience? Truly listening can reveal insights that lead to better solutions. 👉🏻 Be Proactive, Not Reactive: Waiting for a problem to escalate is not the way to go. Anticipate your customers' needs and address potential issues before they become real concerns. This proactive approach not only prevents issues but also shows that you're not just meeting expectations—you're exceeding them. 👉🏻 Personalize Your Approach: Customers appreciate when you remember the little things. Whether it's recalling past interactions or tailoring your service to their specific needs, personalization makes a huge difference in how valued they feel. 👉🏻 Collaborate, Don't Dictate: Work with your customers, not just for them. Involve them in the process, seek their input, and make them feel like true partners. This collaboration builds trust and fosters long-term relationships. 👉🏻 Reflect and Improve: After every interaction, take a moment to reflect. What went well? What could be improved? Continuous reflection ensures that you're always aligning your work with your customers' evolving needs. Have you ever had a moment where a customer's feedback made you stop and think? I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips you have for staying customer-centric. #CustomerCentricity #ClientFirst #CustomerExperience

🟢 "The customer health is green!" 🔴 Customer churns next week Why does this happen so often? I've talked to over 50 CS leaders last year about their health scores. The majority of them have health scores that rely on: - NPS scores from 3 months ago - CSM "gut feeling" ratings - Basic usage metrics None of which predicts churn. They create a category of customers I like to call: 🍉 Watermelon Customers. Customers that look green on the outside (aka. healthy), but upon closer inspection, they are pure red (filled with risk). This throws off CSMs. Last month a CSM I coached booked time with me to understand why his "healthy" customers were leaving. We discovered three patterns: - Their champion had left - Lacking strong use-cases - Not seeing meaningful results Their health score didn't flag any of these risks. And because this CSM manages 130 accounts, they relied on the healthscore to help them prioritise their outreach, so they had been doing less outreach to these customers, because they were "fine". 🚦 See the problem of a bad health score? A bad health score can be worse than no health score. It creates false security. Is your health score misleading you? Does it: ❌ Uses frequency instead of depth of usage ❌ Doesn't track business outcomes ❌ Ignores executive engagement ❌ Heavily weights NPS/CSAT ❌ Relies on CSM intuition ❌ Treats all usage equally Then yes, it is. What actually matters: 💚 Business outcome achievement 💚 Multi-threaded engagement 💚 Feature adoption quality 💚 ROI realisation To CS Leaders: Audit your health score today. Ask: "Would this catch our last 3 churns?" If not, it's time to rebuild. 📧 Curious about a new approach to building effective CSM teams? Join 13.5k pros in transforming Customer Success. Sign up for my newsletter! #CustomerSuccess #CX #CSM #RevOps #SaaS

𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. Under pressure, small moments define the big picture. - A discharge plan changes at 11:20. - No one updates the next team. - By 14:00, families are getting three different answers. No one intends to create chaos. But chaos happens because leadership happens in the tiny moments: - The handoff that is "almost done" and gets rushed - The decision that's "just to be safe" and gets escalated unnecessarily - The risk that gets raised but then parked - The hard conversation that gets delayed again and again Most improvement efforts focus on tools and values. But when the pressure's on, behavior wins. That's where leadership simulations come in. They create a safe space to practice the moments that shape patient experience, before they cost us in real time. Not theory. Reality. Decisions under time pressure. Cross-team handoffs. Speak-up moments and how leaders respond. Trade-offs between safety, flow, staffing, and quality. The conversations teams avoid until it's too late. Afterward, we unpack what actually happened. What slowed us down. What we escalated too late. What we avoided saying. What we assumed. The key question: If we had done Y instead of X, what would have changed? And what would that look like in our unit? With our people? The goal is simple. Two or three shifts leaders can test next week: - In the next huddle - During the next handoff - When making an escalation decision If you notice rising escalations. Rework after "alignment." Teams working hard but feeling stuck. Patients and families caught in gaps. You don't need another poster. You need practice. What's the one leadership moment in your patient journey that makes or breaks the experience? End the guesswork. Start practicing real leadership moments today.

Five-star service is never an individual act. It is the visible outcome of invisible systems done right. We often speak about brand promise, standards, and service excellence. Yet far less attention is given to the internal systems that support the people expected to deliver those standards flawlessly, every day. We ask our frontline teams to demonstrate empathy, precision, and consistency. But those qualities cannot be sustained in environments marked by unclear communication, reactive leadership, siloed departments, or processes that create daily friction. When service quality drops, it is convenient to label it a “training issue.” In reality, more often than not, it is a system issue. If we want our people to deliver five-star experiences, we must first give them five-star internal architecture: clear direction, aligned departments, consistent leadership, and decision-making they can trust. Service culture is not built by slogans on the wall. It is shaped quietly and relentlessly by the conditions people work within every day. And when those systems are thoughtfully designed, something important happens: professional behaviour becomes sustainable, excellence becomes repeatable, and service feels genuine rather than forced. This is also where leadership and ESG intersect. Respecting people’s time, effort, and professionalism is not a soft concept , it is operational discipline and dignity of work. Because sustainable service excellence does not come from demanding more from individuals, but from designing better systems around them. In the end, service consistency is not only a training outcome. It is a system outcome. And system design, whether intentional or not, always sits at the leadership level. #HospitalityLeadership #ServiceCulture #HotelOperations #LuxuryWithPurpose #PeopleFirstLeadership #SystemThinking #InternalExcellence #DignityOfWork Malaysian Association Of Hotels