The Customer Success Channel

This podcast episode marks a special moment as Anika Zubair wraps up her four-year hosting journey on the Customer Success Channel podcast. The exciting news is that we're welcoming our very own, Malin Skoglund , VP of Customer Success Americas, who will be stepping in as the new host. Listen to the full episode now and learn more about the future of our podcast. Podcast enquiries: sofia@plan...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Brandon Ramsey , Head of Customer Success at OnsiteIQ about how to ensure that customer success truly stands on its own and is not overshadowed by sales. Customer Success (CS) is frequently linked with sales and often entails revenue targets. However, is this truly the most effective way to structure your CS department? Why should CS not be seen as...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Sue Nabeth Moore , Co-Founder of Success Chain about the future of customer success. As we approach the end of the year, it's crucial to begin strategizing for customer success in 2024. Despite the hurdles we've encountered recently, we must now pave the way for a successful year ahead. So, what should be the key focus areas for customer...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Maranda Dziekonski , Senior VP of Customer Success at Datasembly about the importance of viewing customer success as a revenue generator rather than a cost center. The field of customer success (CS) has been through a whirlwind of changes this year due to the global economy. As we near the end of 2023 and start planning for 2024, sustainability and...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Chris Regester, Chief Customer Office at Planhat about how to deliver customer outcomes through a value framework. Achieving customer success is a long-term endeavor that demands ongoing dedication and collaboration with our clients. A solid foundation is provided by a company value framework, guiding businesses on this journey. So, how can we cons...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Daniel Ennis , Scale Team Manager at Monday.com about scaled customer success and explores its significance in today's ever-evolving business landscape. Customer success at scale has been a longstanding practice, but it has gained even greater significance in the current economy. So, what are the initial steps to consider when establishing a s...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Tulasi Ryali, CSM of the Year by Customer Success Excellence about how to help your customer reach their business goals through value creation. Being a Customer Success Manager (CSM) requires great multitasking skills and adaptability. You need excellent communication skills, outstanding problem-solving abilities and a remarkable understanding of c...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Shannon Nishi , Director of Customer Success at Customer.io about sustainable growth in Customer Success. Times are tough and the “big hiring days” when scaling a SaaS business are long gone. In today’s economy, you have to think about sustainable growth rather than growth at all costs. So, how do you do that in Customer Success? How do you ensure...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Declan Ivory , VP of Customer Support at Intercom about how AI is transforming the customer support department.  The future of customer support departments is rapidly approaching. So, what changes can we expect in 2023 and beyond? What skills will support agents need to keep up? And what key performance indicators should we be tracking when proacti...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Jan Young , Principal Consultant for The Success League about AI and it’s effect on Customer Success. ChatGPT has taken the world by storm and we are now all wondering how it will transform the Customer Success (CS) industry. For example, how will AI change the role of a CSM or will it even take CS jobs away? How can it help with customer retention...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with  Carly Agar , Founder and CEO at CarlyAgar about landing a customer success job in 2023. As the tech industry experiences a wave of layoffs, the job market is flooded with talented professionals seeking their next customer success opportunity. So, what should you do if you have been laid off? And how do you prep for interviews and find the right ne...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Jay Nathan , EVP and CCO at Higher Logic about how to manage churn in turbulent times. If you’re currently looking for strategies to prevent and reduce customer churn - you’re not alone. With the gloomy outlook for the world economy, companies are preparing for the effects of an economic downturn. Hence increased focus on churn and how to handle it...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Julie Reader , Customer Success Coach at Dooly about landing your first CS role without any SaaS experience. Taking the first step into your customer success (CS) career is something we all have to do once. But how do you apply for your first CS role without having any SaaS experience? And what are some of the transferrable skills you can bring fro...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Jennifer Yorke , Chief Customer Officer at Omertria about how to ensure the success of your CS department during a recession. With the recession looming, there are many things a CS leader has to consider in order to ensure that the customer success department is still thriving. For example, how are you able to keep your team focused on the success...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with  Prashanth Jothi , Customer Success Manager at HubSpot about how to drive customer outcomes based on customer maturity. The life of a Customer Success Manager (CSM) is never a dull one. Everyday you meet fascinating people, change how businesses operate (normally for the better), and even help a few get out of a hole. Sometimes it can even be a rol...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Gemma Cipriani-Espineira , Chief Customer Officer (CCO) at Chili Piper about what metrics are important and how to report them correctly.  Metrics are critical in customer success – especially when reporting to the leadership team. But often SaaS businesses are unsure on how and what to report. For example, when it comes to customer success, what d...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Claire O'Regan , Director of Customer Success at Juro about how to drive time to value (TTV) for customers in only 14 days. Getting a quick return on investment (ROI) from new software is essential. But how long should it take for a new customer to start seeing value? And is it actually possible to get customers up and running in just two week...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Markus Rentsch , CEO at Remark-able about how to grow customer success while focusing on customer outcomes. Many companies talk about customer-led growth and customer-focused business plans. But what does that actually mean? For example, how do you measure customer outcomes and what is the limitation of those metrics? Podcast enquiries: sofia@planh...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Irit Eizips , Chief Customer Officer & CEO at CSM Practice about how to close a renewal with an upsell.  While gaining new customers is exciting, retaining them is where your SaaS will generate revenue. So, how does your company build the best renewal process? How do you gauge the sentiment of the customer for the renewal? And how should a CSM...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Pat Phelan , Chief Customer Officer at GoCardless about charging for customer success. To charge for customer success or not to charge is the question many SaaS companies are currently asking themselves. It can be tricky to know whether or not it should be a part of the cost of goods sold or if it should be charged for as a premium service. So, how...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Marco Carrubba , Director of Customer Success at Microsoft about how to design customer success for a mature organization. An enterprise software company has plenty of functions fighting for priority. But growing your existing customers is just as important - or even more important - at large-scale organizations as at SMBs. So how do you ensure CS...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Marija Skobe-Pilley , Head of Customer Success (EMEA) at Clickup about leading a CS team in EMEA and working with EMEA customers. Leading a CS team in EMEA and working with EMEA customers can be quite different from other parts of the world. So, how does local culture play into expanding your CS operations? How do you strategize globally but execut...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Bill Cushard , General Manager at Dragonboat about everything you need to know about customer education. At some point as your business grows your CSMs are not going to have the capacity to continue to educate your customers individually. So, when should a SaaS company start adding customer education into its business? How do you use customer educa...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Harini Gokul , Head of Customer Success at AWS about her experience of shaping and building CS as a value realization. Shifting from defense to offense in Customer Success is not a simple task. But to help your customers achieve their business goals, you need to have a proactive mindset and not a reactive to-do-list. So, how do you make a move and...

In this episode, our host Anika Zubair chats with Erika Villarreal , Senior Customer Success Manager at Condeco about how to build your personal brand in Customer Success and how your personal brand can land your dream job.  Landing your Customer Success dream job is far from being a simple task. It is a competitive industry and you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd - and that’s where...