Teamwork Makes the Dream Work - Aligning Customer Success & Sales

About Me

Mari-Frances Bentvelzen – Senior Director of Client Success

Concur, an SAP company - Travel and expense management platform that allows companies control costs and cash flow associated with expenses, travel and invoices.

Sales and Customer Success Harmony

• Partner vs. Customer

Why is Harmony Important?

• Increase upsell/cross-sell velocity• Decrease churn• Drive customer satisfaction

• Foster a greater sense of teamwork

Where Does It All Go Wrong

• Poor communication from both parties• CSM who lacks initiative in managing his accounts• Sales executive who treats CSM like an admin• Overbearing Sales executive• No clear role responsibility• “Permission” needed to reach out to an account• CSM has no credibility• Internal friction

Key to Success

StructureCommitmentRole  Clarity

Strategic  Planning

Shared  Goals

Evolution

CSM• Renewals• Adoption• Onboarding• Upsell/Cross-­sell

Few  Customers

100+  Customers

1000+  Customers

10,000  Customers

CSM• Onboarding• Renewals• Adoption

New  Business  Sales• Upsell/Cross-­sell

CSM• Onboarding• Renewals• Adoption• Trusted  Advisor

Account  Management• Upsell/Cross-­sell

CSM• Renewals• Adoption• Trusted  Advisor

Client  Sales  Executives• Upsell/Cross-­sell• Executive  Contact

Customer  SuccessSales

Executive  Leadership

Commitment

Renewals

Successful  Customer

Demonstrate  Value

Cross  Sell/Upsell

Drive  Adoption

Defined  Roles

Role Clarity

Role Clarity

• Owner of client adoption & utilization “maximizing value” of current solution set• Uncover and suggest new sales opportunities to support Sales goals• Own client retention by pro-actively identifying potential at risk clients• Design retention strategy• Work cross functionally with Service & Support to ensure a positive client experience• Own relationship with program admins or power users

Client  Success

• Owner of the Account • Owner of the strategy to sell new services and products• Coordinate resources to assist with a new Sale• Responsible for having “strong” relationships with decision makers• Assist with retention efforts and/or approving client save strategy with CSM

Client  Sales  Executives  

The Perfect Play

Sales  =  Quarterback

Customer  Success  =  QB  Coach

Strategic Planning

Strategic

Mid-­‐Market

Small  Business

• High  Touch• Small  Book  of  Business• 1:1  Ratio

• Medium  Touch• Mid-­‐Size  Book  of  Business• 1:1  or  1:2  Ratio  

• Pooled  Environment• Automated• 1  to  Many

Understand  &  agree  on  how  to  work  together

Review  individual   territory  plans

Communicate  weekly  priorities   – weekly  1:1’s

Divide  and  conquer

Clear  success  plan  for  each  account

Building Blocks of Success – Strategic Planning

Data  Driven  Decisions

RiskMissed  Opportunities

Customer  Confusion

Internal  Opposition

Shared Goals

Shared Goals

$  Quota

Sale  Opportunities

Retention

Activity

Client  Sales• Net  retention  goal• Quarterly  retention  bonuses  or  contests  • Accounts  not  being  “replaced”

Client  Success• Sales  Opportunity  conversion  rate  • Sales  leads***• Portion  of  variable  on  team  quota  attainment

Results

• Increased employee engagement

• Fostered culture of inclusion

• Reduction in churn

• Increased sales pipeline velocity

• Increased deal conversion of leads sourced by CSM

• Consistent quota achievement by high functioning CSE/CSM teams

Lessons Learned

• Separating Upsell/Cross-sell responsibilities sooner than later• Leadership commitment in shared vision of success & clear expectations• Regular scheduled communication with Sales and CS leaders• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities – reiterate…frequently• Set engagement expectations for your customers early on• Mutually tied goals drive behavior - consistently• Comp/bonus plan equates retention and new sales• It’s a marathon, not a race