AMA: Gainsight Director of Customer Success, Meenal Shukla on Influencing the C-Suite

1. Understand Their Perspective: Understand the key concerns, goals, and metrics for success of the C-Suite. They are often focused on the organization's overall growth, profitability, and sustainability. 2. Build a Solid Business Case: Develop a strong business case that clearly articulates the need for additional resources, the benefits of allocating those resources, and the potential return on investment (ROI). Be sure to highlight how the additional resources will contribute to the strategic goals of the organization. 3. Use Data: Back up your business case with solid data. This could include data on customer satisfaction, customer retention, revenue growth, cost savings, etc. Make sure the data is relevant, credible, and compelling. 4. Show the Impact: Clearly demonstrate the additional resources' impact on the organization. This could include improving customer satisfaction, reducing churn, increasing revenue, etc. 5. Consider Alternatives: Consider and present alternative options for achieving the same goals with fewer or different resources. This shows that you have considered all the options and are recommending the best approach. 6. Engage Stakeholders: Engage key stakeholders early in the process to get their input and support. This could include other department heads, senior managers, and key team members. 7. Be Clear on the Ask: Be clear and specific on what resources you are requesting and why. This could include additional team members, budget, technology, etc. 8. Demonstrate Past Success: Highlight past successes where additional resources were allocated and positive results were achieved. This helps build credibility and confidence that you will be able to deliver the desired results. 9. Align with Organizational Goals: Ensure that your request for additional resources is aligned with the overall goals and strategies of the organization. 10. Be Prepared to Negotiate: Be prepared to negotiate and be flexible in your request. The C-Suite may be unable to allocate all the resources you request, so be prepared to prioritize and negotiate if necessary. 11. Follow Up: After making your request, be sure to follow up with the C-Suite and keep them informed on the progress of the initiative and the impact that the additional resources are having. Remember, the key to influencing the C-Suite to allocate more resources is to build a strong business case, backed by solid data, that demonstrates the value and impact of the additional resources on the organization's goal

Customer Success Managers (CSMs) indeed often find themselves pulled in multiple directions with everything feeling urgent. It’s important to work with the executive team to prioritize and focus on what’s most important for the business and the customers. Here are some steps to help narrow down focus: Step 1: Understand Strategic Goals: Make sure you have a clear understanding of the organization’s strategic goals and priorities. Understanding the company’s larger objectives will help you align your work and prioritize effectively. Step 2: Understand your team's goals: How is your team measured? What is your current incentive structure? This gives you an understanding of what's important for your leadership. Ask the question why if this is not clear. For example, if your team is measured on number of customer meetings, a fair question to ask is why the number is important and how we measure the quality of such meetings. Customer meetings in itself is a pretty useless metric unless CSMs are delivering value in every call. Step 3: Evaluate and Prioritize: Evaluate all current initiatives based on their alignment with strategic goals, potential ROI, resource requirements, and impact on customer success. Prioritize initiatives based on these criteria. Step 4: Use Data: Data is a powerful tool to communicate challenges. Highlight key metrics such as the number of customers you manage, the frequency of interactions, customer satisfaction scores, churn rates, etc. Also, show trends over time, e.g., an increasing number of customers, increasing support requests, etc. * Show Impact: Highlight the impact of being thinly spread. For example, show how response times, customer satisfaction, or renewal rates have been affected. * Tell Stories: Share specific examples and customer situations that highlight the challenges you face and the impact on customers. * Highlight the Risks: Clearly articulate the risks associated with being thinly spread. This could include risks related to customer satisfaction, retention, upselling, or referrals. Step 5: Engage Your Manager: Engage your manager in the process and get their support. They can be an influential advocate for you and can help communicate the challenges to the executive team.

Getting exposure to the C-Suite as a junior or newer Customer Success Manager (CSM) can be challenging, but it is definitely possible with the right approach. Remember, getting exposure to the C-Suite is not just about getting noticed, but also about contributing value to the organization and demonstrating your potential as a future leader. Approach it with a positive and proactive attitude, and seek out opportunities to learn, contribute, and build relationships. Here are some strategies to consider: 1. Understand Their Priorities: First and foremost, understand the priorities and concerns of the C-Suite. This will help you align your work and communication with their strategic goals and interests. 2. Deliver Results: Consistently deliver strong results in your role as a CSM. This will help you build credibility and a strong reputation within the organization. 3. Be Proactive: Take the initiative to identify and solve problems, propose new ideas, and contribute to strategic initiatives. This will help you get noticed by the C-Suite and other senior leaders. 4. Build Relationships: Actively work on building relationships with senior leaders, both within your department and across the organization. Attend networking events, participate in cross-functional initiatives, and seek out opportunities for mentorship and guidance. 5. Seek Opportunities for Visibility: Look for opportunities to present your work and results to senior leaders. This could be in formal settings such as meetings or presentations, or in informal settings such as networking events or casual conversations. 6. Communicate Effectively: Develop strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Be able to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively. 7. Demonstrate Leadership: Even as a junior or newer CSM, you can demonstrate leadership by taking ownership of your work, collaborating effectively with others, and contributing to a positive and inclusive team culture. 8. Ask for Feedback: Regularly seek feedback on your performance from your manager, peers, and other senior leaders. This will help you identify areas for improvement and demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning and development.

Ensuring alignment between senior executive stakeholders who disagree on a proposed strategy can be challenging but is crucial for the success of the project and the organization. Here are some strategies to help navigate this situation: 1. Understand the Perspectives: First and foremost, make sure you fully understand the perspectives of both stakeholders. What are their concerns? What are their objectives? What are the reasons behind their viewpoints? 2. Find Common Ground: Identify the common goals or objectives of both stakeholders. Even if they disagree on the strategy, there is likely some common ground in terms of what they are trying to achieve. 3. Facilitate Dialogue: If possible, facilitate a dialogue between the two stakeholders. This may involve setting up a meeting, moderating a discussion, or helping to clarify misunderstandings. 4. Present Data: Use data and facts to present your case. This can help to remove emotions from the discussion and focus on what the data is indicating as the best course of action. 5. Consider Alternatives: Explore and present alternative strategies. There may be a third option that addresses the concerns of both stakeholders. 6. Highlight the Risks and Benefits: Clearly articulate the risks and benefits of each strategy. This can help the stakeholders to weigh the pros and cons of each option and come to a more informed decision. 7. Seek Input from Others: Sometimes it can be helpful to seek input from other senior members of the organization or external experts. This can provide a fresh perspective and may help to resolve the disagreement. 8. Be Neutral: As much as possible, try to remain neutral and not take sides in the disagreement. Your role is to facilitate a resolution, not to advocate for one side or the other. 9. Focus on the Goal: Keep the focus on the overall goal or objective of the project or organization. This can help to shift the discussion away from individual preferences and towards what is best for the organization as a whole. 10. Be Prepared to Compromise: Sometimes a compromise may be necessary to move forward. Make sure both parties understand what are the non-negotiables. 11. Document Discussions: Document the discussions, decisions, and rationales. This can help clarify misunderstandings and provide a record of the decision-making process. 12. Follow Up: After a decision has been made, make sure to follow up with both stakeholders to ensure that they are aligned with the decision and understand the next steps.

Here are some key people to consider aligning with: 1. Your Manager: Your direct manager is a crucial ally in your growth. They can provide guidance, feedback, and support, as well as advocate for you within the organization. 2. Mentors: Seek out mentors who can provide guidance, share their experiences, and offer a different perspective. Mentors can be inside or outside of your organization. 3. Senior Leaders: Building relationships with senior leaders can provide you with a broader perspective on the organization, its challenges, and its strategic direction. They can also be influential advocates for you as you progress in your career. 4. Peers: Your peers are also important allies. Building strong relationships with your peers can provide you with a support network, as well as opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing. 5. Cross-Functional Partners: Building relationships with colleagues in other departments can help you gain a broader perspective on the organization, as well as provide opportunities for collaboration and cross-functional projects. 6. Sponsors: A sponsor is someone in a senior position who can actively advocate for your career advancement. Building relationships with potential sponsors can be extremely valuable for gaining momentum in the organization. 7. Influential Stakeholders: Identify key stakeholders who have influence within the organization. These could be individuals in leadership positions, key decision-makers, or respected subject matter experts.

I am going to answer this question from the lens of a Customer Success leader. Here is how my internal discussions look like while talking to the C-suite within my company. 1. Regular Updates: Provide regular updates on the performance of the customer success team, key metrics (e.g., Net Promoter Score, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Lifetime Value, Churn Rate, etc.), and how these metrics are impacting the overall business objectives. 2. Strategic Planning: Participate in strategic planning meetings and contribute to discussions on the overall business strategy, particularly as it relates to customer success and retention. 3. Performance Reviews: Participate in performance review meetings where I present and discuss the performance of the customer success team, highlight key accomplishments, and discuss areas for improvement. 4. Problem Solving: If there are challenges or issues that need to be addressed at the executive level, I am responsible for bringing these issues to the attention of the C-Suite, along with your recommendations for solutions. 5. Budget Discussions: Participate in budget discussions and planning meetings. I may need to present and justify the budget requirements for the customer success team and explain how the proposed budget will help achieve the organization's goals. 6. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments and teams (e.g., sales, marketing, product development, etc.) to ensure alignment and coordination across the organization. 7. Customer Feedback: Share feedback from customers that can help inform strategic decisions, product development, and other key areas of the business. 8. Advisory Role: Act as an advisor to the C-Suite on matters related to customer success, customer experience, and customer retention. Remember, the goal of your interactions with the C-Suite is not just to report on the activities of the customer success team, but to provide strategic insights and recommendations that can help drive the success of the entire organization. Your role as a Customer Success Leader is to be the voice of the customer at the executive level and to ensure that the organization remains focused on delivering value to its customers. Interactions with the C-Suite of a customer require a different approach. As a Customer Success Leader, your interactions would typically involve the following: 1. Quarterly/Executive Business Reviews (QBRs/EBRs): These are regular meetings (usually quarterly) where you provide updates on the value your product or service delivers to the customer, discuss any challenges or issues, and align on goals and strategies for the upcoming quarter. 2. Strategic Planning: Help the customer’s C-Suite in their strategic planning by providing insights and recommendations on how your product or service can help them achieve their business objectives. 3. Problem-Solving: If the customer is facing any challenges or issues, you may need to escalate these to the C-Suite and work with them to develop and implement solutions. 4. Feedback Collection: Collect feedback from the customer’s C-Suite on your product or service, and share this feedback internally to help inform product development and other strategic decisions. 5. Executive Sponsorship: Act as an executive sponsor for the customer, which involves building strong relationships with the customer’s C-Suite, understanding their needs and challenges, and acting as their advocate within your organization. 6. Strategic Alignment: Ensure that the customer’s strategic goals and objectives are aligned with the value that your product or service can deliver. 7. Value Demonstration: Regularly demonstrate the value that your product or service is delivering to the customer’s organization. This could involve presenting case studies, ROI analyses, or other data that shows the impact your product or service is having on the customer’s business. Remember, the goal of your interactions with the customer’s C-Suite is to build strong, strategic relationships, ensure that they are realizing the full value of your product or service, and to position yourself as a trusted advisor who can help them achieve their business objectives.

I was not very good at this and learned through my mistakes :-). Please look at my answer for the question, 'What advice would you give to your younger self as a customer success manager on influencing the C-Suite?'

1. Understand Their Goals and Objectives: Understand the overall goals and objectives of the organization and align your work with them. CIO care about efficiency and innovation but also cost savings. CRO care about revenue acceleration and optimization. CCO care about GRR and NRR. CFO care about EBITDA. Know thy audiece. 2. Be Concise and Clear: C-Suite executives have limited time. Be concise and clear in your communication. 3. Be Solution-Oriented: Instead of just presenting problems, come up with solutions or at least some options for addressing the issues. 4. Show Leadership: Demonstrate leadership skills by taking responsibility and ownership of your work. 5. Be Adaptive: Be flexible and adaptable to changes. C-Suite executives often have to make decisions that result in changes to plans, so being adaptive is crucial. 6. Build Relationships: Develop and maintain positive relationships with C-Suite executives as well as with others in the organization. 7. Be Respectful of Their Time: Be punctual, and don’t waste their time with unnecessary meetings or communications. Always have 25 min or a 50 min meeting as opposed to a 30 min or a 60 min meeting so that you can give them time for their next meeting because they are usually back to back. I learned this trick from Nick Mehta, our fearless CEO at Gainsight. 8. Be Prepared: Always be prepared for meetings and interactions. Have all the necessary information and materials ready. 9. Listen Actively: Listen carefully to what they have to say, and ask clarifying questions if needed. 10. Understand the Business: Have a deep understanding of the business, its challenges, and its competitive landscape. Read up their annual report, results and trends in their industry. 11. Be Discreet: C-Suite executives often deal with sensitive and confidential information. Be discreet and maintain confidentiality. 12. Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest trends and developments in your industry and profession.

1. Be Confident: Have confidence in yourself and your abilities. You were hired for a reason, and you have valuable insights and perspectives to offer. 2. Develop a Strong Professional Brand: Be known for being an expert in your field, for being reliable and delivering on your commitments, and for being a positive and collaborative team player. You should have your advocates speak highly of you in a room where you are not present. 3. Think Strategically: Focus on the big picture and think strategically about how your work and the work of your team fits into the overall strategy of the organization. 4. Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from the C-Suite and other senior leaders on your performance and your team's performance. This will not only help you improve but will also demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement. 5. Take on Leadership Roles: Seek out opportunities to take on leadership roles, even small ones. This will help you develop your leadership skills and get you noticed by the C-Suite. 6. Get Involved in Strategic Projects: Volunteer for or seek out opportunities to be involved in strategic projects or initiatives that are visible to and valued by the C-Suite. 7. Communicate Effectively: Develop strong communication skills, both written and verbal. This includes being able to present information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner. 8. Understand their Perspective: Make an effort to understand the C-Suite’s perspective and priorities. What are their key concerns, goals, and metrics for success? Align your message and approach accordingly.

Here are some common mistakes: 1. Not Speaking Their Language: C-Suite executives are focused on high-level strategic goals like increasing revenue, reducing costs, expanding market share, etc. If you are not aligning your conversation or request with these strategic goals, you may not get their attention or support. 2. Not Providing a Clear ROI: The C-Suite always wants to know the return on investment (ROI) for any resource allocation. If you are not able to clearly articulate the ROI of your request, it may be difficult to get their support. 3. Lacking Data to Support the Request: Decisions at the C-Suite level are often data-driven. If you do not have solid data to support your request or proposal, it may not be considered seriously. 4. Being Too Tactical: The C-Suite is focused on strategic issues, not tactical ones. If you are too focused on the tactical details and not enough on the strategic impact, you may not get their attention or support. 5. Not Considering Other Priorities: The C-Suite has to consider the overall priorities of the organization. If your request does not align with these priorities, or if you have not considered the impact on other departments or initiatives, it may be difficult to get their support. 6. Not Building Relationships: Building relationships with the C-Suite and other senior executives is crucial for influencing their decisions. If you have not invested time in building these relationships, it may be difficult to get their support when you need it. 7. Not Being Clear and Concise: The C-Suite is usually very busy and does not have time for long, rambling presentations or requests. Be clear, concise, and to the point. 8. Not Being Prepared: Being well-prepared for any interaction with the C-Suite is crucial. Make sure you have all the necessary data, have anticipated potential questions or objections, and have a well-thought-out proposal or request. 9. Not Following Up: After making a request or proposal, it's important to follow up to address any additional questions or concerns and to keep the C-Suite informed on the progress of the initiative.

Given that it is a broad question, I will narrow it down to customer success roles (my answer will be different if you are in a marketing, PM, Engineering or FP&A roles). 1. Showcase Results and Impact: When applying for customer success roles, emphasize your track record of delivering tangible results. Highlight specific examples where you've improved customer satisfaction, retention rates, or upsell opportunities for previous employers. 2. Quantify Achievements: Use measurable metrics to quantify your accomplishments. For instance, how much did you increase customer satisfaction scores? What percentage of customers did you successfully retain or upsell? 3. Highlight Soft Skills: Customer success roles often require excellent communication, empathy, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills. Use your resume, cover letter, and interviews to showcase your interpersonal abilities. 4. Customize Your Applications: Tailor your application materials (resume, cover letter, etc.) to each company's specific needs and values. Research the company's customer base, industry, and challenges to demonstrate your genuine interest and alignment. 5. Continued Learning and Professional Development: Highlight any recent training, certifications, or workshops you've completed that are relevant to the customer success field. This shows your commitment to staying current and improving your skills. 6. Tech Savviness: Customer success often involves working with software and tools. Showcase your proficiency with relevant customer relationship management (CRM) systems, data analysis tools, and communication platforms. 7. Demonstrate Customer-Centric Thinking: During interviews, discuss scenarios where you've gone above and beyond to truly understand and meet customer needs. Demonstrate your dedication to creating exceptional customer experiences. 8. Storytelling: Craft compelling stories that illustrate your ability to turn challenging customer situations into positive outcomes. Storytelling can help interviewers remember you and your unique strengths. 9. Networking and Personal Branding: Leverage professional networking platforms like LinkedIn to build your online presence. Share insightful content, engage with industry discussions, and connect with professionals in your field. 10. Refine Interview Skills: Prepare thoroughly for interviews. Practice answering common customer success interview questions and have well-thought-out examples ready to showcase your skills and experiences. 11. Volunteer and Side Projects: If you're currently unemployed, consider volunteering your customer success skills for non-profit organizations or working on side projects that demonstrate your abilities and commitment. 12. Cultural Fit and Values: Research the company's culture and values. During interviews, emphasize how your own values align with the company's, which can make you a better fit for the team. 13. Stay Resilient and Positive: In a challenging job market, maintaining a positive attitude and showing resilience can make a lasting impression on potential employers. Display your ability to handle adversity with grace. 14. Follow Up Thoughtfully: After interviews or interactions, send personalized thank-you notes or emails to express your gratitude and reiterate your enthusiasm for the role. 15. Be genuine: Make sure that your passion shines through but be genuine on your needs and expectations from the role. It is better for both you and hiring manager to know early on, if your expectations are not in alignment with what the job entails.