What are the biggest surprises when going from a company where customer success was established to one where you have to establish customer success?

My journey was the other way around. I started at a company where CS was brand new, and then came to a company where CS was established. Looking back, here are some interesting findings. Perceptions of what Customer Success is/isn't vary widely, even if the function already exists at the company. When CS doesn't exist yet, there's an explicit need to educate the executives, sales reps, product org, etc. on what the team will do and the results they will drive. At a company where CS is establishe ...Read More

I think one of the biggest 'surprises' was that regardless of the maturity level of the CS organization, some of the same considerations held true in both cases: The role of CS is constantly evolving alongside other customer facing roles. Even if you have the ability to build a strategy at the start, the need to commit to regular check-ins on how CS strategically fits within the broader organizational goals remains present. Examples include: Are the measurements and incentives the right ones to ...Read More

The most fundamental surprise is often how establishing CS requires comprehensive organizational change management—not just building a team, but reshaping company culture around customer outcomes. When transitioning from an established CS organization to building one from scratch, several surprising challenges often emerge: 1. Resistance to Customer Centricity Unexpected opposition: You'll be surprised by how many teams operate without considering customer outcomes Product-first mentality: Many ...Read More

Transitioning from a company where Customer Success is well-established to one where you have to build it from scratch comes with a mix of challenges and unexpected realizations. Here are some of the biggest surprises: 1. No Clear Definition of Customer Success At an established company, CS is a known function with clear goals, metrics, and processes. In a new setup, you often have to define what Customer Success means for the business, align stakeholders, and educate teams on why it matters. 2. ...Read More