The Power of Asking the Right Questions
Customer Success starts with building trust and developing strong relationships.
And as a Customer Success professional, understanding your customers' needs is fundamental.
💡Recent research shows the importance of this approach. 73% of customers state that customer experience weighs heavily in their buying decisions.
To provide exceptional experiences, asking the right questions is key.
Here are the top questions you should have in your toolkit:
Top Questions for Customer Success Pros
What are your biggest challenges
Ask this during initial conversations to focus on critical topics.
How are you currently addressing this problem?
This will give you insights into operational processes and identify gaps.
What does a successful day look like for you
Explore their vision of success to align your offerings with their goals.
What is the one thing we can do to serve you better?
Narrow down discussions to specific, urgent areas for quick wins.
Why? Tell me more about...
Use the "5 whys" technique to reveal underlying reasons.
💡Jason Lemkin, founder of SaaStr, emphasizes the importance of Customer Success, stating:
"Customer Success is where 90% of the revenue is."
So asking the right questions to drive business growth is paramount.
Digging Deeper: Follow-up Questions
To encourage customers to elaborate without being pushy, try these follow-ups:
How did that happen? I'm curious.
What did you do to fix it, and did it work?
What was the cost of dealing with that issue?
Is it something that might happen again?
If it does, how do you plan to handle it next time?
💡A study by the Customer Success Collective found that 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience.
This highlights the importance of thorough follow-up questions.
Understanding the Impact of Inaction
Help customers reflect on long-term consequences by asking:
What would happen if you didn't take action today?
This question uncovers real issues and potential costs they may not have considered.
Creating Urgency for Customer Success
Shift focus to the customer's timeline by asking:
When do you need this solution up and running?
Use their answer to create a timeline that meets their needs, creating urgency without being pushy.
Often Overlooked Questions in Customer Success
What are your specific goals?
How do you measure success?
What are other challenges in using our solutions?
What are the biggest pain points you experience with our solutions?
How can we help you save more time and cost?
Can you provide feedback on your experience so far?
Use AI in Customer Success Conversations
As AI becomes increasingly important in customer success, consider these questions:
How comfortable are you with AI-powered solutions?
What AI tools are you currently using in your workflow?
How do you see AI improving our partnership?
For more insights on AI in Customer Success, check out my guide on AI-powered Customer Success.
Addressing Work-Life Balance
Given the importance of work-life balance in customer success, ask:
How do you manage your workload and maintain a healthy work-life balance?
What support do you need from us to ensure our partnership doesn't add unnecessary stress?
💡Recent research shows that 86% of businesses believe AI will be a "mainstream technology" for Customer Experience by 2024.
It makes these questions even more relevant.
Best Practices for Customer Success Managers
Get familiar with customers' businesses beforehand.
Avoid buzzwords, corporate jargon, or acronyms.
Use open-ended questions that need more than a "Yes" or "No" response.
Keep it simple and ask one question at a time.
Practice active listening and take meaningful notes.
Follow up on key points in the next meetings.
💡A study published in the Journal of Marketing found that effective Customer Success Management strategies can boost customer retention in subscription-based businesses.
For more tips on becoming a great CSM, read my article on Mastering the CSM Role.
Measuring the Impact of Your Questions
To ensure your questioning strategy is effective:
Track customer engagement levels before and after implementing these techniques.
Track key metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT).
Seek feedback from customers on the quality of your interactions.
💡Recent data shows that 72% of customers will share a positive experience with six or more people.
This highlights the importance of effective questioning and follow-up.
Ongoing Learning and Improvement
Stay up to date with the latest customer success trends and techniques:
Attend industry conferences and webinars.
Join customer success communities and forums.
Read books and articles on customer success strategies.
Consider pursuing relevant certifications to improve your skills.
For a comprehensive list of recommended reading, check out my Customer Success Books guide.
The State of Customer Success 2024 report highlights the importance of ongoing learning.
Top-performing CSMs consistently engage in professional development activities.
And That’s It
Understanding customers' needs is key to success in Customer Success Management.
So asking the right questions at the right time and refining your approach over time is key.
It will help you build stronger partnerships, drive growth, and achieve long-term success.
And that's the true power of Customer Success!
-Hakan
Want to take your Customer Success skills to the next level?
💡Check out our bestselling 'Ultimate Customer Success Templates Collection' - rated 4.8/5 by 22 customers and growing!
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Advanced Questioning Techniques
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