This document discusses the importance of aligning customer success and sales teams to increase success. It notes that poor communication, lack of role clarity, and not treating each other as partners can undermine the relationship. Key aspects of a successful partnership include clearly defining complementary roles, engaging in strategic planning together, and tying goals and compensation to both retention and new business. With commitment from leadership and a focus on shared goals, the aligned teams can increase pipeline velocity, conversion rates, and reduce churn.

1. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work - Aligning Customer Success & Sales

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. Key to Success
StructureCommitmentRole
Clarity
Strategic
Planning
Shared
Goals

6. 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

7. Customer SuccessSales
Executive Leadership
Commitment

8. Renewals
Successful
Customer
Demonstrate
Value
Cross
Sell/Upsell
Drive Adoption
Defined
Roles
Role Clarity

9. 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

10. The Perfect Play
Sales
=
Quarterback
Customer
Success
=
QB
Coach

11. 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

12. 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

13. RiskMissed
Opportunities
Customer
Confusion
Internal
Opposition
Shared Goals

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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