The Strategic Importance of Customer Success Teams in AI Product Implementation

Darius
Baruo

Aug
13,
2024
02:19

Discover
how
technical
customer
success
and
support
teams
play
a
critical
role
in
winning
and
retaining
customers,
especially
in
the
AI
industry.

Customer
success
(CS)
and
support
teams
are
often
the
unsung
heroes
behind
a
company’s
success,
especially
in
technical
fields
like
AI
where
the
implementation
is
new
or
more
nuanced.
These
teams
don’t
just
solve
problems—they
build
relationships,
foster
loyalty,
and
ultimately
drive
continued
business
growth
and
success.
For
many
prospective
customers,
the
quality
of
customer
support
can
be
a
deciding
factor
when
choosing
a
service.

What
is
Customer
Success?

Customer
success
teams
are
dedicated
groups
focused
on
helping
customers
achieve
their
desired
outcomes
while
using
a
product
or
service.
These
teams
go
beyond
basic
support
and
are
proactive
in
understanding
and
anticipating
customer
needs,
questions,
or
pain
points
to
help
them
achieve
a
successful
AI
implementation,
launch,
and
continued
growth.

Lee
Vaughn,
API
Support
Engineer
Manager
at
AssemblyAI,
explains,
“This
involves
not
just
understanding
our
product
and
what
is
on
the
roadmap
but
also
understanding
the
customer’s
product,
what
their
goals
are,
and
what
they
have
on
their
product
roadmap.”

The
Role
of
Customer
Support

Customer
support
teams
provide
flexible,
accessible,
always-on
help
for
customers.
It’s
about
being
available
(anytime,
anywhere)
to
quickly
resolve
issues
and
maintain
the
highest
level
of
customer
satisfaction.

“Our
approach
to
customer
support
is
to
meet
the
customer
where
they
are.
We
offer
several
different
options
for
connecting
with
our
team,”
says
Vaughn.
For
AssemblyAI,
these
options
include:

• Live
  chat
• Email
• Discord
• Slack
  channels

for
24/7
support.

Why
Customer
Success
and
Support
Matter

Great
customer
service
has
become
a
key
differentiator
that
can
set
a
company
apart
from
its
competitors.
When
customer
expectations
are
met
or
exceeded,
it
fosters
loyalty
and
turns
customers
into
advocates
for
your
brand.
This
is
especially
true
in
the
tech
and
AI
industries,
where
products
can
often
be
complex
and
require
robust
support
systems.

Vaughn
notes,
“Across
industries,
the
bar
has
really
been
lowered
for
what
customers
receive
when
it
comes
to
service
nowadays.
They
still
want
great
service
but
have
become
resigned
to
the
fact
that
they
probably
aren’t
going
to
get
it.
I
think
that
is
why
customers
are
often
surprised
when
our
team
responds
on
the
weekend
or
offers
to
quickly
jump
on
a
call
with
them.”

Key
Differences
Between
Great
and
Mediocre
Customer
Success
Teams

1.
Strive
to
Exceed
Customer
Expectations

A
great
CS
team
consistently
goes
above
and
beyond
what
customers
expect.
It’s
not
just
about
answering
queries—it’s
about
anticipating
the
next
question
and
providing
comprehensive
solutions.

For
Tom
Lavery,
CEO
and
Founder
of
Jiminny,
a
leading
conversation
intelligence,
sales
coaching,
and
call
recording
platform,
this
high-quality
relationship
was
key
to
their
success
in
partnering
with
AssemblyAI
to
secure
higher
win
rates
for
their
customers.

“AssemblyAI
has
a
real
high-touch
personal
service.
It’s
a
great
partnership
and
we’re
very
collaborative
and
get
to
test
new
AI
models
early
and
work
together,”
said
Lavery.

2.
Understand
the
Context
Behind
Customer
Questions

CS
teams
need
to
dive
deeper
into
the
context
of
inquiries.
Instead
of
offering
generic
solutions,
great
teams
understand
the
underlying
issues
and
tailor
their
responses
accordingly.
Understanding
the
broader
context
helps
your
teams
provide
more
relevant
and
effective
assistance.

3.
Focus
on
Enabling
and
Unblocking
Customers

Some
CS
teams
might
see
their
role
as
simply
resolving
tickets
and
moving
on.
In
contrast,
great
teams
view
each
interaction
as
an
opportunity
to
empower
customers.
This
means
providing
solutions
that
not
only
fix
the
immediate
issue
but
also
equip
customers
with
the
knowledge
and
tools
to
prevent
similar
problems
in
the
future.

“The
focus
should
always
be
on
enabling
and
unblocking
the
customer,
helping
them
overcome
any
obstacles
they
might
be
experiencing,”
says
Vaughn.

How
to
Build
an
Effective
Customer
Success
Team

1.
Find
Outstanding
CS
Team
Members

Building
a
successful
customer
success
team
involves
selecting
individuals
who
possess
key
attributes
such
as
good
communication
skills,
problem-solving
abilities,
and
empathy.

2.
Understand
the
Product
and
Customer
Base

Team
members
should
be
deeply
knowledgeable
about
the
product
and
customer
base.
Vaughn
emphasizes,
“If
your
product
is
technical
and
most
of
the
people
you
interact
with
are
going
to
be
developers,
then
you
will
want
to
build
a
team
that
has
programming
experience.”

3.
Optimize
Processes
to
Reduce
Friction

“The
easier
it
is
for
customers
to
get
in
contact
with
your
team,
the
faster
you
can
work
to
resolve
their
issues,”
says
Vaughn.
Tips
to
achieve
this
include
offering
multiple
communication
channels,
implementing
an
efficient
ticketing
system,
and
providing
self-help
resources.

Investing
in
Customer
Success

Customer
success
and
support
teams
play
a
pivotal
role
in
both
acquiring
and
retaining
customers.
Their
efforts
go
beyond
mere
problem-solving—they
build
relationships,
foster
trust,
and
drive
customer
satisfaction.
Companies
that
invest
in
understanding
their
customers’
needs
and
proactively
assisting
them
will
always
stand
out.

Take
a
moment
to
evaluate
your
own
customer
success
and
support
teams.
Are
they
meeting
the
standards
outlined
here?
Consider
what
changes
or
improvements
you
could
make
to
satisfy
and
delight
your
customers.
A
strong
CS
team
isn’t
just
a
support
system—it’s
a
strategic
asset
in
driving
your
business
forward.

For
more
information,
visit
the

source.

Image
source:
Shutterstock