CAB Case Study: CSMs Run CABs to Optimize Quarterly Goals
CSM challenges:
CSMs are asked to do quarterly executive briefings, plus work in upsell (a spiff/bonus driven product or services)
CSMs have to do this within a small window of time. Typically in the last month of the quarter (most carry 40+ if not more accounts)
CSMs have to do their daily work, solving problems on the account, making sure the customer has a positive experience (Nothing can be dropped)
Background:
At a UCaaS company, CSMs were given a number to hit, they had to upsell PS or some form of upgrade to our enterprise customers. They grew quickly, enterprise CSMs had 40 accounts to manage. Within a year, each CSM had to manage 75+ accounts. This was not sustainable and their top CSMs left to seek CSM leadership roles elsewhere.
Solution: CSM led Customer Advisory Board
Quarterly executive briefings agenda and turn content into a CAB agenda
Select accounts that do not compete, could be birds of a feather (company size)
Invite customers to share what topics they want to hear to build out your agenda
Regional CSM boards are easier to manage, especially if you want to invite them to meet and speak at local field events
Plus, customers will want to support each other as they are in the same region/ community
Benefits: CSM can scale and potentially reach more accounts this way
Ask one customer to be the "keynote" regional CAB member, they speak to their business goals, it doesn’t have to be a hard sell of the product. *Tip is should be the opposite and ask them to share other technology they like
Provide a sounding board/ group therapy for CAB customers to share and learn from each other
A CSM can have a quick 15 minute call after the post CAB (get their input how it went... I would not be surprised if they ask for a SOW for some PS configuration work)
Don't wait for yearly events to hear what your customer wants and needs (you can do this quarterly.) A big help in forecasting sales, your Sales leaders will be even more impressed with you
The CAB members' presentations can be converted to speaking pitches or webinar content
CAB consulting services:
Train the CSM team how to put on their own CAB
I set up one or run all the CABs. If I set up, create a template for the field to scale out into other regions or train others in EMEA and APJ
A la carte. Develop CAB content or recruit customers for CAB and select the best customers for prospecting the customer panel
I have led customer speaking programs and experience in developing customer speaking content for webinars, panels and conference keynotes. I can follow up with CAB customers to develop future speaking content. We need more sessions with customers and CSMs out there, too!