Anand Subbaraj, CEO of Zuper.
Since founding my company, Zuper, a few years ago, my philosophy on growth has stayed the same: Remain customer-obsessed and let the customer’s needs serve as the organization’s North Star.
I am steadfast in my belief that with the customer at the center, the direction for the team and product growth falls naturally in line with our company’s mission. I’ve found this approach also ensures products and services meet customer needs and exceed their expectations.
Beyond my own personal success, there is much data to support that customer-led growth is the way of the future. Forrester reports that decision makers at “customer-obsessed B2B organizations estimate a 10% or higher growth in revenue, profits, and customer retention at a rate three times that of their non-customer-obsessed counterparts.”
When you’re leading a fast-growing, early-stage software company, it is relatively easy for a CEO to keep their finger on the pulse of company happenings. The CEO joins new and existing client meetings, runs product demos and is closely involved in marketing and sales strategy.
But as the business grows and, with it, the CEO’s responsibility, it can be difficult to stay close to the customer. A few things we have implemented have made a significant impact on how we interact with the customer in this current growth phase. The following are best practices that have yielded positive results for my organization to date.
1. Don’t underestimate the value of diverse feedback.
Especially as B2B businesses refine their product or service offerings, CEOs should urge their teams to explore every possible way to get customers’ input—not just at the beginning of a new relationship but throughout the entire customer lifecycle, from onboarding to billing and beyond.
For example, we regularly take advantage of customer visits to immerse ourselves in their workflows, unearthing pain points that we can directly address and create solutions to bring back to our other clients. Whether face-to-face or virtual, these engagements provide a direct, invaluable window into the user experience.
To take it a step further, consider having product engineers face-to-face with customers throughout the development process. This direct tie to product development helps to foster a sense of community among your customers and further solidify their connection to the brand. I believe in the value of customer retention and encourage my teams to build one-on-one connections with our clients as part of that retention strategy.
2. Utilize technology for continuous feedback collection.
I recognize that it’s not always possible to get face time with all customers, especially as executive priorities change and responsibilities grow. Particularly when I’m on the road, either raising our next funding round or planning our expansion, I like to rely on technology as an avenue for continuous feedback collection.
For this reason, regular customer intercepts during pre-scheduled meetings, online feedback forms in the “help” section of your platform and in-app prompted feedback make it easy for customers to share their opinions easily in real time.
We are seeing a lot of AI-based technology solutions come to market that analyze the wealth of data you collect and suggest a course of action. Whichever feedback collection method you choose, it should be intuitive for the customer and built into their existing workflow as much as possible. Stay attuned to the digital footprints of your customers so you’re equipped to anticipate their evolving needs.
3. Establish strong customer-facing teams with open channels of communication through to the CEO.
Part of being customer-obsessed, especially as you scale, is about building customer-centricity into your culture and training your teams on the unique way your company engages its customers.
Your customer-facing teams are the frontline guardians of your customer relationships. Equipping them with the right tools and training empowers them to provide above-and-beyond service, which, in turn, enhances customer experiences and deepens their loyalty to your brand.
Create an environment where customer feedback is actively sought and valued. Make sure you have established open communication channels between your customer support teams, engineering and product development to foster a seamless flow of insights.
Finally, don’t close yourself off as a resource to your team as you grow. Offer yourself as a resource and customer service expert. If you’ve grown your company from the ground up, you are likely a product expert and your knowledge is invaluable.
As Zendesk research highlights, a superior customer experience is valued so highly that customers often pay more for it. By investing in your customer-facing teams, you invest in the bedrock of your business’s growth.
At my company, these three practices have helped us exceed customer expectations. Maintaining a customer-centric approach is not just a philosophy but a proven strategy for sustainable growth.
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