This blog is a summary of James Kaikis's Episode on the Revenue Mavericks Podcast. Visit the Mavericks Podcast Homepage to see the latest episodes.

 

In many organizations, the phrase “the customer matters” often feels more like a tagline than an operational truth. Revenue, renewals, and efficiency metrics dominate priorities, leaving the actual customer experience on the back burner. The disconnect is especially evident in the buying journey: customers spend months doing research and endure a complicated sales process, only to realize unmet expectations once the contract is signed. From onboarding struggles to operational inefficiencies, a customer’s journey can feel broken from start to finish. A customer-centric approach makes all the difference.

The Problem with Traditional Handoffs

One of the major challenges in customer success is the disjointed nature of traditional team structures. Customers are passed from one team to the next—BDRs ask questions, AEs close the deal, SEs handle demos, and CS teams manage post-sale relationships. Along the way, promises are broken and priorities are misunderstood.

What if teams shared responsibility across the customer journey instead? When AEs remain involved post-sale, they ensure customer needs are met from start to end. While they might not be involved in account management, they remain responsible for monitoring customer health, metrics, and meetings discussing customer needs. This collaboration between teams builds trust. Specialized teams like Solutions Engineers and Value Optimization groups design and deliver solutions based on the customer’s specific needs. Customer success becomes a company-wide initiative, and everyone is responsible for delivering a smooth experience and value. Customer experience should be a mindset and methodology just as much as it is an org structure.

Overpromising, Underdelivering: Lessons Learned

A common pitfall for companies is overpromising during the sales process and underdelivering during implementation. Complex products often exacerbate this problem, as critical details from initial discussions fail to translate into actionable plans for delivery teams. When promises aren’t met, it can erode trust and damage relationships.

To combat this, organizations must adopt a programmatic approach. This means standardizing processes to ensure consistency and repeatability, while holding teams accountable for every step of the customer journey. By focusing on operations and aligning internal workflows, companies can reduce friction, fulfill promises, and scale their efforts effectively.

 

Metrics that Matter

Too often, customer success teams are reactive, functioning more like advanced customer support. Instead, success should be measured proactively, focusing on metrics that directly impact the customer’s goals. Adoption and utilization are key indicators of value. If customers aren’t using a product, find out why—whether it’s a lack of enablement, unclear value propositions, or insufficient support. 

Proactively engaging with customers to understand these gaps can lead to actionable insights. For example, analyzing usage patterns to identify underperforming segments or teams and addressing their specific challenges can significantly boost confidence and adoption. By aligning customer success strategies with clear metrics, such as deal velocity, utilization, or proof-of-concept timelines, businesses can deliver outcomes that matter to their clients and prove that their product is indispensable.

 

Proactivity as a Core Strategy

Proactivity is the cornerstone of effective customer success. Whether it’s accelerating sales motions, reducing POC timelines, or enabling better adoption, companies need to stay ahead of their customers’ needs. For example, a proactive team might discover that a high-performing team isn’t using the product due to a lack of training. Engaging early to resolve such issues can prevent dissatisfaction and ensure long-term success.

In addition, creating multi-threaded relationships within accounts is crucial. By building strong connections with key stakeholders and regularly highlighting wins, businesses can position themselves as indispensable partners. These proactive efforts not only strengthen the relationship ahead of renewals but also ensure alignment on value and outcomes. 

 

Accountability and Scalability

One of the most important elements of customer success is accountability. Talking about customer-centricity isn’t enough; it must be embedded into the culture and processes of the organization. It informs how employees should approach both customers and each other. This requires clear mechanisms for tracking responsibilities and holding teams accountable for delivering results.

At the same time, scalability is a critical concern. When you take customer experience seriously, simply adding headcount to meet growing demands isn’t a sustainable long-term solution. Instead, companies need to focus on efficiency—leveraging data to identify trends, standardize processes, and implement programmatic approaches that ensure consistency and scalability. Balancing short-term needs with long-term growth requires careful planning and a commitment to operational excellence.

 

Breaking Down Traditional Norms

The traditional playbook for customer success is changing. Over the past decade, many organizations have leaned into hyper-specialization, creating rigid roles and narrowly defined responsibilities. But in an environment where agility and adaptability are increasingly important, the rise of the generalist is reshaping the landscape.

Breaking free from outdated norms starts with asking tough questions. Why are processes structured a certain way? Is a traditional emphasis on MQLs and SQLs still as essential as it once was? By challenging assumptions and focusing on what truly drives value—such as pipeline progression, high-quality leads, and effective account growth—companies can differentiate themselves from everyone else who is running the same playbook.

Thinking Differently

One of the biggest challenges in customer success is balancing present needs with future growth. Addressing immediate issues like onboarding, adoption, or renewals is essential, but so is planning for scalability and efficiency. This requires a mindset of continuous improvement and a willingness to embrace change.

The next wave of B2B SaaS will demand new approaches to customer success. Companies that stick to the same old strategies risk falling behind as the industry evolves. Those willing to ask themselves “Why do we solve problems this way? How do we keep doing what’s best for this customer?” are the ones who will best positioned to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.

By rethinking the customer journey, embedding accountability, and staying proactive, companies can move beyond outdated practices and build a foundation for sustainable success. The future of customer success lies in adaptability, alignment, and a relentless focus on delivering real value.

 

James Kaikis is the Chief Revenue & Experience Officer at TestBox, which generates complex data at scale to power authentic demo and POC experiences in your live product that show just like a real customer account.