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Q: What does a customer success specialist do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> Customer Success Specialists work closely with customers to ensure they have the tools and support needed to be successful using your products\/services. This creates loyal <\/em>customers encouraging long-term, repeat business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every business wants customers. And every business wants success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now consider this: what if your customers achieved success through your<\/em> business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s the essence of \u2018customer success\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s about enabling your customers to achieve their desired outcome by using your products or services. By resolving their pain points, you create long-term, loyal customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Implementing structured customer success enablement<\/a> strategies can empower businesses to proactively address customer needs, fostering long-term loyalty and ensuring mutual success. It\u2019s what every entrepreneur strives for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And with the right people onboard, it\u2019s 100% achievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The customer success mission is spearheaded by the role of a Customer Success Specialist, or Customer Success Manager — but more on that later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, we\u2019ll examine the meaning of customer success and how it can help a virtual business thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n So what is customer success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n First up, notice we\u2019re talking about customer success — not customer service. They\u2019re linked, but they\u2019re not the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customer success is a term that refers to maximizing customer profitability for the long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s weaving a culture of customer-centricity into your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not<\/strong> simply about customer acquisition or lead generation, and it\u2019s not just about marketing or sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s all these things working together for one important objective:<\/p>\n\n\n\n How does this generate ROI, you ask?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through your products and services, you provide an experience that\u2019s so valuable to your customers that they stay with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They provide repeat business and they may even go on to buy upgrades or premium products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This fuels your own long-term profitability and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your ROI is an outcome of the customer experience. We\u2019re not just talking about a pleasant after-sales service or helpful support; these things are incredibly important, but it\u2019s more than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s about delivering real value through your products and services that aids in the success of your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A customer who recognizes that their company is successful because of your products and services, is the type of customer that\u2019s worth keeping and nurturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your focus now is on retaining and extending the lifetime of your customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your products or services enable your customers to become more successful.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n In turn, they become long-term loyal customers, which enables your company to become more successful, too.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n You might think of it as \u2018success breeds success\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, we are talking about customer success<\/strong>, not customer service<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like we said before, the two are inextricably linked but they have different objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customer success<\/em> seeks to enable your customers\u2019 success through long-term utilization of your products and services. Their success ensures your success.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Customer service<\/em> is the support and advice you offer customers throughout their life cycle with you. The onus is on day-to-day support rather than integration for future prosperity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, an effective customer success strategy will involve many, if not all, of your customer-facing<\/a> business departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That includes your customer service and support teams along with marketing, sales, and product or business development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customer success is an important strategy for any organization, large or small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s particularly beneficial for virtual businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a virtual business, there is very little face-to-face customer contact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The same goes for remote colleagues who work \u2018together\u2019, digitally speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure, you may speak over the phone, use live chat, or communicate over video calls using tools like Zoom, Teams, or GoToMeeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But you\u2019re still missing an important part of the puzzle: human contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where traditional businesses can have the upper hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n One study<\/a> at UCLA indicated that up to 93 percent of communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal cues.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s the power of in-person communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not even video calls can completely replace in-person communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve ever tried to have a video call with spotty WiFi, or with an audio lag, or with a particularly chatty team member — not to mention the now overfamiliar \u201cYou\u2019re on mute!\u201d scenario — you\u2019ll know what we mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even Zapier, which proudly operates as a remote company, extols the benefits of in-person contact in its blog post<\/a>, \u2018How to manage a remote team\u2019:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn-person interaction is valuable for any team. There is definitely something unique that happens when teammates can work on something in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can directly impact your team performance too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/02-CustomerSuccess.png\" "\\"What")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat is Customer Success?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"It\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image-4.png\" "\\"It\u2019s")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCustomer Success: Explained<\/h2>
![\"customer](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image-1.png\" "\\"customer")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCustomer Success is not customer service.<\/strong><\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"customer](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image-2.png\" "\\"customer")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCustomer Success is not lead generation.<\/strong><\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"customer](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image-3.png\" "\\"customer")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCustomer Success is not a marketing trick.<\/strong><\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sustainable customer retention.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/03-A-Fix-Flip-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCustomer success is a two-way strategy:<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"Customer](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/12-Virtualoffices.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCustomer Success for Virtual Businesses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"One](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/03-statistics-nonverbal.png\" "\\"One")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
![\"79](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/04-statistics-work-reactively-1.png\" "\\"79")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Customer](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/05-Customer-Success-Specialist.png\" "\\"Customer")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Customer](\"https:\/\/www.alliancevirtualoffices.com\/virtual-office-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image-5.png\" "\\"Customer")
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