Why Customer Success is Product and Engineering Team's Responsibility
henrydjacob and Tnelat
Where innovation meets functionality, there lies a critical yet often overlooked aspect – customer success. While the spotlight typically shines on customer success or support teams when it comes to ensuring customer satisfaction, the true guardians of this success are the product and engineering teams.
Customer success isn't solely about providing exceptional support; it's about delivering a product that meets and exceeds the customer's needs. The onus of this responsibility falls on the shoulders of the product and engineering teams. No amount of customer onboarding or support can compensate for a subpar or poorly engineered product.
In many organizations, there exists a disconnect where customer success metrics and support metrics remain confined to the customer-facing teams. However, for true customer success to be achieved, these metrics must flow back to the product and engineering teams. It is only when these teams are made aware of the issues faced by customers that real solutions can be implemented.
The integration of customer success metrics into team meetings is paramount. By actively discussing these metrics, product and engineering teams can gain valuable insights into areas that require improvement. This not only fosters a customer-centric approach but also instills a sense of ownership and accountability within the teams.
Ultimately, the responsibility for customer success extends beyond the realms of customer-facing teams – it is a collective effort that involves every individual within an organization. However, the product and engineering teams play a pivotal role in shaping the customer experience through the development of innovative, high-quality products.
As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of engineering culture, let us not forget the crucial role that product and engineering teams play in driving customer success. By prioritizing customer-centricity and actively incorporating customer feedback into product development, we can pave the way for a more successful and sustainable future.
So, let us ponder – how can we further empower our product and engineering teams to champion customer success and drive innovation within our organizations?