In this episode, we sit down with Kristi Faltorusso, a seasoned Customer Success leader and Chief Customer Officer at ClientSuccess, to challenge the conventional wisdom around playbooks. With nearly 50,000 followers on LinkedIn, Kristi has built a strong personal brand by advocating for a retention-driven growth engine - without the rigid frameworks.
Key Topics:
Why traditional playbooks can be counterproductive in Customer Success
How company stage and culture shape CS strategy
Building a high-performing CS team without rigid rules
Convincing leadership to embrace a flexible, principles-based approach
If you're looking to rethink how Customer Success can truly drive retention and growth, this conversation is a must-watch!
Chapters:
00:00 The No Playbook Approach and Why It Works
4:45 Everyone's Anxious and Obsessed with Outputs
7:50 Plans vs Playbooks
9:50 Retaining Customers When the Product is Falling Behind
14:46 Building a Team Culture Focused on Adaptability, Harmony, and Flexibility
17:41 What Leaders Should Do During Hard Times in Tech
20:46 Building Relationships With Your Team - Healthy, Happy Teams = Healthy, Happy Customer Experience
26:00 Kristi's Past Experiences That Have Shaped How She Works Today
29:05 Prioritizing From Day 1 As A CS Leader
34:27 Re-imaging CS From Scratch - What Behaviors or Activities Should We Drop?
38:19 Testing Pricing, Packaging, and Products With Customers First
41:16 Pushing A CS Org to Focus
44:05 A Final Piece of Advice From Kristi - Top Books
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