Why should SaaS have all the fun? Yes, you heard that right. Just because customer success originated from the SaaS, that does not mean it should stick to the ‘as-a-service’ models only. All of the non-SaaS industries too put a spotlight on the customer and help them succeed. Examples of gym studios, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, hardware, beauty salons, etc. have broken the internet with their customer success stories.

The non-SaaS businesses are all set to hop on the customer success plane. After all, meeting the customer’s demands and needs is all that both the parties want from one another. Implementing customer success within a non-SaaS business might as well come with its own set of hurdles and complications. However, fret no more, you are certainly on the right page. This blog here is about to walk you through the practices that you can inculcate to bring in the best flavors of CS for 2022. Five such bullets are awaiting you to give you some thinking: 

1. Kick start with the right Team 
2. Aim a benchmark to target
3. Hear them out for real 
4. Define what success is to you 
5. Keep Faith and Momentum 

Kick start with the right Team 

Building toned customer success practices from scratch could be as daunting as a task. In such a case, it is of high pertinence that you have the right people at your bay. It is critically important that you find people whose goals and targets align with that of yours.

Also, look for people who have had prior experience in marketing, support, or sales. Even having the right training and education on using CS metrics and tools can benefit you in ways. In the end, lean on to them and get all the requisite boost you will be needing.

Aim a benchmark to target

While implementing something into a brand-new subject like customer success practice in a non-SaaS industry, you must be aware of your target, wants, and expectations. You must know what you are doing and what do you wish to achieve.

That is why having a benchmark to aim for will give you the much-needed focus. It will veer you in the right direction ensuring that your time, energy, and resources do not go wasted. Set a specific area of your assets and opportunities and see if you can spur out additional support and understanding out of that.

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Define what success is to you 

Customer Success as an industry is quite subjective. The definition of success differs from one industry to another. What stays common is the success of a customer. For you to grow, the success of your customer is a prime concern.

Only a satisfied and successful client will go the extra mile to achieve loyalty. Therefore, all your moves must center on pulling out a successful client. And that will happen when you have a clear-cut definition of what success means to you.

Hear them out for real 

Nothing upsets a customer more when they see that their concerns and pain points are not being addressed. And if you want your client to achieve his or her goal by using your product, you need to ensure policies around that. Practice active listening and hear them out completely.

Remember that the customer is your biggest asset. You cannot fall on the right track by ignoring their say. Adopt a customer-centric approach and give their requirements a top priority. You will soon see your revenue taking a notch up.

Keep Faith and Momentum 

There is no easy way to say this, but there are going to be hurdles on your way – be it advertent or inadvertent. Since customer success in a non-SaaS industry is a new affair, you will have to ace the skill of failing and learning.

Mistakes teach you way more than you expect. All that stays common is that you should not run out of faith and momentum. Stop seeing customer success as a different function taking place within a business but simply as a part of doing business. And finally, stay strong, motivated, and iterate!

Examples of CS in non-SaaS Businesses

• Apparel Manufacturing Industry: The concept of ‘5S’ or ‘lean’ rules in the apparel manufacturing industry. Although ‘lean’ comes into force, with a primitive target to cut down on the wastes, the second major half of this concept has got to do with streamlining the customer experience. A revamped internal process gives rise to a better product which in turn imbues loyalty in a customer. The struggle is common in all of these businesses, which is – to retain a customer. 
• Mobile Industry: The mobile developers are constantly on the run to produce a better version of their product. They strive to design the product in a manner that is beyond just a necessity. For this, they begin by perusing the customer’s feedback and suggestions. Once, they have the answers, they remake, remodel, and rethink how to surface these expectations into a reality. In the end, what all of them want is enhanced customer retention. 
• Mental Fitness Industry: You already know what you are selling is about interactions, conversations, and advice. Consulting a psychiatrist or a psychologist is all about venting yourself to the professions in exchange for some mental fitness. When you are talking about nurturing a relationship with your customer, you are expecting more than a single set of interactions. You want them to revert to you. You want them to recommend you to other people. In a way, this leads to retention, which is the primary goal of customer success. 

That’s a Wrap

With the right people, tools, strategies, commitment, and processes, you are on your way to finding great success with customer success. Think of it as a stellar combination of metrics coupled with the soft touch of human interaction, making you succeed. Pay heed to the aforementioned practices and see your customers succeed in no time. 

WRITTEN BYSwati Somineni

An implementation engineer with six years of experience is a seasoned professional specialising in implementing and integrating complex systems and technologies for businesses. Possessing a diverse skill set that combines technical expertise, and project management capabilities.

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