Six of the Most Important Questions in Customer Success
In the world of Customer Success, asking the right question at the right time can be the difference between a renewal and an upsell… or churn.
So recently, when we convened our Customer Success Guild (a select group of senior CS leaders at venture-backed tech startups) for the final live event of the year, we asked the group “what are the most effective questions you ask your customers that routinely produce great insights?” Here’s what they said:
1. Why did you buy?
Asking this question after a sales handoff helps level set priorities and clarify the reason for purchase. This is particularly effective for products that have a breadth of features or use cases. The directness of this question will trigger an equally candid response that cuts to the heart of what matters to a customer.
2. How would you define what success looks like a year from now?
The question forces customers to think specifically and prospectively about what results their organization wants to see. This enables you to solve backwards from their objectives to create a perfectly tailored plan to make the launch successful, and serves as a framework you can revisit during QBRs and throughout the year.
3. How do you think of success? As in, how does this product support your personal goals?
Understanding the specific motivations and goals of your key contact(s) arms you with invaluable information. This will help you to align your efforts with their personal goals, resulting in a significantly more engaged and enthusiastic customer–you’re helping them to succeed.
4. If you had to renew next month, would you?
There’s no more direct way to understand how “healthy” a customer is than asking if they’re ready to re-up now; being direct eliminates any guesswork. This also serves to proactively solicits pain points, problems, organizational issues, and more.
5. What are two things you love (or hate) about the product?
Specificity wins here. This question is more often phrased as, “Do you have any product feedback?” which often garners responses like “Nope — everything’s great!”. Challenging someone to come up with X specific insights forces them to give a more thoughtful response.
6. Is there anyone else who would benefit from these [features / QBR materials / etc.]?
This is a great way to identify additional stakeholders within the account, from adjacent executives to new potential users. Asking this question–for example, at the end of a QBR–is a natural way to build deeper relationships with an organization.
Have a favorite question not listed above? Share it in the comments below.
Are you a senior functional leader at a venture-backed tech startup? Apply here to join our CS Guild. Membership includes quarterly invites to private expert events, access to our archive of playbooks and templates, and inclusion in the private forum with other senior Customer Success leaders.
