During his time at a startup, Alex Farmer transitioned from a Customer Success Manager (CSM) to Head of Customer Success and then to Director of CS, a trajectory he fondly calls his "business school." Over five years, this role saw the company grow from $1 million to $20 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Now, as the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Nezasa, he oversees both new business and post-sale teams, balancing the demands of both roles with a focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences.
What advice do you have for someone's first 100 days as head of CS?
Alex emphasizes the importance of the first 100 days for those stepping into a CX leadership role. This period is crucial for establishing customer relationships and gaining insights to shape your strategy. He suggests dividing this time into three phases:
- First 30 Days: Focus solely on listening to customers. This is the time to gather feedback and understand their pain points.
- Next 30 Days: Engage with your internal team to understand the organization's inner workings and identify areas of friction.
- Final 30 Days: Formulate your strategy for the next 12 to 24 months, integrating customer and internal team insights.
What does your CS strategy focus on currently and in the future?
At Nezasa, Alex’s CX strategy focuses on personalization and scalability. With around 80 customers and 60 employees, the company is at a scale-up stage, where building a foundation for growth is critical. Nezasa’s software helps travel agencies sell customizable, flexible package tours—a significant shift from traditional fixed packages.
The current strategy involves segmenting customers and aligning product plans with these segments. Automation plays a key role, particularly in personalizing customer interactions. For example, Nezasa has launched inbuilt analytics that allows customers to access quarterly business reviews (QBRs) directly through the product, tailored to their needs.
How Do You Measure Success With CS?
Success in CX is measured through a mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Alex tracks time to value, net promoter scores (NPS), and customer sentiment surveys. He emphasizes the importance of understanding both end-user satisfaction and executive sponsor feedback. At Nezasa, these insights inform product development and ensure the company remains customer-centric.
What pain points do you have leading a CS team?
One of Alex's primary challenges is ensuring a seamless handover between sales and customer success. To address this, Nezasa has implemented customer success plans during the sales process, ensuring that customer objectives are clearly communicated and followed through. This approach helps maintain continuity and prevents customers from feeling like they’re being passed around.
Another challenge is balancing the demands of new business with post-sale responsibilities. Alex, who once believed that revenue leaders should focus solely on revenue, now finds himself balancing these roles. However, he ensures that the company's focus remains balanced by aligning KPIs such as net MRR, which accounts for both churn and expansion.
How do you establish partnerships and gain buy-in with the C-suite?
Collaboration with the C-suite is crucial for CX leaders. Alex stresses the importance of understanding each executive’s KPIs and aligning your initiatives with their goals. For instance, when working with product and engineering teams, it’s essential to follow established processes for reporting bugs and escalating issues, even if it’s more cumbersome. This fosters goodwill and ensures that the company’s objectives are met more efficiently.
Do you have an example of utilizing customer feedback to improve your company?
Customer feedback is a powerful tool for driving organizational change. Alex highlights the importance of using customer insights to influence internal decisions. By presenting customer feedback to the broader leadership team, he can effectively advocate for changes that might have been overlooked. This approach reinforces the importance of customer-centricity and helps build a stronger case for necessary improvements.
What is the future of CS?
Looking ahead, Alex sees CX's future as more automated and customer-centric. While automation is often seen as a way to do more with less, he believes it should be approached with the customer’s needs in mind. This means removing friction and centralizing customer interactions into a single, easy-to-access platform. Additionally, he advocates for revenue-centricity within CX teams, arguing that customer success should be tied to measurable business outcomes.
About Alex Farmer
Alex Farmer’s journey from customer success to revenue leadership offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to make an impact in the CX space. His approach to leadership is grounded in listening, learning, and continuously improving. For those interested in following his career or seeking advice, Alex is active on LinkedIn, where he occasionally shares insights and is open to connecting with others in the industry.
About CX Chats
CX chats is an interview series with Ben Holland, where we talk to industry leaders in the field of customer experience and customer success. Each interview dives deep into the insights from each leader and highlights how they became successful, tips for aspiring CX professionals, and their thoughts on the future of CX.