The Customer Success Playbook
Welcome to “The Customer Success Playbook,” a fresh podcast initiative spearheaded by Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon. Immerse yourself with us in the dynamic realm of customer success, where we unravel the latest insights, inspirations, and wisdom from recognized leaders in the Customer Success domain. Our journey began with a simple yet profound belief: that meaningful conversations can significantly impact our professional trajectory. With this ethos, we’ve embarked on a mission to bring to you the voices of seasoned and revered professionals in the field. Our episodes have seen the likes of Sue Nabeth Moore, Greg Daines, Jeff Heclker, James Scott, David Ellin, and David Jackson, who have generously shared their expertise on a variety of pertinent topics. We’ve delved into the intricacies of Profit and Loss Statements in Customer Success with Dave Jacksson, explored the potential of Customer Success Platforms with Dave Ellin, and unravelled the role of AI in Customer Success with all guests. With Sue, we navigated the waters of Organizational Alignment, while Greg brought to light strategies for Reducing Churn. Not to be missed is James insightful discourse on the Current Trends in Customer Success and Jeff’s thoughts on Service Delivery in CS. Each episode is crafted with the intention to ignite curiosity and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement among customer success professionals. Our discussions transcend the conventional, probing into the proactive approach, and the evolving landscape of customer success. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the industry, our goal is to propel your customer success prowess to greater heights. The rich tapestry of topics we cover ensures there’s something for everyone, from the fundamentals to the advanced strategies that shape the modern customer success playbook. Our upcoming episodes promise a wealth of knowledge with topics like CS Math, Training, AI, Getting hired in CS, and CS Tool reviews, ensuring our listeners stay ahead of the curve in this fast-evolving field. The roadmap ahead is laden with engaging dialogues with yet more industry mavens, aimed at equipping you with the acumen to excel in your customer success journey. At “The Customer Success Playbook,” our zeal for aiding others and disseminating our expertise to the community fuels our endeavor. Embark on this enlightening voyage with us, and escalate your customer success game to unparalleled levels. Join us on this quest for knowledge, engage with a community of like-minded professionals, and elevate your customer success game to the next level. Your journey towards mastering customer success begins here, at “The Customer Success Playbook.” Keep On Playing!!
Episodes
What happens when passionate customer feedback clashes with cold, hard data? Jake McKee tackles this age-old product dilemma with wisdom earned from years at Lego and building communities for Fortune 500 brands. This episode of the customer success playbook reveals why treating community building as relationship development—not just feedback collection—transforms how companies balance emotional customer input with ana...
The future of AI isn't just about technology—it's about relationships. Jake McKee, renowned as "the community guy," delivers a paradigm-shifting perspective on AI adoption that goes far beyond features and functionality. Rather than getting caught up in the technical capabilities, McKee advocates for designing the emotional connection between humans and AI systems. This customer success playbook ep...
AI Friday delivers cutting-edge insights as John Huber reveals how artificial intelligence is transforming customer success operations. The conversation explores practical AI applications that are already delivering results, from conversation intelligence tools like Chorus for team coaching and customer context gathering, to emerging platforms like Sturdy that analyze unstructured data across email, Slack, and support...
Wednesday brings the burning question that divides CS and sales teams everywhere: who should own expansion revenue? John Huber tackles this contentious topic with nuanced insights drawn from his experience managing both dedicated CS-led expansion models and hybrid partnership approaches. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all answer, John presents a thoughtful framework for determining the optimal structure based on...
Summary
This episode kicks off a compelling three-part series featuring John Huber, founder of Customer Success Architects, who brings two decades of experience building CS functions across five different SaaS companies. The conversation centers on the fundamental question every growing business faces: how do you launch a customer success function that actually drives results? John shares his battle-tested approac...
The Customer Success Playbook podcast wraps up its enlightening three-part series with Kristen Nolan of Interview Valet by exploring the delicate balance between technology and human connection. In this forward-thinking discussion, Kristen reveals how she leverages AI as a strategic tool while maintaining authentic relationships. From using AI to identify unique client differentiators to employing dictation for effici...
The Customer Success Playbook podcast delivers a thought-provoking exploration of confidence building in this captivating episode featuring Kristen Nolan of Interview Valet. Hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger guide a discussion that dives into overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Kristen shares her personal journey from questioning "who cares what I have to say?" to becoming a confident podcast gue...
In this eye-opening episode of the Customer Success Playbook podcast, hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger welcome Kristen Nolan, Senior Client Account Manager at Interview Valet. As a military spouse, mother of three, and active community volunteer, Kristen shares her battle-tested strategies for managing a packed schedule. Her number one tip? Taking control of your calendar through intentional time blocking. Discove...
As artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize project management, many professionals feel caught between excitement and overwhelm. In this AI Friday finale of their three-part series, Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon explore with Elizabeth Harrin how to harness AI's power without losing the human touch. From security concerns to practical applications, Elizabeth delivers a refreshingly pragmatic approach to ...
When multiple projects collide with competing deadlines, stakeholder management becomes an art form. In this dynamic episode of the Customer Success Playbook, Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon continue their conversation with Elizabeth Harrin, exploring the intricate dance of aligning diverse stakeholder expectations. From financial services to healthcare, Elizabeth shares her cross-industry insights on what truly matter...
Ever feel like you're juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle? That's modern project management for you. In this episode of the Customer Success Playbook, Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon welcome Elizabeth Harrin, the mastermind behind the award-winning Rebels Guide to Project Management. With over two decades of experience helping professionals navigate the chaos of multiple projects, Elizabeth revea...
In this final part of the Katie Smith trilogy on the Customer Success Playbook, we enter the brave new world of AI and marketing. Host Kevin Metzger explores the promises and pitfalls of generative tools with Katie, who brings her thoughtful and grounded take on how businesses can embrace automation while fiercely protecting their authenticity. If you’ve ever wondered how to use AI effectively without sounding like a ...
Back for part two with Katie Smith on the Customer Success Playbook, and this time we’re tearing down silos. In this Wednesday edition, host Kevin Metzger guides a conversation focused on how to bring marketing and customer success into harmony. Katie—founder of Wild Path Consulting and fractional CMO—shares a blueprint for unifying teams, streamlining customer journeys, and turning internal collaboration into a comp...
This episode of the Customer Success Playbook podcast is a breath of fresh Livingston, Montana air. Kevin Metzger sits down with Katie Smith, fractional CMO and founder of Wild Path Consulting, to unpack how strategic marketing and proactive customer listening can transform customer relationships and drive sustainable growth. Katie dives into tactics that ensure continuous customer engagement, especially in volatile m...
Close out the week with a power-packed episode of the Customer Success Playbook, as Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger welcome Joe Di Grande for a lively Friday discussion on AI in customer success! Joe shares an honest look at how AI can supercharge your customer success playbook—but only if deployed with clarity and purpose. Learn how to avoid the common pitfall of chasing shiny AI tools without aligning them to your ac...
Gear up for an energizing discussion on tech stacks and smart scaling! In this midweek episode of the Customer Success Playbook, Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon welcome Joe Di Grande back to tackle a pressing issue: bloated CS tech stacks. Joe shares why so many organizations fall into this trap and delivers actionable advice on how to avoid or fix it. From building cross-functional committees to starting tech ops plan...
Ready to rethink your approach to customer success without draining your budget? In this episode of the Customer Success Playbook, hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger sit down with Joe Di Grande, founder of Joe DE's Tech Touch, to demystify tech touch strategies. Joe shares practical methods for building a tech touch framework even when your data is scattered and your budget is tight. You'll discover how un...
In the final chapter of a compelling three-part series on the Customer Success Playbook, hosts Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon sit down once more with communication strategist Mary Schmid to explore whether artificial intelligence can play a meaningful role in building trust. With AI Fridays in full swing, the conversation veers into uncharted territory: can AI actually help us become better listeners, or are we outsou...
Strap in for another riveting episode of the Customer Success Playbook, where empathy isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a business advantage. Hosts Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon are once again joined by communication maven Mary Schmid, who unpacks the neurological power of empathy and its pivotal role in client trust and loyalty. From the depth of scuba diving to the magic of emotional connection, Mary shares how listening ...
In this high-impact episode of the Customer Success Playbook, hosts Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon welcome Mary Schmid, MBA, a communication and leadership expert with a passion for rewiring how we listen. Mary reveals how to shift from surface-level exchanges to trust-building dialogues by embracing her "Conversational Edge" framework. Rather than defaulting to advice-giving, Mary urges professionals to pa...
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