Customer Success

OPERATING MODEL

September 2022

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 1

 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
Introduction
03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 2

 Customer Success Operating Model - Introduction
Why do we need an Operating Model? Non-interoperable Misalignment

00
Each function uses different methods, Recurring Revenue businesses should
The lack of a uniform operating model special metrics, unique language, and focus on not only having a successful
causes widespread interoperability custom skills. Most methodologies are
designed to compete with each other
and established customer journey up
until the first sale, but also ensure that
resulting in a loss of recurring revenue. something that can be felt in parts of
the organization that seemingly start
the value promised during the sales
process is delivered sustainably
to compete with each other. throughout the customer lifetime.
Recurring revenue businesses are embracing the fact that strong
Customer Success motions are critical to sustainability. However, we
have not yet seen a methodology dedicated to this. LeadGen Adopt
LeadDev
There are CS best practices, but the market lacks a CS methodology Expand
Sales [ + ] Commit
custom built for recurring revenue, that is data driven and that can
integrate across the whole business. This lack of a uniform
methodology has caused a variety of issues, including:
● Lack of a common language: Without a methodology that works
across all teams, departments end up siloed, each using their Onboard
own approach, definitions, and terms.
● Lack of a standardized data model: Often, data tracked and
collected from individual departments doesn’t fit into a uniform ax
model across the business, making it hard to drive decisions
based on data & strategic business insights.
● Lack of interoperability: Most SaaS businesses manage Acquisition modeled by the
Customer Success and
marketing and sales
hundreds to thousands of deals a year, and operate at high funnel.
Expansion, no model yet.
velocity compared to a conventional B2B business. If the
activities of Marketing, Sales, and CS teams aren’t designed to The lack of a uniform operating model causes widespread interoperability
issues. This makes finding the right customers not the result of
work together, there will be roadblocks to growth & scalability. meticulous planning and execution, but rather the result of perseverance
by a customer on their journey to achieve impact.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 3

 Customer Success Operating Model - Introduction
What is an Operating Model?
Recurring Revenue Operating Model

00
An operating model breaks a complex
system into subsystems that can be
described and understood separately.
Customer Acquisition Customer Success
An Operating Model is the blueprint for how to run a business model
within your organization and bring it to life. It allows each individual in
an organization to understand both their role and the bigger picture LeadGen LeadDev Sales Commit Onboard Adopt Expand
they fit into, and to be aware of the dependencies and consequences
of their actions within the business.
The Recurring Revenue Operating Model provides a framework that
spans the entire lifecycle of a customer. This framework is referred to
as The Bowtie. The bowtie allows organizations to operationalize
their business in order to scale efficiently and effectively.
The WbD Recurring Revenue Operating Model supports all business
functions across the bowtie. Today, many companies are likely to
have a sales methodology built into the left side of the bowtie such as
BANT, and use a LeadGen methodology such as Inbound, or ABM.
However there is a lack of any methodology on the right side of the Conventional Marketing and Recurring Revenue takes place
bowtie. Sales Funnel outside the purview of the funnel.

Because delivery of recurring Impact is critical to profitability and

sustainable growth, having a strong way to manage your customer Recurring Revenue Operating Model
base is essential. For that reason, we broke out the Customer covers the entire customer journey.
Success Operating Model so it can be implemented while integrating
easily with common Marketing, and Sales methodologies in use
today.
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 4
 Customer Success Operating Model - Introduction
The Customer Success Operating Model
Recurring Revenue Operating Model

00
A standardized methodology to help
customers achieve impact, and
businesses scale growth sustainably.
Customer Acquisition Customer Success
Historically, we’ve seen companies implement standardized
Marketing and Sales Methodologies on the left side of the bowtie, but
there is a lack of standardized and scalable processes on the right LeadGen LeadDev Sales Commit Onboard Adopt Expand
side of the bowtie.
Since recurring revenue happens on the right side of the bowtie by
delivering Impact that drives retention and growth from existing
customers, we are presenting the WbD Customer Success Operating
Model.
The Customer Success Operating Model consists of three
independent phases: Onboarding, Adoption, and Expansion.
The WbD CS Operating Model is a part of the larger WbD Recurring
Revenue Operating Model. As a result, the CS Operating Model aligns Journey based on
Interoperable experience
with the three independent CS functions and with existing Marketing a consistent
between all departments,
quality experience
and Sales Methodologies. functions, and customer
across the entire
facing roles.
lifecycle.
Implementing the CS Operating Model is an important step forward if
you’re working to make your company more sustainable and drive Individual actions codified to
Uniform Operating model adhere to a uniform language
profitability. for a recurring revenue and using a set of standardized
business that covers the metrics.
entire customer journey.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 5

 Customer Success Operating Model - Introduction
Five Customer Centric Fundamentals

Understand Your Create Value In Educate and Help A Customer Emotional and
Customer Every Interaction Stay Curious Achieve Impact Rational Impact

Take the time to know your Don’t ask for a check in just If you educate your customer All roles within an organization To best support your
customer, their business, their because your calendar has a and make them smarter, they should be focused on helping customers, identify &
goals and challenges. to-do item on it. Each meeting will value the relationship and customers identify and achieve understand both the rational
Research, ask good should have a clear end goal work to preserve and grow it. Impact. and the emotional Impacts
questions, and listen. that further deepens the Impact they are looking to achieve.
That said, don’t assume you The goals should never be to
or potential Impact the
Your products and services already have all the answers. get to a decision or to hit a Rational Impacts benefit their
customer is working to achieve.
should be discussed within Situations change and milestone - those will be business first and the
the frame of how they can Provide value by sharing individuals have different outcomes of pursuing Impact. individual second, and
support the customer, rather relevant information, always points of view. emotional Impacts benefit the
This is a mindset shift that will
than being the standalone making sure to engage the individual first and the
Make sure you listen and immediately improve your
focus of any discussion. customer and listen for any new business second.
validate assumptions. outcomes.
information or insight.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 6

 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
Core Elements
03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 7

 CS Operating Model - Core Elements
Four Core Elements Threaded Across the Entire Customer Journey

CE
S P CE D

The The
C1 Journey
The bowtie refers to the end-to-end
C2 Framework
A key to the CS Operating Model is
C3 Impact
The impact is the realization of the
C4 Critical Event
A Critical Event drives a decision as it
customer journey, including Lead SPICED, an acronym that stands for promise of value. Customers must see has an adverse impact when no
generation, lead development, sales, Situation, Pain, Impact, Critical Event, a recurring impact to renew a contract action is taken. A critical event can
customer onboarding, adoption, and and Decision. or before committing to additional be a set date or an event, such as
expansion. services. getting to 1M users.
SPICED is a diagnostic framework to
The bowtie replaces the conventional identify and transfer critical customer The Operating Model has two kinds of Critical events cause prioritization,
marketing and sales funnel, which information along the entire customer Impact: Rational or quantitative thus driving decisions in recurring
does not cover adoption & expansion, lifecycle. It drives the proper Impact, which benefits the company, revenue businesses. It makes access
which are the growth engines of any customer-centric conversation at and Emotional or qualitative impact, to the budget, or having an RoI of
recurring revenue business. crucial moments for the customer. which helps the person. secondary importance.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 8

 Customer Success Operating Model
A Customer’s Journey
Recurring Revenue Operating Model

C1
A customer traverses across the entire
bowtie with a goal of achieving recurring
Impact. Recurring Revenue is a result.
Customer Acquisition Customer Success
Historically, we’ve seen companies implement standardized
Marketing and Sales Methodologies on the left side of the bowtie, but
there is a lack of standardized and scalable processes on the right LeadGen LeadDev Sales Commit Onboard Adopt Expand
side of the bowtie.
Since recurring revenue happens on the right side of the bowtie by
delivering Impact that drives retention and growth from existing Recurring Revenue is
IMPACT
the result of Recurring
customers, we are presenting the WbD Customer Success Operating Impact
Model.
The Customer Success Operating Model consists of three
independent phases: Onboarding, Adoption, and Expansion. Buy on Commit to
Prioritize Impact Impact First
The WbD CS Operating Model is a part of the larger WbD Recurring on Impact Impact
Discover Recurring
Revenue Operating Model. As a result, the CS Operating Model aligns Impact Journey based on Impact Max
Unknown Interoperable experience
with the three independent CS functions and with existing Marketing a consistent Impact
Impact between all departments,
quality experience
and Sales Methodologies. functions, and customer
across the entire
facing roles.
lifecycle.
This methodology is all center on Impact. The First Principle of
Having everyone seek and talk about
Recurring Revenue is that it is the result of Recurring Impact. This customer impact across all roles and
allows to create an impact journey that aligns the entire company. functions cause alignment across the
company and results in a smooth customer
Implementing the CS Operating Model is an important step forward if journey.

you’re working to make your company more sustainable and drive Individual actions codified to
Uniform Operating model for a adhere to a uniform language
profitability. recurring revenue business that and using a set of standardized
covers the entire customer journey. metrics.
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 9
 CS Operating Model - Core Elements
The Framework

C2
Relevant background facts or circumstances about the
SPICED™ is at the core of the operating
S customer. Factors such as size of company, location,
model. It connects all interactions with SITUATION number of employees, software they use, hiring needs,
the customer across the entire journey. security needs, maturity level, and revenue goals.

SPICED™ connects every interaction across the entire customer

journey. It has the following traits: The problem a customer has or the opportunity they see
P for which they need for a solution. Pains are often
● SPICED is focused on customer Impact, making it PAIN expressed at a superficial level. To identify the true needs
customer-centric. requires a deeper diagnosis.
● SPICED can be used across the entire customer journey for every

Causal
customer touchpoint to validate essential information, qualify,

Sequential
The results produced by solving for that pain. These are the
ensure ongoing alignment, and provide a quick way to surface
risks or opportunities.
I outcomes the customer is trying to achieve by using your
IMPACT product. Impact can be both emotional, focused on
● SPICED is sequential, as you need to understand the situation individuals, and rational, focused on the overall company.
before fully understanding Pain and Impact.
● SPICED reflects contextual relevance; for example, reaching out
to a customer based on the situation depicts less relevance vs. A deadline by which the customer must achieve Impact or
Impact.
CE suffer negative consequences. Critical Events drive
CRITICAL behavior, whether that be completing implementation,
● Ensure all roles across the bowtie frame key customer EVENT expanding use, or completing a renewal.
conversations around SPICED; all customer-facing teams should
be operating off the same core information while also providing a
natural way to uncover risks to the account or expansion
The people involved in the decision, the process they will
opportunities. D follow to reach that decision, and the criteria they will use
● A decision results from a customer’s need for Impact; it is in DECISION
to evaluate the right solution.
service to achieve the Impact, not a driver of the Impact. The
latter is more familiar with a sales-centric approach.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 10

 Customer Success Operating Model
Impact is What a Customers Gets Out Of It Layers of questions uncover Rational (quantitative) Impact
Rational & Emotional Impact. and Emotional (qualitative)

C3
impact.
Impact is critical to driving recurring
revenue from your customers, but what
does IMPACT really mean?
P AIN

Impact refers to something you are providing to a customer they didn’t

have before engaging with you or that they can achieve more quickly S ITUATION
with you. If you aren’t delivering Impact, keeping and growing your
customer base will be highly challenging.
To deliver recurring Impact, you need to start by identifying what
Impacts each customer is looking to achieve. Some Impact goals are
easy to remember, such as “we need to reduce our operational costs,”
but others are less obvious. ● Emotional Impact first benefits a person and
There are 2 kinds of Impact
then the company, such as a promotion earned
Think of Impact as an onion, with some outer layers that are easy to customers want to achieve: with a successful product implementation.
get to but that you need to peel back to gain a deeper understanding. Rational and Emotional. Rational Impact first benefits the company and
The exterior, visible layers reflect the situation and pain a customer then a person, such as dollars that an efficiency
Quantitative goals, such as increasing
feels. Use that information to create strategic questions, listen to tool helps save.
revenue or decreasing cost, have always
understand more types of Impacts, and get a deep understanding of
been a key part of purchasing decisions. ● Emotional Impacts vary by person. Each person
what drives decision-making within their business.
These quantitative goals are defined as experiences Emotional Impact differently
● Situation Question (closed ended): How many users are there on the Rational Impact. However, we know that the depending on their role or situation. Rational
present tool? most successful recurring revenue Impacts, on the other hand, often represent
● Pain Question (open ended): What do users still struggle with? How companies also understand and define common goals shared by all functions at a
does that show up? Emotional Impact for their customers. company.
● Impact (open ended): How much time or money could be saved by Emotional Impacts tend to be more ● Most humans make Emotional decisions.
making it faster for team members to process paperwork? qualitative and can provide deep insights Whether we realize it or not, humans often make
It can take as many as 3 to 7 questions to collect all the types of into buying decisions, even if they are decisions based on emotions and seek to
Impact goals they have, so be patient! unspoken or not part of an RFP. rationalize those decisions with facts and
figures.
Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 11
 CS Operating Model - Core Elements
Identifying a Critical Event

C4
A Critical Event
causes an Impact if The goal of this blueprint is to Critical Event with a
demonstrate what a Critical Event huge consequence
the date is missed. is and what the differences is with (negative impact) in
a compelling event. case the event is
When trying to encourage a prospect or customer missed.
C RITICAL E VENT
to take action, it’s important that there be urgency With no solution in place
around the action. the customer
experiences critical
In the case of Customer Success, an example negative Impact. The customer has an
A critical event timeline tells
idea on the size and
might be that your customer’s renewal date is us when a solution needs
recurrence of the I
to be in place, or else…
upcoming, and they aren’t actively engaging with Impact.

Engagement
I
you to complete it. To drive engagement, you need

Impact
Critical Impact
to create urgency and make the renewal date not
just a Compelling Event but a Critical Event. Compelling Impact

Committed customer
Compelling Events have dates but don’t carry any STAKEHOLDER
COMPELLING EVENT executes the critical
urgency or drive action. A statement illustrating a Gathering of those
event timeline.
CALL TO ACTION
Compelling Event is, “Your renewal date is who will benefit
Hurry up… and wait…
from the Impact.
September 15th.” There is an event but no urgency. Ideal time to help a customer
GO DARK Having learned from its past
Critical Events have a date, AND there will be a mistakes, the customer uses
DISCOVERY
negative consequence if that date is missed. An Decision on the your support and takes action
Discovery identifies priority. to avoid the negative Impact.
illustration of a Critical Event is, “Your renewal date
a customer’s needs.
is September 15th, and if the renewal isn’t
processed by then, your teams will have to go back
to managing spend in spreadsheets, wasting a
Time
great deal of time and creating more risk of errors.”

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 12
 Implementation
Impact and Critical Event

Rational Impact Emotional Impact Critical Event

Measurable, quantitative Impact, such as an Qualitative Impact a person gets. Often worded An event that when missed has an Impact
increase in revenue, or faster. as “better”, “easier” associated with it.
1. ______________________ 1. ______________________ 1. ______________________

5×5×5
2. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 2. ______________________
3. ______________________ 3. ______________________ 3. ______________________
4. ______________________ 4. ______________________ 4. ______________________
5. ______________________ 5. ______________________ 5. ______________________

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 13

 CS Operating Model - Core Elements
Metrics Drive Behavior

When performance is not When performance is So, what are the right
measured, performance does measured and reported metrics?
not improve. back, the rate of
improvement accelerates.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 14

 Customer Success Operating Model
The Operating Model Overview
Operating Model
Recurring Revenue is the
Result of Recurring
Customer Acquisition Customer Success
Impact
The result of an operating model are:
1. Interoperability
LeadGen LeadDev Sales Commit Onboard Adopt Expand
2. A Common Language
3. Standardized Data Model
There are three kind of metrics to run a business:
M1-M9. Volume metrics are in part indicative of
effectiveness. For example; ARR, the
amount of customers, etc.
CR1-CR7. Conversion metrics are in part
Buy on Commit
indicative of efficiency. For example: Impact to Impact First
Prioritize
Retention Rate, Usage etc. on Impact Impact Recurring
Discover
Identify on Impact Max
These standardized metrics allow us to calculate Impact
Impact
performance metrics. Impact

PM1-PM4. Whereas Conversion metrics are CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7
based on metrics in the same domain,
Performance metrics compare a variety of
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
metrics against each other such as Cost
and Lifetime Value. Example metrics: Prospect. MQL. .SQL. .SAL. WIN. ACTIVE. LIVE. ARR. LTV.

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 15
 CS Operating Model - Core Elements
Four Core Metrics That Govern Success in Recurring Revenue

LTV:CAC Ratio Key metrics:

Net Revenue Retention Key metrics:
The Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) ● Annual Revenue (VM5) Measures how much your annual ● Annual Revenue (VM5)
to Customer Acquisition Cost ● Onboarding Churn (CR5) (ARR) or monthly recurring revenue ● Onboarding churn (CR5)
(CAC) ratio measures the ● Retention/Churn (CR6) (MRR) has grown or shrunk over ● Retention/Churn (CR6)
relationship between the lifetime ● Expansion/Contraction (CR7) time. ● Expansion/Contraction (CR7)
value of a customer and the cost of ● Length of the contract (t7) It factors in customer expansion as ● Length of the contract (t7)
acquiring that customer. well as revenue churn from losing a
customer as well as downgrades.

Growth Rate Key metrics:

Rule-of-40 Key metrics:
Growth rates refer to the percentage ● Growth from Acquisition The Rule of 40 states the combined ● Growth Rate
change of recurring revenue within a revenue growth rate and profit ● Profit (Cost)
○ CR1, CR2, CR3, CR4, Discount
specific time period, often a year. margin should equal or exceed 40%. ○ Customer Acquisition Cost
● Growth from Expansion
Common growth rates are: SaaS companies above 40% are ○ Cost To Serve
○ CR5, CR6, CR7
generating profit at a rate that's ○ Cost of Raw Goods
● Rapid Growth 10-20% ○ Length of the contract (t7)
● Hypergrowth 20-40% sustainable, whereas companies
● Double/Triple 100%/200% below 40% may face cash flow
● Blitz Scaling: >1000% issues.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 16

 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
A Blueprint 03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 17

 Customer Success Operating Model
Introduction

IN
A Uniform Operating Model for a
The Bowtie
Recurring Revenue Businesses Recurring Revenue Operating Model

Adoption
LeadGen Expansion
The 3 Goals of the Operating Model for Recurring Revenue: Sales
Onboarding

Goal 1. Establish a common, and customer centric, language.

Goal 2. Apply standardized metrics to allow for benchmarking.

Goal 3. Create Interoperability between different functions.

LeadDev
It is based on the following steps:

Step 1. Use of the bowtie to model the entire customer journey.

Step 2. Split up the customer journey in phases. The key functions are:
Step 3. Establish key metrics for each phase [M, CR, PM]. 1. Lead Generation
Step 4. Identify a handful of Moments that Matter per phase. 2. Lead Development

Step 5. Create a Blueprint for each of these moments. 3. Sales

4. Onboarding
Step 6. Codify SPICED into a Blueprint so it can be trained,
improved, etc.. 5. Adoption
6. Expansion
Step 7. Measure metrics [M, CR, PM] and improve over time

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 18
 Customer Success Operating Model
Introduction

IN
The 2023 Blueprint
format explained. Clear description of the action and The goal of each blueprint The banner provides a
what it does. Handoff to CS is to is clearly stated upfront. visual cue to actions that
Transfer critical account info are identified as a
moment that matters.

The location of where you are at:

● The CS Operating Model
● In the Onboarding Playbook
● Handoff to Customer Success
● Blueprint 01
● Large numbering allows you to
navigate easily in the slide sorter.

Reference to the next

action and blueprint in
the customer journey.

Presence of SPICED, the

framework which
creates interoperability
between blueprints.

Expertise broken down into a Visual that guides you through the
series of steps, actions, best experience as a function of customer
Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™
practices etc. engagement over time. | 19
 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
Onboarding 03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 20

 CS Operating Model - Onboarding Phase
Overview Onboarding

O0
Following the mutual commitment
the relationship has changed: You are
all on the same team now.
The customer onboarding phase is arguably the most critical part of the Mutual
customer journey as it lays the foundation for the relationship. Awareness Education Selection Commit Onboarding Adoption Expansion
Unfortunately, it is also the easiest to do wrong.
Avoid using a “check-the-box” mentality in which both teams focus on the
tactics of completing an onboarding checklist without really understanding
the pain to solve and the Impacts to deliver.
If you don’t know what Impact you’re working to achieve, it will be tough to
deliver it. To ensure you set your customers and your business up for
success, make sure to embed these best practices in your customer
Onboarding journey:
O1. Handoff to CS
O2. Customer Kickoff
O3. Joint Impact Plan (aka Success Plan, Account Plan, etc.)
O4. Achieving First Impact

Getting these motions right will directly impact your customer retention O1 O2 O3 O4
and expansion. It can provide critical insights to your sales and marketing

CS

ff

lan

ct
teams to help them set great expectations with prospects.

pa
ck

P
o

m
ft

ct
Ki

tI
of

pa
er

irs
nd

Im
om

F
Ha

int

ve
st
Cu

hie
Jo

Ac
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 21
 CS Operating Model - Onboarding Phase
Handoff to Customer Success

O1
Effectively transfer During or immediately after the
critical account handoff meeting, draft a Joint
Impact Plan to be completed
information. The goal of this blueprint is to show the with the Customer during the
crucial steps for an effective internal kickoff.
handoff between Sales and Customer JOINT IMPACT PLAN
A smooth and effective customer handoff from the Success through the use of SPICED.
Sales team to the Onboarding and CS team is critical. It
helps the customer experience and, ultimately, your Determine a plan
to achieve Impact.
business outcomes.
Ensure Sales teams are accountable for completing
Insights disclosed during End on time, setup
detailed handoffs to the Onboarding and CS team STRATEGIZE
onboarding can cause a for the next
CLOSE
meeting (using

Engagement
before they move on from the account. Best practices do-over of the
deliverables. WAGONS.)
for good handoffs include: Transfer of
critical DO-OVER?
1. Complete the handoff as close to commit as account info.
possible while the information is still fresh. FOLLOW-UP
Do not lose the
2. Transfer critical account info using SPICEDTM, momentum, swiftly S P I CE D Follow-up
move from one immediately, share the
including crucial details about topics like org Verify if this is correct. KICKOFF
action to another. recording, Joint
structure, personas, and red flags. ● Calculate the real life Impact Plan etc.
COMMIT Impact together
3. Use clear handoff guidelines to ensure all team ● Make sure to confirm
SETUP the date this is needed.
members know:
❏ Who bought from us? ! ACE the call, prepare Do not lose momentum,
❏ Why did they buy? an agenda, introduce swiftly move from one
each other. action to another.
❏ What were they doing before? PREPARE
❏ Why was that not working for them?
❏ What was the problem to solve or avoid?

Prepare for the kick-off call. Time

Get on a debrief call with the
sales rep (or check CRM). ! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 22
 CS Operating Model - Onboarding Phase
Kickoff Call

O2
Start the relationship off
strong with an effective
Kickoff call. The goal of this blueprint is to outline
how to perform a kickoff call and
Provide a map with JOINT IMPACT PLAN
transfer of critical account info. This at
Tips for a strong Kickoff Call: a visual of the
times may feel repetitive, but customers Agree on the goals and
onboarding stages.
again and again express that they align on challenges and
1. Research the attendees ahead of the call, so you appreciate this,, and often bring up opportunities. Discuss
know the titles and the context they have about the additional details that can be valuable to how to address each
achieve impact. Provide immediate
engagement. Impact by sharing and set target timelines.
ONBOARDING REVIEW
relevant best practices.
2. Start the meeting by aligning on goals and confirm End on time, setup
for the next
whether the attendees have other plans or CLOSE
meeting (using

Engagement
expectations. WAGONS.)
LEARNING MOMENTS
3. Be curious and listen. This isn’t about you talking;
it’s about asking questions and hearing additional FOLLOW-UP
Do not lose the
critical details that can set you up for success. momentum, swiftly STORY
move from one S P I CE D
4. Set expectations around roles & responsibilities on action to another.
Follow-up immediately. Send FIRST IMPACT
both sides, and share keys to success and the kickoff call deck with a
common pitfalls. Explain what working with your HANDOFF completed project plan of each
organization will look like over the first few months person’s tasks and actions.
SETUP
and beyond.
5. Start your close no later than 5 minutes before the
! ACE the call, prepare
Use storytelling to share
best practices of the
Do not lose momentum,
an agenda, introduce swiftly move from one
end time. Ensure there are clear next steps and experience of other action to another.
each other.
PREPARE customers.
assigned action items.

Internal. If there are multiple Time

people joining (3+) call the
customer lead, and confirm
the objectives of the call.
! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 23
 CS Operating Model - Onboarding Phase
Joint Impact Plan

O3
Create a shared north
star that guides the
customer relationship. The goal of this blueprint is to create a
Joint Impact Plan (JIP) with recurring
impact as a crucial part. Remember the
The Joint Impact Plan (JIP) is a customer-facing first principle of recurring revenue:
document that guides the entire ongoing engagement. Recurring Revenue is the result of
Recurring Impact. During each Joint Impact Plan
Whether you refer to it as a JIP, a Success Plan, part of
an Account Plan, or something else, the important thing review call, use S P I CE D
is that it lays out clear goals and is created to validate & update:
collaboratively with the customer.
Impact Goals that are measurable

Engagement
1. Include details of short and long-term goals, such Challenges with clear mitigation plans
as the First Impact goal to achieve during Opportunities and plan how to move forward
Onboarding; adoption goals, internal During the kickoff,
organizational management goals, etc. complete the Joint
Impact Plan together
with the customer. FIRST IMPACT REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW RENEWAL
2. Use the JIP to discuss challenges openly with
your champion, such as how to convert
detractors, recognize change management Schedule Strategic meetings where you can review,
ask questions and update the Joint Impact Plan every
challenges, etc. 3-12 months, as needed.
FINALIZE V1
3. Use the JIP to discuss opportunities openly with
your champion, such as the goals they have for Involve your Achieving first impact is a The renewal date should be
customer, critical event. Not achieving seen as an outcome and not a
their org, the chance to unseat a competing involvement first impact at the critical event date. Meaning you
product, etc. creates committed data is likely to should know exactly where you
commitment. have churn consequences. stand with your customers.
DRAFT V1

Draft a Joint Impact Plan during or Time

immediately after the Sales to CS
Handoff

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 24
 CS Operating Model - Onboarding Phase
First Impact

O4
Deliver First Impact
The first moment they can
Quickly to Build use your product to do
something new that
Confidence. The goal of this blueprint is to establish
contributes to the reason they
that time is of the essence! It is not only
purchased? FIRST IMPACT ACHIEVED
important to get to first impact quickly
First Impact refers to the moment the customer but also to make it known to the
achieves tangible Impact through the use and adoption customer when it is achieved, and in the
process keep the customer and your Confirm First Impact
of a product or service. The First Impact must be team well informed (via CRM.) is achieved.
clearly defined at the beginning of the engagement and
ideally goes beyond a simple login. To drive this
Update the JIP
conversation, you need to understand the various Align the implementation JOINT IMPACT PLAN
with new goals
Impact a customer wants to achieve, prioritize them, tasks with the desired

Engagement
Impact you agreed with
and choose a “First Impact.” the customer.
Keep the customer
Achieving First Impact will signal the end of the engaged with short
notification, and notify Make sure the Onboarding
Onboarding phase. It does not mean that your Do not lose the Phase has a clear end and
any delay regardless
implementation work is complete. It simply means that momentum, swiftly who or what caused it. that the customer is aware
an initial milestone towards a larger goal is achieved. move from one of any new points of
action to another. IMPLEMENTATION contact on the engagement. DRIVE IMPACT
Examples of First Impact definitions:
KICKOFF
●
●
Downloading a report for the first time
Completing a task in the system
Confirm via an email,
that onboarding is
!
completed.
Time to First Impact is the time it takes for a customer ! Confirm if you
got it right. Do not lose momentum,
to achieve First Impact as defined during the Business swiftly move from one
Kickoff meeting, usually measured in days. Research S P I CE D action to another.
has shown that customers with shorter Time to First
Impact are generally more successful, and their
likelihood of churn is much lower than those with Define First Impact: What do Time
they want to achieve with your
longer Time to First Impact. product, and by what date? ! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 25
 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
Adoption 03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 26

 CS Operating Model - Adoption Phase
Overview Adoption

A0
To help a customer adopt and use a
service to unlock the impact, does not
come natural to hypergrowth teams.
The Adoption Phase of the customer journey is where your customers Mutual
will spend most of their time. It’s critical during this phase to set up a Awareness Education Selection Commit Onboarding Adoption Expansion
proactive meeting cadence appropriate to the size of the customer
and to establish ways to surface risks and opportunities as early as
possible.

By establishing the following critical components as part of your

Adoption Phase, you can ensure that teams are focused on delivering
ongoing Impact efficiently and effectively.

There are five crucial actions part of the adoptions process:

A1. Drive Impact Process

A2. Business Review
A3. Health Scoring
A4. Trigger Plays A1 A2 A3 A4 A5

A5. Renewal Execution

ct

s
w

n
lay

tio
rin
ie
pa

ev

cu
o

rP
Im

Sc
A proactive, repeatable approach to managing accounts will instill

sR

xe
ge
ive

lE
es

ig
alt
confidence in your customers, allow your team members to focus and

Dr

wa
Tr
sin

He

ne
Bu
prioritize, onboard new team members more quickly, and support

Re
scalability and positive business outcomes.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 27

 CS Operating Model - Adoption Phase
Drive Impact Process Series of trigger
plays based on

A1
The north star that the business.

keeps you and your A series of actions to

RENEWAL

customer focused
The goal of a Recurring Revenue service is to
The goal of this blueprint is to.
create a recurring Impact engine:
Triggers help you to highlight risks
and surface opportunities. A trigger
drives an action, and actions result
implement recurring
impact programs.
TRIGGER PLAYS
3
TRIGGER
LOOP
HEALTH
SCORING

provide customers with recurring Impact. The in impact.

Impact will not happen by itself. Three loops
form the Impact Engine:
1. The Impact loop drives recurring Impact based on
proven impact programs.
Update JIP to set
Impact goals and add
news ones over time.
IMPACT CAMPAIGNS
2
ACTIVITY
LOOP

BUSINESS REVIEW
Set thresholds that
highlight risks and
opportunities.

Engagement
1
2. The Activity loop is where activities take place that
results in Impact. DRIVE IMPACT IMPACT
3. The Trigger loop allows the surfacing of risks and LOOP
opportunities in an account. Ensure that all programs
focus on identifying,
SHARE IMPACT
The Joint Impact Plan (JIP) orchestrates the updating, and delivering
JOINT IMPACT PLAN Impact.
various actions that drive the Impact. JIP uses
SPICED across all actions to guide the proper It is very common to assume the
FIRST IMPACT impact you provide is obvious. It is
conversation with the customer around Impact. not obvious. Persistent effort must
This allows you to train all customer-facing roles ! be taken to share the impact
across all levels of both the
on how to drive Impact by asking good customer and your own
organization..
questions, listening, tracking adoption,
measuring engagement, and responding to
emails and surveys, participating in events, etc. Time
Don’t lose momentum.
Have a plan in place to
drive impact.
Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 28
 CS Operating Model - Adoption Phase
Impact Business Review

A2
Analyze if impact was 3 ways to deliver more Impact:
Identify new critical ● Remediation: better utilize already
achieved and set future events, for the next paid for capabilities.
● Upgrade: deliver new capabilities to
impact expectations. The goal of this blueprint is to align
the impact you provide with crucial
12 months.
JOINT IMPACT PLAN current users.
initiatives within the corporation. ● Expand: find new users to deliver
An Executive Business Review, or EBR, is a These initiatives can often be found similar capabilities.
Use a relevant
in the public domain
strategic meeting with Stakeholders focused on story to inspire Ask: if you had to
growth and renew today, would
validating & updating the customer’s goals, Analyze if the (desired) Impact. you?
reviewing the Impact achieved and discussing impact was achieved
and set expectations
+ STORY

any risks or opportunities in the account. for future impact.

CLOSE
When asking for an executive’s time, you must Obtain a number of End on time,

Engagement
IMPACT REVIEW
quotes of IRL impact setup for the
provide value. Use this blueprint to structure your over the past months. next meeting
EBR. Use storytelling and active listening to get Validate critical ! (WAGONS.)
TRIGGER PLAYS
the most out of the interaction while benefiting account info and
capture any updates.
the executive.
S P I CE D
- STORY Create a 5 min
summary to be used
An EBRs is much more than a summary of past Use a story about a customerby a broader audience.
who didn’t achieve results but
operational meetings. An EBR should be used to was able to change strategy
ACE the call with FOLLOW-UP
align the impact you provide with the company’s DRIVE IMPACT SETUP an agenda and a
and deliver business Impact.

strategic interest for the next 12 months. clear goal.

! Maintain momentum
by following up
Prepare impact stories immediately.
PREPARE relevant to the customer’s
current experience.

Time
! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 29
 CS Operating Model - Adoption Phase
Trigger Plays

A3
Trigger Plays allow Onboarding Adoption Expansion

teams to react quickly

to common scenarios The goal of this blueprint is to
identify a risk to the account or
surface an expansion opportunity.
There will always be situations that take an This allows you to set a trigger
play to mitigate the situation or
account off the ideal customer path. Sometimes address the opportunity.
there are risks to a renewal and you have to
mitigate to save the account. Sometimes an
opportunity will surface that needs to be acted
upon quickly. Surface an Opportunity
●Over usage Triggers
There are some risks and opportunities that are ●Team Growth
●Market Opportunity
common, and while you can’t plan when they ●M&A Event
happen, you can prepare for when they do occur. ●Etc.

As a team you need to set Triggers for each of

+ TRIGGER

the most common Risks, and Opportunities ACTION I MPACT STORY

following a If This Then That (IFTTT) format.
Example: - TRIGGER

Identify a Risk
Trigger: If the Champion leaves then..
●Champion Change
Action 1. Send out an introduction and schedule a ●Account Gone Dark
●Drop in Usage Proven action(s) Measure the impact Record completed Trigger Plays
discovery call with the person that replaces them. ●M&A Event against the trigger. of the actions taken. as a pocket story using SPICED.
Provide insights on the impact offered over the past ●Etc. This creates a reference for
and next 12 months.. other team members.

Action 2. Follow your Champion and see where they

are going to land, as it likely may become a new
opportunity for your sales team to pursue.
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 30
 CS Operating Model - Adoption Phase
Health Scoring

A4
Use leading indicators PILLAR IV.
Are all the core teams
to provide guidance utilizing the product?
on what to do. This goal of this blueprint is to
show there are four leading
indicators for health that can be PILLAR III.
Health Scoring is a great way to use patterns to measured. Based on these How engaged are your ADOPTION
measurements trigger plays can customers with your
highlight potential risks or opportunities for an be designed to drive actions and product? What KPI do
account. While Health Scoring is not meant to be impact.
we influence?
a diagnosis tool, it can highlight symptoms and What is the
help your teams know what accounts may need PILLAR II. ENGAGEMENT penetration? DRIVE IMPACT
Are customers satisfied
attention and where to look to get more by the level of support

Engagement
Have there been
information. they receive?
any moments Number of CE
that mattered? support tickets/
Health Scoring should be based on patterns response time?
PILLAR I.
unique to your product(s) and customers, and Are customers SATISFACTION Are execs D Any critical events
involved in
can be balanced between system indicators like getting Impact? coming up?
a rise or fall in product usage, and qualitative
Is the impact the EBR?
!
10x the price?
Health scoring is
indicators discovered through conversation. dynamic. Over time
What is the
When developing your score, it’s important to
I MPACT I Is new ! response time to the health KPIs are
impact being expected to improve.
critical issues?
Healthy identified?
involve Leadership, Product & other teams to
! Any changes to the team, in
create a simple scoring method for the Symptoms Is the impact What is the particular to the champion,
important? CSAT score? or any of the early adopters?
organization. !
At risk Is the service
being used?
TIP: Start with a single metric for each pillar
Do you have insights Time
on your customer?
! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 31
 CS Operating Model - Adoption Phase
Renewal Execution

A5
Connect the Impact
Renewal is a strategic to a customer’s
corporate KPI.
moment that presents
lots of opportunities. This goal of this blueprint is to
provide an outline of the actions
Demonstrate the *new*
impact in context of C RITICAL E VENT
involved in the renewal.
their situation/pain. Identify the Process,
Many PLG
While organizations
motions mayapproach
approach
renewals
Renewal
as an the Decision Criteria,
operationally,
operational moment
if you have
marked
SMBbyand
paperwork
Enterpriseand Discuss new and the Decision
impact for the Ask if this is [Link]
customers,
boxes tickedleverage
off. However,
the Renewal
we encourage
to drive you to Did you achieve the impact? coming months. important. with that KPI.
And are they still planning on
strategic renewal
consider conversations.
as a strategic moment. using the same impact and DEMO
Do they plan on
to use you to achieve that? renewing? If no, D ECISION
●● IfMake
you have
surebeen
youdelivering
start theImpact consistently,
renewal conversation I MPACT
what are the
exploring potential expansion opportunities
early enough to allow you to address any is only obstacles?

Engagement
Take notes of a
natural, even more so this is an opportunity to STORY
risks or opportunities (3-6 mo’s is typical) specific situation
expand the business. and unique pains. I MPACT
● Use the SPICED framework to frame the Confirm if
● From a revenue perspective, adding just 3% annually
conversation you got it Use a relevant story
about a customer NEXT STEPS
to a customer contract will cause the LTV to right.
SAVE
● Ask good questions to validate SPICED and Confirm why who changed to
compound year over year, contributing more to your P AIN achieve Impact.
make appropriate updates
revenue with each renewal. Here are a few reasons
they originally SUMMARIZE DRIVE IMPACT
came to you.
Use
● to addStorytelling
revenue: to celebrate Impact wins or Perform a play
address risks proven to have
○ Annual price increase. S ITUATION worked in the
If desired Impact past in a similar

PI
○ True
If you’re up floating
providing users/usage.
Recurring Impact and was not achieved, go FOLLOW-UP

TC
situation.

H
○ Upsell
validating new
that features.
across the customer journey, the back and determine
○ Expand your network with the customer. SETUP the desired Impact Maintain momentum
Renewal should be a positive event to move the for next year. Pitching leads to by following up
Start the process
relationship around six months ahead of
forward. PREPARE disengagement. immediately.
the renewal date to provide time to develop an
opportunity or mitigate any account risk. Understand the customer’s ACE the call Time
original needs and if those with an agenda,
needs have changed. and a goal.

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 32
 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
Expansion 03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 33

 CS Operating Model - Expansion
Overview Expansion

E0
The way to achieve sustainable growth
is through expansion from existing
customers.
Sustainable and profitable recurring revenue businesses must grow Mutual
the amount of revenue from existing accounts beyond their initial Awareness Education Selection Commit Onboarding Adoption Expansion
contract value. This is referred to as expansion.
Whether expansion is owned by your CS team, Sales team, or a
dedicated account team, the motion depends on whether the
customer is getting recurring impact.
Customers need robust onboarding and support during adoption to
be candidates for expansion. Regardless of ownership, all team
members with any role on the right side of the bowtie depend on each
other and need effective and robust collaboration. The following key
components are critical to successful expansion motions:
E1. Expansion Process
E2. Whitespace Planning
E3. Account Planning E1 E2 E3 E4 E5

t
E4. Expansion Execution

en
es

io
nin

nin

ut

m
oc

an

lan

ec

ire
Pr
E5. Account Retirement

Pl

tP

Ex

et
n

ce

tR
io

un

n
io
pa
ns

un
co
The above actions, when used in conjunction with actions from the

ns
es
pa

co
Ac

pa
hit
Ex

Ac
Adoption Phase, will ensure you build a scalable and effective

Ex
W
recurring revenue engine for your organization.
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 34
 CS Operating Model - Expansion
Expansion Process

E1
The goal of the
Selling to existing workshop is to
customers accelerates Have a relevant WORKSHOP
drive the decision
based on Impact
growth. The goal of this blueprint is to
describe the expansion process and
Must have Impact customer story. and Critical Event.
and Critical Event
differentiate between the Engaging new stake
identified to perform
In a Recurring Revenue business, it is vital to whitespace planning and account STORY holders can fast track
a workshop.
planning activities. . an oppty w/o the need
grow the business beyond what a customer for an EBR
Each stakeholder has
bought initially. Expansion does not have to be their own emotional
FIRST IMPACT
reactionary on a customer’s needs. impact they want to
achieve. STAKEHOLDERS
Whitespace planning is a process that identifies
Explore the impact of
the additional needs for products and services Identify Impact potential

Engagement
department
of the proposed solutions
outside the original scope based on the impact a per prospective customer.
stakeholder within the
Use Impact and
EXPANSION
customer. EXECUTION
customer needs. Critical Event to
Identify ID stakeholders.
Whitespace planning can be performed by the CS existing WHITESPACE PLANNING ACCOUNT PLANNING
use-cases One final attempt
team, the Sales team, or assigned to a dedicated . to retain the
SAVE
customer using a
Account Management team.
USE-CASES S P I CE D
SAVE play. !
Whitespace planning is a way to quantify the
revenue potential of an existing account, while DRIVE IMPACT
Scan the customer for
rational and emotional ACCOUNT
Strategic Account Planning details the approach
! DIAGNOSE
impact that form the basis RETIREMENT
to go after that whitespace. for organizational change
Prioritize which
RESEARCH
customers can
be impacted.

Prioritize which
customers can Time
be impacted.
! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 35
 CS Operating Model - Expansion
Whitespace Planning

E2
The use of Impact and
JOINT IMPACT PLAN
Critical Event to asses
the opportunity. The goal of this blueprint is to
demonstrate the idea of
Need to identify Need to identify
Rational Impact Critical Event
whitespace planning to identify an
Today, most whitespace planning is based on a expansion opportunity based on
impact and critical event.
combination of the situation (S) and Pain (P) Product A Product B Product C
such as F500 rank or number of employees.
Instead we recommend to prioritize whitespace
Impact Critical Event Impact Critical Event Impact Critical Event
planning based on a combination of:
I CE I CE I CE
● Impact: How much money do we save, or
revenue can we grow for our customer
● Critical Event: What is the sense of urgency
that drives the decision timeframe.
NewCo
In the example the combination of Impact and
Critical Event shows that Product B has the
largest upsell potential. Whitespace Planning can
be expanded by:
ACME
● Decision Process: Do you have a good
understanding of the customers' org
structure, know the emotional impact of
various decision makers, and understand Product A lacks the impact, Product B combines both a Product C has a high impact,
missing the RoI, although high level of impact, and it but there is no sense of
whether you can help achieve those. there is some sense of has a critical element. urgency, as it lacks a critical
urgency. event.
Input from all those working with the customer
will improve the accuracy of your information.
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 36
 CS Operating Model - Expansion
Account Planning

E3
Coordinate all Account
Activities around
Customer Goals While the Joint Impact Plan is built
alongside the customer, the
Account Plan is an internal tool that EXPANSION
Account Planning is the process of managing an focuses on the goals your Present a subset of the EXECUTION
company has for the account. plan to the customer
account with the aim to retain or grow recurring and together fill in any
revenue from that account. Account Planning Prioritize accounts on the
gaps. Run a 3x3
ACCOUNT PLAN
can be simplified to three key elements: combination of the amount of approach.
Impact we can provide and the
● Impact: Identify the rational impact that a presence of any Critical Event Internal preso Know the expansion:
I CE PRIORITIZE
to gain buy-in. which project, the
customer will gain from your product. Update

Engagement
the plan impact, critical
● Critical Event: Prioritize projects based on the STAKEHOLDER MAP events, and the
Draft an decision making
presence of a critical event. process.
Account
● Decision Process: Who is involved and what ACTIVE PROJECTS plan D NAVIGATE THE ORG Present the plan to
matters to them (emotional Impact) the customer and fill
in any of the gaps.
These elements must be captured in a simple
account plan. The account plan is a living WHITESPACE 1. What is the spend potential? 1. Who do we know?
PLANNING 2. What is the current spend? 2. What matters to them?
document that evolves over time. 3. What are other projects that GTM ALIGNMENT 3. How are we connected?

Important: As accounts get bigger, an increasing amount of ! would increase the spend?
4. What critical events are there?
4.
5.
Who should we know?
What matters to them?
resources will be involved. This may even include feature 5. When should we reach out? Align GTM teams 6. How are they involved?
request or dedicated support. When this happens, internal such as Sales, 7. How to get connected?
CS, AMs, and
selling grows in importance. This highlights the importance of
Execs.
the Account Plan and the planning process.
Not expanding
decreases the Time
engagement and
increases the chance on
churn.
! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 37
 CS Operating Model - Expansion
Expansion Execution

E4
There is no negotiation Listen to the ask Repeat what Start with easy items.
in recurring revenue before you counter. you heard Don’t give anything
Take careful notes. without getting
operations. Trade! Trading items of value is more
applicable in a recurring revenue LISTEN TRADE something in return.
business. If the customer wants the
same discount next year, they need Take copious [Link]
There is no need to negotiate with recurring what was agreed to.
to provide the same items of value
revenue customers. They are your customers; if Qualify the decision
used during the trade.
maker; reschedule if
you do not deliver, they will unsubscribe or not available May take a few tries. These are two very
different offers, So run the
downgrade their service. numbers – does this deal
It requires thinking about trading items of equal still make sense? If not,
Get all items on propose another trade.
value during the expansion execution process. the table; avoid

Engagement
negotiating one
Diagnose the impact item at a time QUALIFY CONFIRM
1. Get all negotiation items on the table. The customer wants
and when they want In simple language
2. Listen carefully and take notes.
it by ( critical event.) confirm what you believe
PRIORITIZE
3. Repeat what you heard: “So if I got this right___.” we all just agreed to.
4. Ask, ”Is there anything else?”. S P I CE D CLOSE
5. Prioritize the issues with them. Agree to an expiration
date and consequences. DRIVE IMPACT
6. Summarize .“Okay, so you want ___ and ___.” Confirm you
ACCOUNT Ask, “Does that sound
got it right
PLANNING SUMMARIZE fair?”
7. Trade: Start w/ easy items, give to get. SETUP
8. Make the offer; be clear and concise. Summarize what Email the agreed terms immediately
9. If they counter, listen & understand the request.
! you have heard. following the meeting. The contract !
Create a list of items can take days and you want to lock
10. Before you answer, repeat the counteroffer. PREPARE to trade in exchange it in right away.. FOLLOW-UP
for concessions.
11. Make small adjustments.
12. When you reach an agreement, repeat it back.
Time
If they ask for more: ”That changes the deal.” ! High churn risk

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 38
 CS Operating Model - Expansion
Account Termination

E5
Ensure you have a clear
process for when an
account terminates Account Termination Checklist:

While losing accounts is never something we ❏ Connect with the Finance/Legal team to ensure you’re clear on the
want to happen, there will be customers that date the access should be turned off
terminate their engagement with you. It’s
❏ Work with your Support/Dev team to turn off access to systems on
important to have a clear, detailed plan for what
that date
to do in that situation.
❏ Update all systems, including your CRM, CS Tool, etc.
On a strategic level, make sure you’re capturing
detail about why they are leaving. Sometimes it’s ❏ If there are any customer email lists they need to be removed from,
due to circumstances out of your control, but if it make sure that happens
has something to do with your product or a lack ❏ Gather details about WHY the customer is leaving, and make sure
of Impact, use this opportunity to get as much those details are captured in the right system
detail as possible about how you could have
❏ If possible/appropriate, ask the customer for a few minutes to do a
better served them. Share that information with
quick “exit interview” to provide color on why they left, and any
the appropriate teams. input/suggestions for you. Make sure to thank them for their
Also make sure that at an operational level, you partnership and end the conversation on a positive note
have a detailed checklist of tasks to be ❏ If there are churn reasons that other teams should be aware of (e.g.
completed when an account terminates, such as product input for the dev/product team, Sales or CS input, etc.) make
access to tools, updates to systems, etc. sure that is circulated
❏ If your marketing team or CS team has a list of former customers that
they try to stay in touch with for key updates (tailored to them as
former customers) make sure the right email addresses are on that list

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 39

 CUSTOMER SUCCESS
01 Introduction
OPERATING MODEL
02 Core Elements
Core Skills 03 Onboarding

04 Adoption

05 Expansion

06 Skills

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 40

 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Core Skills

S0
The only way to achieve sustainable
growth is through expansion from
existing customers.
Developing and continuously improving your team’s skills is essential Mutual
to bringing your customer journey and the CS Operating Model to life. Awareness Education Selection Commit Onboarding Adoption Expansion
We encourage you to invest in ongoing skills training for your CS
teams - you will reap the financial rewards of that investment many
times over via improved customer outcomes.
In this section, we provide a sampling of WbD Skills blueprints that
can be a reference for your teams.
The following blueprints include:
S1. Managing Meetings
S2. How to Diagnose
S3. Critical Event Blueprint
S4. Critical Event Timeline
S5. Navigating an Organization S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6

S6. Share a Customer Story

se

e
gs

ts

ts
n

n
en

en
no
tin

eli

eli
Ev

Ev
im

im
ag
ee
You can find additional WbD skills blueprints and training videos in the

tT

tT
al

al
M

Di

itic

itic
en

en
ing

to
Resources section of our website.

Cr

Cr
Ev

Ev
w
ag

Ho

al

al
an

itic

itic
M

Cr

Cr
Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 41
 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Managing Meetings
Ask “Based on our

S1
The ability to achieve discussion today are you
ready to move forward?”
results via meetings is
Get the agenda on track to Ask ”Have you Discuss the
vital to your success. close “In interest of time..” done this before?” goal of the
and “.do you want to extend next
the meeting?” meeting.
Most business is conducted via meetings. This
makes managing a meeting a critical skill to Appreciate
have. The steps to success are: Check
time
End goal
1. Setup the meeting at the start with the goal
of the meeting and end-time.
1 SETUP 3 CLOSE 4 GOAL 5 OUTCOME
2. Agree to a short agenda to achieve the goal
and stick to it.
3. Close the meeting on-time to allow for next
MEETING 1 7 FOLLOW-UP MEETING 2
steps. Do this by first looking back to see if
set goals were accomplished.
4. Then confirm if everyone is ready to move
forward. Agree to what is next 2 AGENDA 6 STAKEHOLDERS
5. Discuss what is the outcome of that meeting
6. Who should be in that meeting? “Who was involved and
Discuss the that need to
7. Agree if this can be done async, or if a be covered to hit the should we include them?”
synchronous meeting is needed goal within the allotted
time.
8. Follow-up diligently
Start the ACE/Agenda no Begin your close 5 to
later than 5 mins past the 10 mins before the
start time. end time.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 42

 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Diagnose Sequence

S2
A step-by-step guide on
how to consistently The goal of this blueprint is to
diagnose a customer. provide insights how to perform a
diagnostic call. A very minor
improvement in the quality of a
When and why to use SPICEDTM? diagnose, which is performed C RITICAL E VENT
dozens of times, can lead to
● As a diagnostic guide during customer calls. monumental results. D ECISION
● To ensure ongoing alignment with “When do you
need this by?” “What
customers and your customer facing teams Determine the
happens if
decision factors?
at every stage of engagement. you miss that
date?”
● To align customer usage of your Is this a situation

Engagement
I MPACT
you’ve seen before?
product/solution with the Impact they are
Ask if you
looking to achieve. got it right. EMPATHIZE
● As an efficient way to hand off, debrief, and
If customer starts
collaborate with other team members venting, ask to Ask if this resonates, and
STORY how this Impact compares CLOSE
throughout the customer journey (Sales, CS, prioritize.
to their business.
SUMMARIZE
Marketing, Product). 2 to 3 pointed
questions in their End on time.
● A way to surface your customer’s business context. Connect the
P AIN
updates or key changes that inevitably WAGONS.
Share a story about
S ITUATION
happen over time. another person achieving
Impact In Real Life.
Listen and take
notes!

OPEN
ACE the call, prepare an Time
agenda, introduce each
other.

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 43
 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Critical Event Blueprint

S3
A critical event carries
a negative impact. The goal of this blueprint is to Critical Event with a
demonstrate what a Critical Event huge consequence
is and what the differences is with (negative impact) in
a compelling event. case the event is
Key steps: missed.
C RITICAL E VENT
With no solution in place
1. During the Onboarding call, EBR, etc. the customer
establish where the customer is: experiences critical
negative Impact. The customer has an
○ Are they experiencing any pains? A critical event timeline tells
idea on the size and
○ Is this recurring? us when a solution needs I
recurrence of the
to be in place, or else…
○ What is your target go live date? Impact.

Engagement
I

Impact
○ What happens if they miss that date? Critical Impact

2. Use examples of others in a similar position Compelling Impact

to establish a critical event.
Committed customer
3. Organize a stakeholder meeting. STAKEHOLDER
COMPELLING EVENT executes the critical
Stakeholders are those who gain from the event timeline.
Gathering of those
CALL TO ACTION
who will benefit
Impact. Hurry up… and wait…
from the Impact.
4. During the stakeholder meeting, present a Ideal time to help a customer
critical event timeline of actions needed to GO DARK Having learned from its past
DISCOVERY mistakes, the customer uses
deliver the Impact at the critical event date. Decision on the your support and takes action
Discovery identifies priority. to avoid the negative Impact.
5. Deliver against the critical event date.
a customer’s needs.
Note: Do not worry when a customer goes dark.
Continue to educate on others and the IRL
Impact they experienced. Time

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 44
 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Critical Event Timeline

S4
The chronological
actions needed to
CRITICAL EVENT
achieve the impact.
Step 1. Identify a Critical event
A critical event is like the end result of a recipe
A critical event can be a date, [ Fill in ]
when cooking a meal. In order to achieve your
or an event such as reaching
desired outcome, the recipe tells you what to do 1M subscribers.
and in what order. Step 2. Establish what happens if they miss the event?

This is the same with a critical event, following Critical event is impact as a [ Fill in ]
the identification of a critical event, you must function of time. You can
recognize a critical event as
uncover all the steps that need to happen. it has a negative impact
associated with it.
Instead of determining when you need the P/O
from the customer, you need to start with the Step 3. What are the steps that lead to this critical event (reverse chronological order)
customer’s impact in mind. When does the
customer need the desired impact and then work The actions needed to [ Fill in ]
deliver the impact at the set
your way back. For example, if the customer has
event date. reverse
a sales kick-off on July 7, they need your new chronological order.
sales acceleration solution for their team in place
by end of June.
A critical event message is a short, stand-alone
email that solely talks about the critical event.
This cannot be part of a two-page email with all
kinds of actions. See the example next. Note the
reverse chronological order of the message, a
hallmark of customer centric selling.

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 45

 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Navigating an Organization

S5
Help your customer to
sell internally based on The goal of this blueprint is to The decider prioritizes
The decider cannot
overrule the
facts and figures. provide a framework of how this project based on a
objections as it will
decisions are made within an function of impact and
A provocative statement cause resentment
organization. It is custom critical event.
later on.
The people involved in a buying decision is what designed for decisions for around impact and
recurring revenue services which critical event causes the
is called a buying center. When we look at the org to take action.
are based on priority (not just
roles they play, we find the same roles to form a budget or RoI). It is the role of the
very similar decision process. DECISION MAKER CE influencer to teach
you how to overcome
The champion has a the road blocker.
● The Initiator recognizes the situation & pain. quantifiable need.

Engagement
● Users often play a critical role as they provide The gatekeeper often
INFLUENCER uses impact and the lack
practical insights into measurable Impact a A discover call of priority to prioritize an
introduces us to CHAMPION I alternative decision.
product offers.
the champion.
● The Champion recognizes the impact and GATEKEEPER A small (3-5) group of
An initiator starts a individuals that help
helps identify a project with a critical event.. Use of insights
determine the priority.
convo based on the will help
pain they experience. convince the
● The Decider makes the actual decision,
gatekeeper.
typically based on a critical event (CE). INITIATOR P EXEC BUYER D

● The Executive Buyer is a often a small group A responsible decider

Users can provoke the Using a Stakeholder meeting
of executives that makes the decision (D). USER I
need with the decision
secures there is
a small group agrees to the
budget available based
maker, and get the commitment based on the
● Gatekeepers are those that oppose a decision Trial project prioritized.
on the priority of the
impact it provides.
project.
based on emotional impact. RESEARCH S

● Influencers help nullify the gatekeeper by There may already be users Time
Research may help identify
providing educational insights. that are using the product,
which accounts are worth
they often have insights into
the increase in resources
what the measurable impact
(time and people.)
is.
Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 46
 CS Operating Model - Core Skills
Share a Customer Story

S6
Share a relevant story
that resonates with the The goal of this blueprint is to
customer’s situation. provide a framework that you can
use to tell a story (instead of
pitching). The use of a customer
Every great story follows a well-defined story helps a customer as it
framework. Explain your customer's challenges, reflects a view from another
practitioner..
and describe the negative impact they Describe a similar situation
experienced. of another customer; use
I MPACT
the person’s first name, .
tion
For this, we will use a three-part story format in make it real. rela
Cor
which you take your customer down the When they deployed the

Engagement

.
solution, and the problem

ion
rollercoaster of emotions before describing the The pain the customer
S ITUATION

lat
experienced because of that was solved, share how the
Ca

on.
rre
positive outcome. us situation customer thrived.
a

Co

sati
tio
n.
Part 1. The situation makes it relevant to them.

Cau
Part 2. Pain, the negative impact of not solving P AIN
the problem or addressing the
opportunity. What happened when the
problem remained Causation.
Part 3. The positive impact of your solution. unresolved?

The lows make the highs feel higher, making the There were negative
I MPACT consequences, since no
story more memorable. action was taken.

When Marketing operates on the same model,

the storytelling integrates with Pocket Stores,
codified to match this storytelling format. Time

Proprietary
Creative Common
& Confidential
Material- Do
by Winning
not distribute
by Design™
- Winning by Design™ | 47
 Customer Success
OPERATING MODEL

September 2022

Proprietary & Confidential - Do not distribute - Winning by Design™ | 48