The document discusses managing critical handoffs across the customer lifecycle. It provides tips for effective transitions between customer success (CS) and sales teams. Key tips include ensuring clear goals, timelines, and roles in transition processes. It also emphasizes centralizing customer information in the CRM to avoid silos, and measuring results to ensure accountability. Effective tools can help drive smooth collaborations when information is accessible to both teams.

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Managing Critical Handoffs Across the
Customer Lifecycle
EMILIA M. D’ANZICA
WalkMe
KAREN PISHA
Code42
CHAD HORENFELDT
Bluecore

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• VP, Customer Engagement, WalkMe.
• Addicted to customer experience & strategy, your
stories & travel.
• Current Trans-Global Executive MBA Candidate
@StMary’s – yes it is a ton of work!
• Canadian
• Quiz: The nanny or the mommy?
Emilia M. D’Anzica

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Karen Pisha
• SVP Customer Success, Code42
• Software and Customer Success for 20 years.
Previously at Adaptive, Eloqua (Oracle) and
SuccessFactors
• Love working for high growth SaaS companies
• Michigan-based
• Cycling and being outdoors

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• VP Customer Success, Bluecore
• In the Customer Success world for 15 years.
Previously at Eloqua (Oracle) and Influitive
• Passionate about all things Customer Success and
especially helping others
• Canadian
• Loves hockey playoffs
• Crazy passion for start-ups
Chad Horenfeldt

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Creating the Customer Success Relationship with Sales
• Before you create or change process,
talk to the stakeholders and team
members!
• Ask them what would the ideal
communication process look like.
• Expect reiterations as your company
& product evolve.
Understand the pain points
• Create a V2MOM to get buy-in.
• Test your ideas & fail fast.
• Tools & Automation.
• Branding! Make the transition part of a
unique branded process.
• Communicate with stakeholders & team
often.
Provide a Solution

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V2MOM
• What is it?
• Why use it?
• How often?
• Define
• Program Charter and Objectives
• Your Customer Success Organization – what do you need?
• What are your priorities by Quarter for the year?
• Customer Lifecycle – esp. why successful transitions are key
• Vision: What’s yours?
• Value: What will your program bring?
• Obstacles: Current, Future: Expansion & People
• Measures: What is your success criteria?
• Methods: escalation path, transition path, expansion path, more…
Simple Framework to get buy-in

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Top three tips for Hand-Offs
Communication is King
KISS: Communication that counts
Automate as much as you can
Make the transition measurable – include a question
about it in your NPS

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Access to WalkMe’s
Transition Email
from Sales to CS

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Where do I start?.....
• Form a cross-
functional team
• Document every
customer interaction
• Determine where
messages or
interactions are not
ideal
• Ask your customers
for feedback
• This is an ongoing
process…

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Customer Segmentation Plays a Role
• CSMs introduced during
sales process for strategic
customers
• Initial contact within 24
hours of close important in
all segments
• Monitoring is critical to
make sure customers are
getting success
Transitions may differ by customer segment
High
Touch
Medium
Touch
Low Touch

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Monitoring to Ensure Compliance
• CRM (SFDC or other) used to
make sure that introductions are
happening and customers are
progressing
• Gainsight – CTA and
dashboards to monitor
• NPS – Feedback from
customers
Ongoing Process

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Customer Lifecycle
Buy-in Needed Across Teams

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How to avoid this when working with sales
Two areas of focus in
CS/Sales transitions:
• How best to roll out
CS/Sales processes
• Tools for smooth
transitions and
collaboration
Remove the word “hand-off” – use the word transition

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Tips for Effective TransitionProcesses Between CS and Sales
• Ensure that there is plan with clear goals, timeline and roles
• Start with a few people and get their buy-in and then roll-out to
others. Do not try to roll out en-masse
• Use carrots and sticks
• When working with sales, CS should use the tools that they use and
work in their environment.Make it easy for them
• Measure the results – keep everyone accountable
Take baby steps but have a clear plan

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Tools for Smooth Transitions and Collaboration
• Capturing key informationinyour
CRM and not in Google Docs
• Chatter in SFDC (or something
where the informationis in your
CRM)
• Having other tools roll up into your
CRM: Gainsight, Support tools,
PM Tools. Everyone should have
full visibilityon your customers
Centralize information in your CRM – eliminate silos

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On the Opportunity is a button
‘Sales to CS Transition Form’
Past Example: Transition from Sales to CS

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Objectives
•Organization Objectives
•AdvocateHub Definition of Success
•Key Metrics
Specific Information During the Sales
Process
•Objections during the sale process
•Launch Time Frame
•Any red flags or special terms
•Customer Executive
•Who are the main contacts
Past Example: Transition from Sales to CS

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Q&A