Leadership

Elevating Customer Success: Why the CRO Should Be Its New Owner

CRO| Customer Success| Leadership
September 26, 2023•3 min read

The future is all about focusing on the Customer Experience! Defining the Customer Experience starts with how you engage your customers. When you look at your organization, consider all the entry points where customers can engage with your various teams across your company.  That is where the Customer Experience starts! A company's goals should be about helping its customers achieve their goals and outcomes throughout their journey.  

  • “84% of companies that work to improve their customer experience report an increase in revenue.” (PR Newswire)  

When we think about the customer journey, we think about the pre-and post-sales process.  Long-term prosperity is no longer centered solely on customer acquisition; it now hinges on the capacity to thrill and engage them consistently. In this context, I propose a strategic reassessment – contemplating the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) as the rightful leader of Customer Success and Experience.  

CRO, Sales Leadership,

Here's why: 

1. Alignment of Objectives: The CRO's primary goal is to drive revenue growth. By placing Customer Success under the organization, you align the team's objectives with this overarching goal. This bridges the gap between the pre-sales and post-sales experience, which often is clunky and loses vital information in the transition. This would prompt the entire organization to prioritize delivering exceptional experiences. 

2. Customer-Centric Approach: A successful CRO knows that customer-centricity is the foundation of revenue growth. With Customer Success under their purview, they can ensure that every customer interaction reflects a commitment to their satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. 

3. Holistic View: Creating a holistic view of the customer journey, from initial contact to renewal and expansion. This orchestrates customer touchpoints, driving a seamless experience throughout the entire lifecycle.  

  • More than 89% of companies see customer experience as a principal factor that drives customer loyalty and retention. (Invesp) 

4. Data-Driven Insights: CROs use data and analytics to make daily strategic decisions. However, they normally look at renewal data a couple of months before the event, but what if they were looking at customer satisfaction every month? By taking ownership of Customer Success, they can leverage data to identify trends, optimize processes, and proactively address customer needs and pain points. 

5. Scalability: The CRO is well-equipped to scale Customer Success efforts as the company grows. They can allocate resources efficiently, expand teams when necessary, and implement strategies to accommodate increased customer demands. 

6. Cross-functional collaboration: Customer Success operates in collaboration. It requires close collaboration with Sales, Marketing, and Product teams. With the CRO at the helm, these cross-functional efforts can be seamlessly integrated to deliver a unified customer experience. 

7. Accountability for Growth: Placing Customer Success under the CRO's leadership emphasizes the direct impact of satisfied customers on the company's bottom line. It underscores that every department has a role in driving revenue through customer satisfaction. 

8. Innovation and Technology: The CRO is often at the forefront of adopting innovative technologies and solutions to drive revenue. They can leverage these same tools to enhance the Customer Success function, making it more efficient and effective. 

Let's engage in a conversation about this new organizational structure. I have worked for organizations where sales, product, and marketing needed to understand the value of customer success and, as a result, hurt the customer experience. Companies must connect the dots in an organization to ensure that all teams cooperate; this shift drafts more attention to the customer and drives holistic conversations.

As the new owner of Customer Success and Experience, the CRO aligns the organization's growth objectives with its commitment to customer satisfaction and creates a more robust, more cohesive approach to customer-centricity, ensuring growth and lasting customer relationships. It's a win-win for customers and the bottom line.  

  • 82% of companies agree that customer experience offers a competitive edge. (Dimension Data)  🌟 #CustomerSuccess #CX #BusinessGrowth #Leadership 

Rich is a seasoned business executive adept at merging business strategy with technological innovation. With a background in business consulting, startups, and product development, he understands how technology drives sustainable growth. His experience across various industries allows him to effectively integrate business insights and problem-solving skills. Rich has led strategic re-engineering efforts to reduce costs, optimize services, and establish robust governance at companies like Salesforce, Dell Technologies, and Accenture. He excels in streamlining operations and leveraging processes, people, technology, and culture to propel growth.

Rich Nazzaro

Rich is a seasoned business executive adept at merging business strategy with technological innovation. With a background in business consulting, startups, and product development, he understands how technology drives sustainable growth. His experience across various industries allows him to effectively integrate business insights and problem-solving skills. Rich has led strategic re-engineering efforts to reduce costs, optimize services, and establish robust governance at companies like Salesforce, Dell Technologies, and Accenture. He excels in streamlining operations and leveraging processes, people, technology, and culture to propel growth.

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