Customer focus is not new, nor is the importance of understanding and delivering customer outcomes. In 1960, Harvard professor Theodore Levitt told his students: “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.” The importance of customer success has exploded with the growth of SaaS and other subscription businesses, where recurring revenue relies on customers achieving their goals repeatedly.
As a CS leader, you know that delivering customer success requires the coordination of people and resources at all points of interaction with prospects and customers. To do this profitably and at scale with ever changing customers is a significant leadership challenge. Helping you address this challenge is why Chris and me formed CSLI. If you are or plan to be a CS leader, we want to help you.
Our purpose is simple: improve the contribution and effectiveness of CS leaders. We want you to be the best that you can be; to have your skills and contribution recognised; to know you can make a difference. That starts with a clear understanding of what great CS leadership looks like. We have set ourselves the challenge of defining this and providing you with the tools and resources you can use to improve. Here’s how we plan to deliver on our purpose:
Working with recognised leaders, establish a competency framework that describes the work, knowledge and behaviours of an effective CS leader. Our goal is to develop a globally recognised standard for CS leadership that individuals and their companies can use as a centrepiece for personal and organisational development.
Provide assessment, accreditation and benchmarking tools to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses to aid your personal development.
Curate and accredit learning resources designed specifically for CS leaders like you.
Research the work, skills and issues you face CS to advance understanding and application of approaches that improve the contribution you make to your company’s performance.
Work with the wider CS community to provide you with access to best practices.
Through our long careers, Chris and me have come to understand that learning is most effectively measured by performance on the job. Much of what we do will therefore be work-based, including our plans for an independently recognised CS Leadership qualification.
Two principles core to great customer success underpin the Institute’s work. We are very clear about our ideal customers: current and future CS leaders. Everything we do will be driven by and for your benefit. We also know that value underpins your continued membership. We will work hard to understand your needs and challenges and help you address them.
Providing high-quality resources, events and original research doesn’t come cheap. That’s why membership of the Institute will carry a membership fee. You will also be joining an exclusive club: members must meet strict eligibility criteria. This will help us create a trusted environment where you can share problems, ideas and concerns openly with your peers. Our privacy policy is also designed to provide you with the reassurances you need to participate fully.
You can follow our developments by subscribing. We hope you will join us soon.