Customer Success Playbook Postgame - Andrew Marks - Customer Success Certification

In this episode of The Customer Success Playbook Podcast Post Game show, Kevin and Roman discuss the interview with Andrew Marks from Success Hacker. They discuss the value of customer success certification and how Success Hacker's certification programs, is recognized by the same certification program that certifies  Oxford University, and how it contributes to professional development in this field. Roman Trebon, co-host, also shares his experience with Success Hacker's training and its impact on his career. The episode explores the importance of continuous learning and development strategies in customer success, with insights on the role of training in enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.

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Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web site
Kevin Metzger on Linked In.

You can find Roman at:
Roman Trebon on Linked In.

Transcript

Roman Trebon: Welcome to the customer success Playbook. Postgame show Kev where we break down our latest episodes get behind the scenes dig into the topic that we discussed with our most recent guests.

Roman Trebon: On this episode of the postgame show. We're going to break down the episode you had with Andrew Marx From Success coaching. So Kevin, I let you fly solo on this one. for our listening listener audience. I've accepted a new position. So I am now gonna be head of customer success at a company called teams which I'm really excited about but with coming on board my calendar has changed. So when we schedule the episode with Andrew it just happened to conflict with some other things I had going on and Andrew's schedule is crazy. So we're lucky to get them at all. So yeah, first of all, thanks for taking the show flying solo, but I'll let you kick it off. What did you think of the episode thoughts discussion? I was jealous I wasn't able to join because I thought Andrew was and as well. We're terrific.

Kevin Metzger: Thank you and congratulations Roman it was exciting. I got to announce it on the show as a Relationships…

Roman Trebon: Yeah nice.

Kevin Metzger: but yeah again Congratulations Andrew getting to sit down and talk with Andrew was great really engaging very knowledgeable about the space, really got to learn about his coaching company. Basically, which is the only company in the industry that I'm lead provides a certification in customer success That is also recognized by some it's a certification board basically and for continue.

Roman Trebon: He said Oxford University uses the same one right like Oxford's used.

Kevin Metzger: Yeah.

Roman Trebon: I don't know looking into the company was but I heard I'm like that's legit, right if Oxford's using you as well.

Kevin Metzger: and actually, Roman this show kind of started because of him didn't it? I mean

Roman Trebon: It did. Yeah. So I was at an organization that brought in a SVP of customer success. We were transitioning from account management to a customer success framework. He brought in the training into the organizations. And so the first time I was exposed to it. I know there was such a thing out there. I didn't even have really know at the time what? Success was or I'll be quite Frank. I was like, what's this? Is that you mean? It's like a fancy name for customer support what are we doing here, right.

Roman Trebon: Took the course. I absolutely loved it. So for our audience, if you're new to customer success, if you want to continue your professional development, or you have a team that you want to provide learnings for I can't recommend success coaching enough. I went in there. I took the level one certification it is a first of all I think Kevin, things like 99 dollars for the course, it is super cheap cost of Entry to take this certification course.

Roman Trebon: you are first of all, I don't know how many 12 ule I know he said not to use modules 12 courses, right? We listen to the show doesn't use modules. So I did note that so 12 courses as part of the first level one certification. It covers everything. It is an amazing what I would call foundation for customer success onboarding dealing with clients talking about value delivery Etc right qbr. So what's the rule of a business review? And you're left with so much materials, So I know this is long winded cab. I wanted to give Andrew. I'd love the course, right but I had posted right you get the certification, and then I posted on LinkedIn I said I'm level one CSM certified and then you reached out to me said are you in the customer success? And that is kind of how we got started right? I'm like no, but let's go get a drink and figure it out. Right? Let's talk about it.

Kevin Metzger: Yeah, and the show was something I've been thinking about I had background right? and then when I saw that you were up there.

Kevin Metzger: In talking about customer success and it didn't register as that's what you've been doing. What? so yeah. No, it was great So I don't think I mentioned it's Andrew hot. We'll have to let him know and thank him for that because it

Roman Trebon: It's like Our origin stories is rooted in success coaching and I thought his origin story that was interesting too. he basically build out one is how long it takes to build an hour of content, right? I think he said 40 to 60 hours for one hour,…

00:05:00

Kevin Metzger: just

Roman Trebon: But then he built a bunch of stuff and he was what I think he said they're minimal viable product, but just get this out in the market and I think he said he had 30 plus people paying thousands of dollars they first started and I think that's where he realized. Holy heck. There's a real market for this right there's a real

Kevin Metzger: Yeah, That was a great story and started with three classes,…

Roman Trebon: Yeah.

Kevin Metzger: even though they sold 24. but

Roman Trebon: Yeah, exactly. the other one you had Kevin I thought was a good question around.

Kevin Metzger: yeah.

Roman Trebon: How do you measure it, Tough and I think in today he hit the nail in the head I think is like, you need to be doing this because you need to be investing in your employees Point Blank, right? I mean but that sounds great. But you know how it is when the quarters tight and things start getting cut. I feel like training and developments one of the first items to get left on the editing room So he had a great story about and I keep me your kid was about like he was in a renewal right and it was the value CSM had the confidence and gave him Etc. I thought that was a great story you guys dove into

Kevin Metzger: Yeah. no, that was good.

Kevin Metzger: he made the point. I think I call it out even during the show, but As you do education consistency can drive the education is important in making sure that what you're doing while you're doing it.

Kevin Metzger: and you're kind of Talk through all that and then like you said it was giving the story then what? A when you got somebody coming back to you and saying this is why we're renewing it gives me this and that's great. you've got a customer testimony. they're selling for you,…

Roman Trebon: Yeah.

Kevin Metzger: right But that's great. And I think that really is the feedback that you need to know that you're accomplishing it. Can somebody give a better qbr because they went through your class that's hard to measure in a specific way. But do they understand why they're doing it and how they're doing it and how to prepare for better because they didn't.

Kevin Metzger: maybe hard to measure but when you see the results of them going through and doing it and growing inconsistency and growing in how they engage with the customer and getting results from your customers. that's where the training.

Kevin Metzger: Off you one of the other things we talked about.

Kevin Metzger: that I think the training is really good for and important is We're talking about customer success platforms and the implementation of platform. S and…

Roman Trebon: Yeah.

Kevin Metzger: one of our first guests was Dave Allen when we talked about customer success platforms with David and he made Point as well.

Roman Trebon: Yeah.

Kevin Metzger: Companies are bringing in a platform and expecting that to solve their business process problems. Going through all the trainings and making sure you understand how the department should run and make it and having a process and operational process for your department and how your department will runs and all of that has to be in place before you bring in a platform or at least has to be made to come in place as a change management process, which was one of the other things he talked about is really driving change management processes.

Roman Trebon: .

Kevin Metzger: I think he's talking about a training their developing for that. for change management It's important externally and I think that's really where he's talking about is working how you work with customers through change management as a customer success leader, but it's important internally as well.

Kevin Metzger: and understanding how to drive your change processes so that if you do go into building a CSP or implementing CSP, you've got all the change processes in place and it was another great point that

Roman Trebon: Yeah, I mean for I'm working with a client now Kevin I met with him yesterday. They're terrific. We're doing some change it's all about this. They're doing a technology change. Right and we talked about we're looking to go live dates and the technology you'll be ready next month. and we are going live the following month, right not because the technology is not ready because they need that much time from a change management perspective and they're dead on they're exactly right because we could throw a new system in there and it can do a bunch of stuff that it didn't do before but if the staff isn't ready to use it and understand it why behind it it's gonna fail right so

00:10:00

Roman Trebon: it was actually really against why you work with great clients, you get great ideas, But we need to kind of work to kind of build that further up in our onboarding and right that's part of the continuous learning process as well. But now he didn't know in the head. It's same as training if I'm trying I go through a success coaching or wherever

Roman Trebon: you have to have that change management reinforcement behind it. we've all done trainings where I've taken a class. You've taken a course and then that's the end of it right and how well do we adapt those new skill not at all because maybe you try it once and you're like, yeah, but if you have a training culture and you have a change process behind it where we're practicing it's okay to mess up. Yeah, you have to reinforce that training for it to stick because if not, it' becomes just a software we talk about those Dave Ellen. you're trying with this Silver Bullet it misses the mark and then you just have a shiny object in your system. That's causing a lot of money without a lot of value.

Kevin Metzger: Yeah, so Again, I think it was a great episode. I think it's got a whole bunch of new courses coming out, the change management was one of them trying to remember what some of the others were that he listed.

Roman Trebon: Page There's a whole body. I mean if you go to success coaching our audience sign up, they have webinars. They have amazing content all the time it is when I get an email from Andrew and team. what can I'm always bummed out when I have a conflict. my God, but there's tons it's Global I joined one a couple Beginning of the month. I mean there's so many people from Netherlands was on there they have a global presence now and it's really amazing content and he's so tuned into the space that I'm confident. It'll continue to adapt and change as the, six customer success Market changes as well. So

Roman Trebon: All right, we are at the final we at the end. So let me ask you real quick. Right you flew solo should I feel the other members of Destiny's Child. We're Beyoncé kind of went on her own and that was the end of should I be working?

Kevin Metzger: them

Roman Trebon: You start going shows without me or should I still part of this? Let me know.

Kevin Metzger: Yeah, we'll keep you involved for now.

Roman Trebon: All I was listening to it this morning walking the dog. I had that Destiny's Child. I wonder this is how that their names right? I know Beyonce went on her own. I didn't know I'm like am I the other person now am I getting left behind but we are into the end at the end of this episode This is our last post. Show of the year, right? So no more end of 23. I'll open the 40 you have any parting shots for the year in terms of the podcast? I know we're gonna do a whole episode on it at the end here. But this is our last post game show. I thought I'd open up to you for some thoughts.

Kevin Metzger: No, I appreciate it. I think I want to save most of that content for the post game,…

Roman Trebon: Okay.

Kevin Metzger: but I will say that depending on when you're listening to this. Merry Christmas, I'm probably Thanksgiving will have been over already but You…

Roman Trebon: Happy Hanukkah. Yeah, whatever you're into.

Kevin Metzger: Happy Han Kwanzaa whatever I think he's gone. But yeah. but

Roman Trebon: passed away. yeah, we'll see we'll save the wrap up for the end I'll hit you with one. We do rapid fire with all our guests, So can I have one trivia question for you? Before we leave I have my Campbell High School Spartan sweatshirt on do you know who the most famous alumni of Campbell High School is

Kevin Metzger: that is not what I'm gonna know. No kidding.

Roman Trebon: You're not going to know the answer Julia Roberts Pretty Woman. Yes. So there you go Kevin you learn something every day, so

Kevin Metzger: I bet my wife would have known that.

Roman Trebon: Yeah, you've been in Atlanta long enough Julia Roberts down the street in Smyrna. thanks Thanks to our audience for listening. again, thanks for an amazing 2023 for us. We hope you enjoyed the episode with rew. He's amazing. Check out success coaching second Andrew on LinkedIn go to success coaching.com and check us out at customer success Playbook that AI you can follow Kevin on LinkedIn at Kevin Metzger myself at Roman trebon and then don't forget our customers success Playbook page. So check us out connect with us. Let us know any feedback on the shows topics and guests you want us to have on where we always really appreciate that so with that thanks for listening and tune in next time.