The Enablement Edge

Forget Pipeline and Focus on Customer Success with Mark Kosoglow

Episode Summary

<p>It's time to stop focusing on pipeline growth. Yes, you read that right. </p><p>In this episode, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkosoglow/">Mark Kosoglow</a>, CRO at <a href="https://catalyst.io/">Catalyst Software</a>, shares his perspective about why you should be focusing on customer success instead of inbound pipeline. It's shaking up the industry by encouraging revenue leaders to truly focus on the incremental value — and revenue growth — that customer success teams can deliver.</p><p><br />Here are the key takeaways from our conversation with Mark Kosoglow:</p><ol><li>Deliver more "moments of impact”: Time-to-value should not be measured as time to achieve <em>maximum </em>value but rather as time to achieve a meaningful moment of impact. Instead of delivering the entire value of your platform or product immediately, you should provide incremental value over time. This method addresses the problem of delayed implementations and demoralization.</li><li>Align promise makers and promise keepers: Organizations must bridge the gap between sales and customer success. Aligning the teams responsible for making promises with the ones tasked with keeping them can enhance trust, streamline value delivery, and drive revenue growth.</li><li>Elevate the success of the customer: Mark's approach not only benefits businesses but also transforms the role that customer success teams play. By empowering them to have more strategic conversations and become proactive value partners, they can deliver exceptional results for their customers and their organization.</li></ol><p><strong>Jump into the conversation:<br /></strong><br /></p><p>[05:38] Why it’s essential to challenge current sales paradigms </p><p>[12:54] Turning operational sales dreams into reality</p><p>[18:45] How to change the time-to-value mindset within company culture</p><p>[23:36] The division of roles within customer success teams</p><p>[25:17] Mitigating the risks of Account Executive (AE) involvement</p><p>[27:39] Ways to shift the traditional CSM mindset to a business impact mindset</p><p>[33:41] Words of wisdom for aspiring industry change-makers</p><p>[36:06] Heather and Steve’s key takeaways </p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Continue the conversation with these resources:</strong></p><ul><li>Focus on people, processes, and technology to forge a stronger, more aligned future for your go-to-market team. Download <a href="https://seismic.com/resources/ebooks/ebook-adapting-to-change-gtm-alignment/">this ebook</a> for tips on how to do just that. </li><li>Empowered CSMs deliver amazing value in every interaction. See how to enable their success in this <a href="https://seismic.com/resources/ebooks/enabling-customer-service-success/">ebook</a>. </li><li>Learn how Seismic can empower your customer success team with the training, coaching, content, and insights that make renewal rates soar <a href="https://seismic.com/solutions/customer-service-teams/">here</a>.  </li><li>Learn more about Go-to-Market Magic at <a href="http://www.gotomarket-magic.com/">gotomarket-magic.com</a>.</li></ul>

Episode Notes

It's time to stop focusing on pipeline growth. Yes, you read that right. 

In this episode, Mark Kosoglow, CRO at Catalyst Software, shares his perspective about why you should be focusing on customer success instead of inbound pipeline. It's shaking up the industry by encouraging revenue leaders to truly focus on the incremental value — and revenue growth — that customer success teams can deliver.


Here are the key takeaways from our conversation with Mark Kosoglow:

  1. Deliver more "moments of impact”: Time-to-value should not be measured as time to achieve maximum value but rather as time to achieve a meaningful moment of impact. Instead of delivering the entire value of your platform or product immediately, you should provide incremental value over time. This method addresses the problem of delayed implementations and demoralization.
  2. Align promise makers and promise keepers: Organizations must bridge the gap between sales and customer success. Aligning the teams responsible for making promises with the ones tasked with keeping them can enhance trust, streamline value delivery, and drive revenue growth.
  3. Elevate the success of the customer: Mark's approach not only benefits businesses but also transforms the role that customer success teams play. By empowering them to have more strategic conversations and become proactive value partners, they can deliver exceptional results for their customers and their organization.

Jump into the conversation:

[05:38] Why it’s essential to challenge current sales paradigms 

[12:54] Turning operational sales dreams into reality

[18:45] How to change the time-to-value mindset within company culture

[23:36] The division of roles within customer success teams

[25:17] Mitigating the risks of Account Executive (AE) involvement

[27:39] Ways to shift the traditional CSM mindset to a business impact mindset

[33:41] Words of wisdom for aspiring industry change-makers

[36:06] Heather and Steve’s key takeaways 


Continue the conversation with these resources: