Account Handover is often mentioned in the context of transitioning between sales and customer success. However, within the CS team, various situations inevitably lead to account handover between CSMs.
Change of CSM reminds me of the situation of replacing the lead actor of the show. The audience (stakeholders) are looking for a seamless experience (as advertised) with no less than a flawless performance. With this level of expectations in place, CSMs and CS leaders should follow a structured process with minimum impact on customers.
Typical reasons for account handover between CSMs:
CSM Attrition
CSM Promotion
CSM Underperforming
Account allocation to a new CSM.
Reducing the load of an existing CSM or changing the customer mix.
Change in customer segment leading to a CSM change
The main objectives to consider when initiating account handover between CSMs:
Seamless transition (nothing “falls between the cracks”)
Mitigating the Impact on the customer (customer will not “educate” the new CSM)
Minimize the duration of the new CSM getting up-to-speed
The Playbook
The playbook includes internal and external (customer-facing) activities to perform as part of the handover.
The Infographic illustrates the main steps, and additional details are listed below.
Internal Preparation and Alignment:
· CSMs should be in synch regarding the message to the customer explaining the reason for the change.
· The new CSM should be aware of the customer background, including (but not limited) to their use case, previous meeting notes, QBR summaries, action items, account plans, and more. A solid and organized CS platform or a centralized knowledge base will support a smooth handover.
· Future priorities and commitments – understand the main customer priorities and any existing or future obligations.
· Review the stakeholder analysis and plan relevant introduction calls.
· Review any ongoing issues such as defects, feature requests, and pending questions. Align on any important due dates and commitments,
· Review existing opportunities logged in the CRM and potential opportunities that require validation.
· Familiarize yourself with risks that have already been identified and steps taken to avoid or mitigate them.
· Plan the transition with the customer, including communication, timing, and milestones.
· In specific scenarios (high NRR, major enterprise customer, multiple stakeholders), consider having an overlap period including shadowing and reverse shadowing between the CSMs
Customer-facing Activities:
• Ensure the customer understands the reason for the change as part of the preliminary communication.
• In case of underperforming CSM, allow the customer to vent their concerns and ensure their feedback is taken care of.
• The introduction of a new CSM may include previous credentials and relevant experience. Customers wish to know they are in capable and experienced hands.
• Set expectations with the customer regarding timelines and milestones. In case of an overlap between the CSMs, the customer should know who the lead CSM is during the transition process.
• During the transition process, assess the customer sentiment and look for discomfort signals. Proactively handle any issues and reassure key stakeholders that the transition process will not impact their business and operations.
• A few weeks after the transition is completed, it is recommended that the CS leader follow up to ensure the customer and the engagement are handled flawlessly.
Regardless of the reason triggering the change, both CSMs and respective leaders should focus on the customer and only “follow the process”. Having a playbook in place is essential, while changes and adjustments are needed. At the end of the day, we deal with human beings, and as such, they may have expectations and concerns that we have not planned for. Use the framework described in this article as a foundation and identify those cases that require a “custom-made” treatment based on the sensitivity and other factors affecting the engagement.
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