So, we’re already halfway through January 2023, and as everyone returns to work for the new year, are you thinking about goals for yourself and your Customer Success team?
Goal setting is an essential part of achieving success in any area of life or business, but while doing this, it’s helpful to think of goals as either Outcome or Process-based.
While it is important to have outcome goals, such as setting a number for increasing revenue, lowering churn, or acquiring a certain number of customers, it is far more effective to focus on Process Goals.
Process Goals focus on the steps or actions taken to reach an outcome rather than the outcome itself.
By setting process goals, individuals and teams can take ownership of their progress and feel a sense of control and accomplishment. They will help to continuously improve systems, foster collaboration, mitigate risk, and keep team members motivated and engaged.
The things in our power are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered; but those not in our power are weak, servile, dependent on others. - Epictetus
🕹️Process Goals are about Control
First and foremost, the process is within a team's control. Outcome goals, such as increasing revenue, can be influenced by various external factors, such as changes in the market or competition. On the other hand, process goals focus on the actions and behaviors that the team can directly control. By setting and working towards process goals, customer success teams can take ownership of their progress and feel a sense of accomplishment as they reach each milestone. Outcome goals are inherently risky due to external influence whilst process goals minimize this.
🚀 Process Goals Iterate toward ever-increasing Success
Focusing on process goals can help teams continuously improve their processes and systems. By setting targets for things like playbook activities, engagement on help articles, or percentage of support closed by chatbots, teams can identify areas for improvement and work towards making their processes more efficient and effective. This not only helps the team achieve their outcome goals, but it also leads to a better customer experience.
⚽️ Process Goals = Teamwork
Process goals foster collaboration and teamwork within a customer success team as the team needs to monitor, iterate and build out its processes continuously. When team members work towards a common goal, they are more likely to support and help each other. This can lead to a more positive and productive work environment. And whether or not a client renews, churns, or upgrades, the team can still find wins by applying and improving their process, knowing that positive outcomes will follow.
💾 Process Goals Replicate
Focusing on the process guarantees that success can be replicated time and time again. By documenting and refining processes, teams can create a roadmap for success that can be followed in the future. This can be particularly useful for customer success teams, as it can help to ensure a consistent and high-quality customer experience. Focusing on the process can lead to many successful outcomes, foster creativity, and helps ensure that your Customers are supported in their success no matter who serves them or when.
🏆 Process Goals promote #processwins
Furthermore, process goals can help to keep team members motivated and engaged. When team members work towards specific, achievable targets, they are more likely to stay motivated and invested in their work. One way to maximize this is to share process wins, even if they are small. Team members can stay motivated and engaged by regularly celebrating and acknowledging progress. Sharing process wins can also help foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration within a team and in the broader company.
This leads to a more positive and productive work environment, ultimately leading to better outcomes, happy customers, lower churn, and higher revenue!!
Even if the wins are small, they add up over time.
🤔 So remember, while setting goals, process goals are better for teams for several reasons. They are more within the team's control, can help to improve processes and systems continuously, foster collaboration and teamwork, mitigate risk, and keep team members focused and engaged.
Ultimately leading Customer Success teams to achieve their desired outcomes more efficiently and effectively.
