Developing Your Edge: Getting a Seat at the Customer’s Table

Charles L. Rygula II

How many of you are in...

https://uahtechcomm.com/category/technical-editing/

Technical Communications?

Marketing?

https://marketoonist.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/170320.onetoone.jpg

Customer Service/Support?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjvk_7vn4XXAhWD3oMKHWlmCZYQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brucesallan.com%2F2013%2F09%2F07%2Fevolution-technology-customer-service%2F&psig=AOvVaw1_iva_80VdG1c3GhFHKITg&ust=1508796620678848

https://think360studio.com/ux-humor-jokes-funny-quotes/

UI/UX Engineers?

https://marketoonist.com/2012/08/the-art-of-product-management.html

ProductManagement?

Sales?

https://www.pinterest.se/pin/461478293042398126/

Your Customer

Your Business

https://itstillruns.com/difference-between-spur-helical-gears-7786286.html

…the interlock between your business and your customer

Customer Engagement …

Why does Customer Engagement matter?

+ 23%

http://www.gallup.com/services/169331/customer-engagement.aspx

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

“...customers who are fully engaged represent a 23% premium...”

“...customer experience will overtake priceand product as the key brand differentiator.”

https://sessioncam.com/customer-engagement-stats-2016/, taken from Walker's “Customers 2020: A Progress Report

Customer engagement done well...

Happy customers RevenueGood reviews (for business and employees)

https://emojipedia.org/

There's a disconnect somewhere...

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

believe they have holisticview of their customers

81%

ConsumerBrands

“Five best practices for understanding customer journeys”, https://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/im/en/imw14854usen/IMW14854USEN.PDF

BUT

63%Consumers

believe their favorite retailer understands them

And...

86%

Consumers

$

will pay more for a better customer experience

feel that vendors consistently meet their expectations

thoughONLY

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecrandell/2013/01/21/customer-experience-is-it-the-chicken-or-egg/#352a7d263557

Consumers

1%

YAY!!!

Oh no – there's an issue! Now what?

Engage people based on:

Previous experience and trust

Leverage existing workflows

Attempt to solve issue

https://advanceprotech.com/blog/overcome-resistance-to-change-action-plan/

Silos and job titles

Are content teams generally in that “circle of trust”?

Background modified from: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/19/internet-defense-league-cat-signal_n_1685236.html

http://saucedinnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/coste-psicologico-nunca-decir-no.jpg?w=640

...well, OK. Sometimes, but not usually.

CommunicationsProfessional

Stonewalled…

Customer

OrganizationalRoadblock –

aka the “Gatekeeper”

STOP

http://www.clipartpanda.com/clipart_images/barbed-wire-fence-clipart-2443117

The problem with this pattern

Undermines the importance of content in the customer engagement process

Overlooks the value of those who develop and manage content better

Results in lost engagement opportunities

It:

Contributing business factors

Type, Sector, and Industry

Maturity(age, size, locations)

http://scoliosistreatmentalternatives.com/4525/treatment-for-adult-scoliosis/

Organization Compositionand Hierarchy

Management

http://errolallenconsulting.com/customer-service-manager-success/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/07/06/the-5-types-of-organizational-structures-part-1-the-hierarchy/#18a200df5252

B2C B2B

C2C C2B

Differences in restrictions and flexibility basedon regulations and processes

More people in more locations = less visibility across departments, business process maturity

Number of layers, number of silos, full-time staff vs. contractors

Are they good? Inclusive? Proficient at managing up/outward? Do they look out for you?

Contributing personal factors

<insert title here>

Icons made by Smashicons from https://www.flaticon.com/

Project 1

Duration atCompany

Your StatedTitle and Role

Your Project(s) Your Performance

http://www.advantageappraisalsca.com/tips-agents-appraisers-backed/

http://www.insight-net.org/p/bl/et/blogaid=236

http://indyshrm.org/the-power-of-recognition-and-simple-steps-you-can-take-to-harness-it/

How long you’ve been there, how well you’re known

Set ideas about the importance or value of different roles/job functions

High-profile vs. low-profile, High-revenue, Big customer

How good you are, How much/often you go the extra mile

A top concern when bringing more people to the customer table…

Managing communication and personality

More people = more styles = more risk

Potential for less personalized engagement

Potential to upset the customer

From “Word Crimes” video by Wierd Al Yankovic

http://saucedinnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/coste-psicologico-nunca-decir-no.jpg?w=640

...but change is required

“The main problem with systems of titles is that people are erratic,

chaotic messes who learn at different paces and in different ways.

They can be good at or terrible at completely different things, even

while doing more or less the same job.

https://medium.com/@rands/titles-are-toxic-ec2cdf571f11

“Titles are Toxic”

“Titles place an absolute professional value on individuals, where

the reality is that you are a collection of skills of varying ability.”

Michael Lopp

How to get that seat

Wait for the opportunity to fall into your lap

The passive way:

It does happen from time to time

Leaves too much to chance

If/when it does happen, exploit the opportunity

How to get that seat (cont’d)

Proactively learn about your customers and their needs

The proactive way:

Use that knowledge – it’s OK to display what you know

Don’t wait until something is confirmed –learning paves the way

How to get that seat (cont’d)

Establish trust and confidence with the gatekeepers

The proactive way:

Demonstrate competence

Deliver value

Maximizing your value in the content ecosystem

Take away 1:

Do more with more –use the resources of your Content Ecosystem

Maximizing your value in the content ecosystem

Take away 2:

Base what you do on what is needed –the minimum viable product concept applies to content too

Maximizing your value in the content ecosystem

Take away 3:

Minimize the impact of organizational silos –think horizontally

Maximizing your value in the content ecosystem

Take away 4:

Connect the dots for those can’t –don’t explain, inspire

The best thing we could do is

Think BIGGER!!!

The logic is simple…

Common goals Collaboration opportunities

Collaboration Better experiences

Better experiences Recognition

Recognition instills confidence + influences perception of value

Value (real or perceived) Your seat at the customer table

Product Management – the simple view

Based on https://help.prodpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/205009327-What-is-Product-Management-

Product/ Technology

Customer

Business (Capital)

Product Management

Product Management – the gritty details

Community Management

Social Media Marketing

SEO

User Research

Web Analytics

Design Budget

Product Roadmap

Investor Relations

Business Vision

Technology Licensing

Project Management

Business Development

Advertising

Monetization

Strategic Partnerships

Market Sizing

Business Model Development

https://www.quora.com/What-does-closing-the-feedback-loop-mean-with-regards-to-product-management

https://productlogic.org/2014/06/22/the-product-management-triangle/

Customer Engagement

Content Product Management –User-Business Loop

Business Development

Advertising

Monetization

Strategic Partnerships

Market Sizing

Business Model Development

User Acquisition

Revenue

Content Marketing, Re-use, Quality

RFx Responses, Contract-based, Fee-based

Contract Vendor Management

OEM, ODM Partner Content Management

Content Product Management –Business-Technology Loop

Budget

Product Roadmap

Investor Relations

Business Vision

Technology Licensing

Project Management

Tools

Cross-functional Relationships

Content Strategy, Information Architecture

Content Product Management –Technology-User Loop

Community Management

Social Media Marketing

SEO

User Research

Web Analytics

Design

Distribution

Templates, Formats, Style sheets, etc.

Customer Engagement

Sales – the simple view

ProductCustomer

Business(Capital)

Sales

Sales – the gritty details

Customer Service

Fulfillment/Delivery

Project Management

Training

Demos and Trials

Customer Engagement

Requirements

Regulatory and Compliance

Offer Creation

Feedback

Issue Resolution

Competitive Intelligence

Business Development

Advertising

Lead Generation and Contact

RFx Response and Defense

Quotes

Customer Retention and Management

Sales Strategy

Commercial Contract Agreements

Technical Project Requirements

Business Development

Advertising

Lead Generation and Contact

RFx Response and Defense

Quotes

Customer Retention and Management

Sales Content –User-Business Loop

Content marketing, re-use, quality

Marketing and Technical Content

Contract Management

Technical Project Requirements

Commercial Contract Agreements

Requirements

Regulatory and Compliance

Offer Creation

Feedback

Issue Resolution

Competitive Intelligence

Sales Strategy

Sales Content –Business-Product Loop

Product Documentation, Issue reports

MoPs, Design Documents

Scope Definition, Methods of Procedure

Customer Service

Fulfillment/Delivery

Project Management

Training

Demos and Trials

Customer Engagement

Sales Content –Product-User Loop

The Customer Engagement process has changed

Customer needs are more nuanced

The process moves faster

You must engage the customer earlier and more often

Know who to bring to the table

Experience

Advocate

Bond

Buy

Consider

Evaluate

Start

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-new-consumer-decision-journey

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/_qs/documents/673/2011-winning-zmot-ebook_research-studies.pdf

Customer decision journey and ZMOT Next Customer

ZMOT = Zero Moment of Truth

Sales Advice: Rules of engagement

Get to know the customer’s preferences

Remember names

Establish communication protocols beforehand

Know who you’ll be meeting with beforehand

Sales Advice: Rules of engagement (cont’d)

Go in knowing what to say

Prepare your story, stick to it

Avoid pitfalls -- know what to share and when

Anticipate what questions might be asked

Listen closely

Sales Advice: Rules of engagement (cont’d)

Establish a mutual understanding up front

Use caution when discussing possibilities

Engage early to help the customer

No showboating

Sales Advice: Rules of engagement (cont’d)

Don’t lie

Have examples ready

Don’t act like you know everything –they’ll know you don’t

Work to build credibility

Summary

Customer engagement is critical to success – yours and your business

Content is power – it’s relatable and a customer engagement tool

Think bigger than your title and install confidence within your organization to play a bigger role in customer engagement

Collaborate, follow the rules of engagement, and execute with proficiency

Acknowledgements

Robert Huffer, Eastern Regional Sales Manager, General Kinematics

Mike Shomaker, Director Advanced Services, Cisco Systems

Jake Klein, CEO, Panaya

Jason Heiling, Systems Engineering Manager, Sales, Cisco Systems

Thank you!

Charles L. Rygula II

www.linkedin.com/in/CharlesRygula