Are you farming more and more of your daily job out to AI, only to realize you're spending more time than before just holding its hand?

...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have.

In this episode we talk about our journeys through the AI revolution:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:07 - The farmer’s mentality and AI reliance

00:03:51 - Blind trust in AI and its risks

00:04:52 - AI-generated emails: Overkill or useful?

00:06:17 - Lazy habits and losing the spark in CS

00:08:16 - Correcting AI: A time sink or necessary evil?

00:09:11 - Striking a balance: Creativity vs. automation

00:11:00 - The myth of the perfect CSM

00:14:49 - Personalizing customer interactions with AI

00:17:05 - Handwritten notes and meaningful gestures

00:19:37 - Rethinking customer engagement strategies

00:22:15 - Direct meeting invites: Bold or intrusive?

00:24:23 - Non-responders and alternative approaches

00:27:03 - Bye bye!

And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To.

Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/

Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

Mentioned in this episode:

LTV Shop

Segment

Getting promoted into leadership is still the ultimate goal for most. Kristi and Stino challenge the notion and, if you're still interested, tell you what to look out for.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 - A blonde debut

01:57 - Climbing the CS ladder

02:30 - Finding your “why” in leadership

04:00 - Managing expectations upfront

06:16 - Organizational philosophy on CS

08:01 - Asking for support as a leader

09:14 - Realistic targets and KPIs

11:43 - Knowing the team dynamics

13:28 - Investing in leadership development

16:08 - Product innovation and customer value

18:47 - Wrapping up 2024 and looking ahead

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: leadership, career journey, management, new leader, promotion

Mentioned in this episode:

LTV Shop

The Segment

You can't always get what you want. And when it comes to CSMing, that almost always means...data worth a damn.

Kristi and Stino share tactics for FIGHTING for better data or, in lieu of that, how to still get your point across without it.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:55 - Gratitude for 2024’s challenges

00:02:38 - Myriam's dilemma: CS without data

00:04:35 - Leveraging customer conversations

00:06:00 - Inviting others into CS calls

00:08:30 - Creativity in data collection

00:10:00 - Building trust in your data

00:12:55 - Emotional breakdowns in leadership

00:16:38 - Back to basics with Excel

00:18:51 - Identifying the right metrics

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: data, creativity, microsoft excel

Mentioned in this episode:

LTV Shop

The Segment

It's inevitable that you'll feel overwhelmed in your job.

Kristi and Stino give advice on how to discuss it with your manager.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:48 - Overwhelmed in the workplace

00:02:46 - Emotional vs. data-driven conversations

00:06:26 - Turning stress into actionable insights

00:09:25 - Crafting business-focused recommendations

00:11:43 - Handling emotions during tough discussions

00:12:06 - Unique stress relief methods

00:12:47 - Empowering the first conversation

00:13:30 - Cliffhanger!

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: data

Renewal negotiations have the potential to get out of hand.

Kristi and Stino give their best tips for preventing things going sideways.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:33 - Setting up multi-year contracts for enterprises

00:05:30 - Budget planning timing and negotiation

00:08:45 - Streamlining renewals: lessons from big firms

00:12:17 - Common pitfalls in enterprise renewals

00:15:06 - Role of value and pricing in negotiations

00:18:21 - Pre-negotiated clauses to save time

00:22:33 - Early alignment with sales and budgeting

00:26:10 - Preventing extended negotiation cycles

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: customer advocacy, partnership, key customer management

How do you serve the "perfect" customer? The one who seems to do it all right.

Kristi and Stino unpack that question, and explore what it really means to be a partner to your customers.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:59 - What is "perfect" anyways?

00:03:53 - Handling requests from top customers

00:04:50 - Leaning into strategic partnerships

00:07:23 - Business discussions vs. personal chat

00:10:06 - Asking tough questions thoughtfully

00:12:30 - Tackling “feature requests”

00:18:49 - Partnering with product for insights

00:28:15 - Wrapping up with key takeaways

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: customer advocacy, partnership, key customer management

Kristi and Stino answer one listener's question on how a customer success manager can take back control and manage internal conversations around customers at risk.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:19 - Did we answer Peggy's question?

00:02:47 - Today’s question: managing customer risk as an IC

00:04:47 - Setting expectations with leadership based on data

00:06:53 - Avoiding emotional reactions and staying objective

00:10:14 - How leadership can approach ICs when discussing risk

00:13:55 - Keeping track of customer actions and progress

00:15:36 - Importance of leadership providing context when asking questions

00:17:17 - Balancing leadership pressure and customer outcomes

00:20:55 - Proactively setting vs. managing expectations

00:25:31 - Set expectations, don’t just manage them

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: managing expectations, customers at risk

Kristi and Stino share tips on how to react when your biggest fan at your customer picks up and walks out.

Subscribe to the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:58 - Peggy’s challenge: Replacing an executive sponsor

00:03:57 - Building relationships with new execs

00:07:27 - Leveraging titles to get a foot in the door

00:10:51 - CSM empowerment and ownership

00:14:49 - Creative ways to engage new stakeholders

00:18:13 - Rebuilding when your main contact is gone

00:20:07 - Importance of engaging executives early

00:25:10 - Different CS approaches for different tools

00:25:48 - Did we help Peggy?

📺 Lifetime Value: Your Destination for GTM content

https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ Connect with the hosts:

Kristi Faltorusso's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Kristi's website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/

Stijn "Stino" Smet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/

Key topics: customer champion, customer success, stakeholder mapping