Are you looking to improve your Customer Success strategy but unsure where to start? With the rise of automation and technology, businesses are faced with the question of how they can scale while balancing efficiency and the quality of their service and that’s where low touch and high touch models for Customer Success come in.
In this blog post, we will explore the differences between low-touch vs high-touch Customer Success and provide insights on which approach may be more suitable for your business. Let's dive in and discover the power of automation and adaptability in creating successful customer relationships.
What is High Touch Customer Success?
High touch Customer Success is the epitome of personalised service. It's the royal banquet of customer engagement, where your clients are not just numbers on a spreadsheet but individuals whose needs, queries and concerns are addressed personally and promptly. Imagine a concierge service in a five-star hotel, where every customer interaction is tailored to meet and exceed the customer's expectations.
In high-touch models, a Customer Success manager is assigned to each account, ensuring dedicated support. According to Salesforce, 84% of customers feel that being treated like a person, not a number, is integral to winning their business, proving the significance of a high touch approach. This model often involves regular check-ins, personalised recommendations and responsive Customer Success.
However, the high-touch strategy can be resource-intensive, requiring a large Customer Success team for implementation. Despite this, for businesses whose clients require intricate support or high-ticket items, this approach can prove highly beneficial. In essence, high touch Customer Success is about delivering an exceptional, personalised experience that nurtures long-term customer relationships.
What is Low Touch Customer Success?
Imagine a digital self-serve concierge, a one-stop-shop for all customer needs that's powered by the magic of automation. That's the essence of low-touch Customer Success. It's an approach designed for scale, enabling businesses to support a large number of customers with less manpower. In this model, technology takes centre stage, leveraging tools like customer relationship management systems, automated emails and AI-driven support to facilitate a streamlined, efficient customer journey.
The Harvard Business Review says that 81% of customers attempt to solve product/service issues on their own. Low-touch Customer Success fills this desire by empowering customers to self-service, using resources like FAQs, video tutorials and automated responses. While it may not provide the tailored touch of its high-touch counterpart, it allows companies to manage a high volume of customers effectively and efficiently.
What is the Role of a Customer Success Manager in a Low Touch Model?
In a low touch model, the role of a Customer Success Manager (CSM) is supplementary. Rather than orchestrating every step of the customer journey personally, the CSM in a low touch framework orchestrates behind the scenes, making sure that the technology and automation tools are not just up and running, but finely tuned to the customers’ needs. Their expertise shifts towards analysing data and customer interactions to identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement.
However, they also remain on standby, ready to intervene with a human touch when complex issues arise that automation can't resolve. In essence, within the low touch paradigm, CSMs are the silent guardians of customer success, leveraging technology to maintain a broad yet meaningful engagement with customers. This allows businesses to keep the human touch in their service as they scale.
Comparing Low Touch and High Touch: Efficiency and Scale
When comparing low touch versus high touch Customer Success models, the pivotal factor to consider is the balance between personalisation and efficiency. On one hand, the high touch model is centred around the notion of quality over quantity. This approach allows for a deep, personalised understanding of each customer's needs. The result? Rich customer relationships and superior service.
However, this level of dedication comes at the cost of scalability. High touch models require substantial resources and are often less efficient when catering to large customer bases. Thus, this model is often seen in organisations with fewer, higher-value clients.
Contrarily, the low touch model thrives on scale and efficiency. By harnessing the power of technology and automation, businesses can cater to a vast customer base without significant human intervention. This means the business can support more customers with fewer resources, allowing for scalability and growth. However, the trade-off is a less personalised customer experience. But for businesses with a large, tech-savvy customer base, the low touch model can be a game-changer.
To sum it up, it's all about finding the sweet spot. High touch caters to quality, crafting superior customer experiences through personalised attention. Meanwhile, low touch excels in efficiency and scale, servicing a large volume of customers through automated systems. Therefore, when deciding between low touch versus high touch, it's crucial to consider your business' specific needs and customer base. Can your business handle the scale without sacrificing customer experience?
The Power of Personalisation: High Touch Strengths
The strength of high-touch Customer Success lies in the high level of personalisation it offers:
1. Builds Strong Relationships: By offering personalised attention, high touch Customer Success fosters strong, long-lasting relationships with clients. It's the personal touch that builds trust and loyalty.
2. Ensures Customer Satisfaction: The personalised nature of the high touch approach often leads to greater customer satisfaction. The fact that clients' needs are addressed promptly and personally makes them feel valued and understood.
3. Allows for Proactive Support: With a dedicated Customer Success manager assigned to each account, potential issues can be anticipated and addressed before they become problems. This proactive support helps in preventing customer churn.
4: Provides Deeper Insights: By interacting closely with customers, businesses gain a deeper understanding of their needs, preferences, and pain points. These insights can be instrumental in refining your offerings and marketing strategies.
5: Enhances Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): The personalised service offered by high touch models often leads to increased customer retention and, consequently, higher customer lifetime value.
Remember, the high touch approach is not just about responding to customer needs; it's about anticipating them, delivering exceptional service and creating unforgettable customer experiences.
The Power of Technology: Low Touch Strengths
The allure of low-touch Customer Success resides in the power of technology and automation, providing several compelling advantages:
1. Enables Scalability: Through automation and self-service resources, businesses can support a larger customer base with less human intervention, facilitating substantial growth and scalability.
2. Empowers Customers: Low-touch models equip customers with the tools and resources to resolve issues independently. This fosters customer confidence and reduces the reliance on customer support teams.
3. Improves Efficiency: By automating repetitive tasks, Customer Success teams can prioritise more complex issues, boosting overall efficiency and productivity.
4. Reduces Costs: Leveraging technology reduces the need for a large Customer Success team, leading to significant cost savings.
5. Facilitates Consistent Service: Automated responses and processes ensure a uniform customer experience, eliminating human error and inconsistency.
6. Offers 24/7 Support: Automated systems and self-service resources are available round the clock, offering uninterrupted customer support.
Remember, the essence of low touch Customer Success lies in harnessing the power of technology to manage a high volume of customers effectively and efficiently.
Which Model is Best for Your Organisation?
Choosing the right engagement model for your organisation is not always cut and dry. It largely depends on your business context and customer base. Nine times out of ten, most businesses follow some amalgamation of both approaches. However, here are a few things to consider when determining your strategy:
1. Nature of Product or Service: If your offerings are complex, intricate, or high-value, a high-touch model might be better suited. However, for straightforward products or services, a low-touch approach can often suffice.
2. Customer Base Size: High-touch models tend to work best with a small, concentrated customer base. Conversely, if you cater to a large customer base, a low-touch model can provide the scale and efficiency needed.
3. Customer Expectations: Consider what your customers value most. Are they seeking personalised attention, or do they prefer the speed and independence offered by automated systems?
4. Resource Availability: High-touch models demand a considerable investment in human resources. Is your business ready to commit to this? On the other hand, low-touch models require investment in robust technology infrastructure.
5. Growth Ambitions: Are you looking to rapidly scale your customer base? If so, a low-touch model might offer the scalability you require. However, if you're focusing on growing the value of existing customers, a high-touch approach could be more beneficial.
Generally speaking, businesses dealing with high-value, complex products or services or those having a smaller, niche customer base might benefit more from high-touch Customer Success. Think of premium service providers, B2B SaaS companies, or luxury goods retailers.
On the other hand, businesses with a large customer base or those offering straightforward, low-cost products or services might find a low-touch model more advantageous. Consider mass-market retailers, utility service providers, or B2C SaaS companies. The key is to align your Customer Success model with your business objectives, customer needs, and resource availability.
The Importance of Adaptability
In the rapidly evolving world of Customer Success, flexibility and adaptability are key. It's about understanding that there's no 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Some customers may prefer the personal touch, whilst others may favour the efficiency of automated services. This is where the beauty of adaptability comes into play. The most successful businesses are those that can fluidly switch between high and low touch models as per their customer needs and business dynamics.
For instance, a business might start with a high touch model to cater for their low number of customers, however, as their portfolio builds and their need to scale rises, they may shift to a low touch approach for their lower-value customers.. This adaptability can help businesses meet diverse customer expectations and achieve a balance between personalisation and efficiency. What's more, with the advancement in technology, businesses can now blend the two models, offering automated services with a personalised touch. Thus, adaptability is not just about choosing between low touch vs high touch; it's about leveraging the best of both worlds to deliver a customer experience that's just right.
The Role of Technology in High Touch and Low Touch Customer Success
Technology plays an instrumental role in both high touch and low touch Customer Success models. In the high touch approach, technology facilitates personalised communication, data analysis, and proactive service. Customer Success Platforms like Velaris help manage customer interactions and build profiles for each client. This data allows Customer Success managers to anticipate needs and deliver timely, personalised service. Velaris also comes with built-in analytics that provides valuable insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and trends, aiding in the development of targeted strategies and tailored recommendations.
On the other hand, technology is the backbone of low touch Customer Success. Automation tools handle repetitive tasks, freeing up time for Customer Success teams to focus on more complex issues. Velaris comes with a powerful drag-and-drop automations builder that saves hours every week for CSMs. Self-service resources like FAQ sections, video tutorials, and knowledge bases empower customers to solve problems independently. AI-driven tools like chatbots provide round-the-clock customer support, enhancing the customer experience.
Despite the stark differences, the interplay of technology in both models enhances efficiency and fosters customer satisfaction. Regardless of the model chosen, leveraging technology can lead to more successful customer relationships and a more prosperous business. Therefore, the key is not just to adopt technology, but to align it strategically with your chosen Customer Success approach.
Conclusion
Navigating the maze of low-touch versus high-touch Customer Success needn't be a daunting task. It’s about striking the right balance, considering your business goals, customer expectations, and resources. A high-touch model thrives on personalised service, nurturing rich customer relationships.
Conversely, a low touch model leverages automation to efficiently service a large customer base. Yet, the magic truly happens when you harness the power of adaptability, fluidly transitioning between these models as your business evolves. Whether you're offering the royal banquet of customer service with a high-touch approach, or delivering efficiency and scale with a low-touch strategy, remember that success lies in understanding and meeting your customer's needs. It's about delivering an experience that resonates with your customers, turning them into loyal advocates for your brand.
Are you ready to reimagine your Customer Success journey? At Velaris, we offer a Customer Success platform that seamlessly blends automation and personalisation, equipping you with the tools to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Whether you're leaning towards high touch, low touch, or a blend of the two, we're here to support your journey.
Book a demo today and take the first step towards a successful customer-centric strategy.
