Dan Hollinger

Our partnership with Brex now gives us unparalleled insight and breadth in SaaS purchasing reports

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A poorly executed #customersuccess strategy will kill your #NRR for years to come. I've seen it first-hand too many times over the years. Here is how you deliver a well-executed CS strategy to drive great NRR and ultimately, business growth: 🛣️ 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 & 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 The first step in any customer success strategy is understanding the full & dynamic revenue & customer journey. This means not just knowing what your customers do, but why they do it. How and why did they buy your services? How do they move through their journey with you (rarely ina straight line!)? By understanding their motivations, you can better anticipate their needs and deliver solutions that truly add value. And don't forget, the old-school customer journey is not the standard anymore, you need to use the full, dynamic revenue & customer journey to get the full picture. This stretches from pre-sale to post-sale and allows for the customer to move in and out of journey phases/stages dynamically. 📈 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Customer success is not a reactive function. It's about being proactive, anticipating customer needs, and addressing them before they become issues. You have to ensure that your strategy is aligned around, and fosters, a proactive CS culture and process that allows your team to execute effectively. This not only improves customer satisfaction, but also reduces churn, and creates more expansion opportunities. Both key factors in improving NRR. 📊 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 In the #SaaS & #CS world, we have access to a wealth of data. By leveraging this data, we can make informed decisions that drive customer success. This could be anything from identifying usage patterns to predict churn, to understanding which features drive the most value for customers and beyond. And it needs to go beyond telemetry, usage etc. Also capture, track and understand customer goals and other qualitative data points. One problem is that this data is often siloed or hard to access, so make sure you have systems (like RevSetter) that can bridge that gap and allows CSMs to effectively action the data & insights. 🤝 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫-𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 Customer success should not be the responsibility of a single department. It should be ingrained in the company culture. When everyone in the organization understands the value of customer success, it becomes a strategic priority that drives business growth. This is why the dynamic revenue & customer journey, the engagement focus, and the proactive mindset are so important. When those are present - and a strategic & customer-centric approach is adopted by the CEO & leadership - the sky is the limit. Leverage these four building blocks and your CS strategy and execution will thank you for it ✅ *** 🛎️ If you enjoy my content, follow me for more ♻️ Repost to share with your network

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As we move deeper into 2024, tracking the right metrics is critical for scaling a SaaS business. This insightful guide outlines the top metrics to watch and includes valuable benchmarks to keep you on track. Whether you’re focused on ARR, CAC, or CLTV, understanding where your company stands is key to driving sustainable growth. Check out the article for a comprehensive look into the latest SaaS trends and metrics! #SaaS #BusinessGrowth #Metrics

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Forging pipeline made easy: Salesforge 🔥 takes care of managing your sequences Mailforge - Cold Email Infrastructure 📈 & Infraforge - Private Email Infrastructure 🔷 cover email infrastructure Warmforge - Land In The Primary 🎯 boosts your deliverability Agent Frank takes on autonomous prospecting, outreach and booking meetings & more to come! Get ready for what’s next 😈

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✨ The rules of the game for runtime… just changed. ✨ Give your team the “unfair advantages” of complete visibility + clear focus + actionable context ➡️ instant response. … and watch how this offering evolves.

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Stop shipping broken software! In this episode of Unlearn Podcast, Barry O'Reilly hosts Lee Vorthman, a Security Executive at Oracle and a US Navy Veteran, to uncover why rushing to market can cost more than it saves—and how aligning security with software development drives long-term success. Shipping fast is exciting—until it breaks. Rushed code with flaws isn’t just a mistake; it’s a drain on resources. Fixing flaws post-release costs exponentially more time and money than doing it right the first time. The lesson? Speed without quality isn’t progress; it’s a setback waiting to happen. Security follows the same principle. Flashy new technologies are great, but skipping the fundamentals leads to bigger risks. The best teams don’t just deliver fast; they deliver resilient, secure solutions that stand the test of time. Are you optimizing for speed—or sustainability? 🎧 Tune in to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gsn_aRmX Download my free innovation map I use to help companies like Google and Nike figure out the gap between their current state and desired state. Download Now: https://lnkd.in/gb73uW9X #softwaredevelopment #cybersecurity #leadership #growth #technology #USNavy #Oracle

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A common misconception I’ve heard over the past few weeks is that engineering teams should build native integrations to "keep the IP in-house”. A sizable integration library is a competitive advantage. If there’s a well defined product strategy backing the integrations you build, they can be a force multiplier for your GTM teams. There are a few reasons to build native integrations, but treating them as part of your product's secret sauce by default isn’t one of them. Offloading cumbersome integration tasks via unified APIs, iPaaS products, or even contractors specializing in integrations is often the optimal choice that fast-growing product companies could make. I recently listened to Lenny Rachitsky's podcast with Shreyas Doshi and learned about his framework for optimizing work for opportunity cost vs. ROI. The gist of his thesis is that several teams fall into the trap of committing to tasks that are a good use of their time vs. the best use. This is especially true of those in high-leverage roles (founders, product, engineering, and design). Working on individual integrations for your customers is almost always going to yield a positive ROI, but they are unlikely to be high leverage features that result in an impact that’s an order of magnitude higher than the required effort. Features that are difficult to replicate, and that double down your product's core value proposition are higher leverage tasks worth having your product and engineering teams focus on. The few scenarios in which it is worth building native integrations are: ✅ Your product requires a handful of shallow integrations ✅ 1-2 strategic partners drive a significant amount of your revenue and deep integrations with their platforms make your product stickier & increase co-selling opportunities ✅ Integration platforms don't support your specific integration requirements and contractors lack the expertise to build them What are other considerations for building integrations in-house vs. leveraging products or service providers to build them?

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Ditch the one-size-fits-all approach to learn how Okta Research Operations Principal Jared Forney tackles the framework for delivering curated insights—fast. Catch Jared’s full talk from the main stage at Insight Out 2024 and get a tactical breakdown that will save you time and satisfy everyone’s appetite: https://dvtl.link/4e19F3o

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🎥 Check out this insightful video from Dovetail’s recent #InsightOut conference! Discover why ditching the one-size-fits-all approach to learning is crucial for success in today's dynamic landscape. Watch below! ⬇️ #Learning #InsightOutConference #Dovetail

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I like money. A lot. I also like saving money. (So I can spend more of it later 😂). So when looking at what SaaS to integrate into our marketing and sales stack, Total Cost of Ownership is a pretty huge metric for us. https://buff.ly/3SexH1J #salesforce #hubspot #finance #marketing

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I am thrilled to share that Drew Kemp has joined BŪP as our new company advisor! With over 20 years of experience in tech sales, SaaS, and cybersecurity, his expertise is going to help propel us to new heights. Drew has been instrumental in driving successful IPOs and acquisitions with companies like Proofpoint, Carbon Black, Splunk, and Palo Alto Networks. We’re incredibly excited to have him on board and can’t wait to see what’s next! Welcome, Drew! 🚀 Learn more in the comments 🗞 BUP #NewAdvisor #TeamBŪP #Welcome

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Vendr data drop for May -- instead of quarterly trends, we are going monthly, with quick hits. Here's a preview for May's report: Feels like the AI boom is a massive accelerant for security products. Just look at Wiz's $1 billion recent funding round. Vendr's data supports this -- security is hot, hot, hot. Here are the top five new purchases on Vendr in May: 1. 1Password 2. Vanta 3. NetSuite 4. Zscaler 5. Zoom To access the full trends report for May, create a free Vendr account and navigate to the reports tab: https://lnkd.in/duc4xpRD

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🚀 Should Customer Success Managers be Technical? 🤔 In the ever-evolving landscape of customer success, there's an ongoing debate: should Customer Success Managers (CSMs) be technical? On the latest podcast with Lizzy Rosen, we dive into this topic and explore the value of technical expertise in driving exceptional customer experiences. 💼💡 Lizzy and I worked together managing a very technical team at Brightcove, and we drew upon our time together and learnings through the years. According to the AI, we discussed: The delicate balance between technical expertise and soft skills, the significance of understanding customer needs, and the potential of hiring internally. Here, we highlight the key topics discussed in this enlightening episode. 1. Understanding both the product and the customer's needs and challenges: CSMs are critical in bridging the gap between the product and the customer. They must possess a deep understanding of the product's features and benefits, while also empathizing with the challenges and objectives of the customer. By aligning these two aspects, CSMs can provide effective solutions and drive customer success. 2. Leveraging technical experts for complex customer queries: Rather than expecting CSMs to possess a wide range of technical and customer service skills, the podcast explores the potential of employing technical experts to handle more complex customer queries. This approach allows CSMs to focus on building strong relationships and ensuring overall customer satisfaction. 3. Building a "farm team" of future CSMs from within: The conversation delves into the idea of hiring from within the organization, particularly from the support team, to create a "farm team" of individuals who have a deep understanding of the product and its customers. By nurturing and developing talent internally, companies can cultivate a pool of future CSMs who are already acquainted with the organization's values and processes. 4. Balancing immediate premium staff hiring with long-term training: The podcast explores whether to hire premium staff immediately or invest in long-term training for existing employees. While immediate hiring may bring in external expertise, investing in the training and development of current employees can foster loyalty and a deeper understanding of the organization's goals. The conversation between us sheds light on the multifaceted skills necessary for Customer Success Managers. By understanding both the product and customer needs, leveraging technical expertise when needed, considering internal hiring strategies, and balancing immediate hiring with long-term training, organizations can empower their CSMs to drive customer success and achieve sustainable growth. Listen here: https://buff.ly/3QNuzJk And how technical should they be? Let me know in the comments?

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We're thrilled to introduce Real-Time Integrations with top CRMs like Affinity.co, Attio, Salesforce, HubSpot, Airtable, and many more! 🎉 These integrations will transform your workflow by: 🔄 Syncing Companies and Contacts in Real-Time 🎛️ Offering Fully Customizable Settings 🧠 Automating Data Updates And, with our Push and Pull features, you can enrich your CRM data with Specter's unique growth signals and insights, making your decision-making process faster and more efficient ⚡ Read more in the first comment below 👇

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A lot of tools are leaving the self-hosted space, but we're choosing to double down on it. Going fully SaaS and not supporting on-prem/private cloud feels like missing out on something that’s objectively important for lots of teams. There's been a massive shift to the cloud for a long time, but there’s also a quiet shift back from SaaS to private cloud/on-prem. People are bringing things back into their infrastructure because they need security, resiliency and control over the tools they use. e.g. Flagsmith is tied to release management, so control over infrastructure is so important. Our goal from day one has been to make Flagsmith really flexible and simple to deploy, so people can choose how they set it up. This means keeping self-hosting. How? Intentionally building a simpler tech stack to support things like on-prem. A lot of companies have tech stacks that are too diverse to spin up a cluster for, so we’re lucky we can do it!

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SaaS leaders spend a lot of time on the micro. When will this feature ship? Is that customer churning? What led to that production issue? Even the most senior leaders often get caught here. Then you see OKRs to match. Trailing churn, grow revenue from new features, maintain x% uptime. And processes and tools spring up to measure all of this with drilldowns and rollups to match. Sure sometimes this starts with a strategic vision, identifying areas of opportunity, and then breaking that down into manageable tasks. Planfully creating process and the organization to execute. But I reckon that's less common than we'd like to admit. The secret is, it's often more like this: - Oh bleep, I just got a call that super important customer threatened to leave! - Let's get five people in an emergency meeting with the customer! - The customer said the competitor has a better version of a highy specific feature! Is an upgrade on our roadmap? How can we rally the team to execute on it sooner? We need a swat effort - who can we pull into a team without making any sacrafices? - We need a r/y/g to discuss customers with this issue. And other customers with issues. And other issues we've noticed internally. We'll go through the list item by item, thrice weekly at 8 am. - etc. And this is of course all common and natural. Once the firehouse starts it's hard to fit in anything but more reaction. So the products and processes adapt to fit reality. And they grow. So we attempt to make that process we don't have time for twice as fast. And the overwhelm sets in, and the to do list gets too long. Since so many very succesful companies experience this that we assume it must be the way. There isn't a magic fix, but I don't think it happens by saying "I'm going to spend less time on the micro by optimizing the time I spend on the micro." It starts by carving out time for macro strategy. This may be the 30 minutes that doesn't feel urgent researching your place in the market. Maybe it's a call with a customer that doesn't need anything right now. Or - I hope - a solution like Rabble AI which can put the strategic priorities right in front of you in plain language. Will this turn the firehouse of micro off? No, nothing will. But at least it prevents the micro from completely washing the strategic away.

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Back to back two major product announcements, y'day {zeppa} and today Multi-entity support. We are now ready to support complex enterprise CPQ needs including seperated product catalog for each entity, roels and permission, base currency + reporting currency, ARR and other metrics for one entity as well as for combined company - all managed from ONE SUBSKRIBE INSATNCE. And you can write your {zeppa} rules scoped for a specific or multiple entities. I am absolutely thrilled about what we are gonna achieve with these advanced features. Ping me to see a demo. #cpq #revenueoperations #quotetocash

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