As a Growth Coach with Communitech, I've been working with a lot of customer success teams lately, and the big question they all have is this: how do we scale efficiently as our company takes off?

In today's economic climate, everyone's tightening their belts. But for customer-facing teams, it's a balancing act. We want to deliver top-notch service that helps customers thrive, but we also need to be smart about our resources.

Key drivers of growth

Before we understand scaling, let's get clear on what growth really means. Here are the four north stars that will guide your customer success team towards sustainable success:

  • Revenue: This is the lifeblood of any business. Consistent growth fuels innovation and allows you to invest in your team.
  • Retention: Happy customers are your best advocates. Keeping them on board is key to rapid growth.
  • Margin: Growing profitably is essential. Understanding your margins helps you prioritize tasks and optimize efficiency.
  • Scalability: This is the investor darling. Building a scalable team demonstrates your ability to handle future growth.
The pillars of scalability

And here's the thing: efficiency and scale aren't exactly the same. You can throw bodies at a problem, but that's not always the best solution. So, how do we scale our teams efficiently, without sacrificing customer experience?

I've helped grow a team from 8 to 175 people in just two years, and let me tell you, it's all about having the right building blocks in place. Here are the five pillars that will keep your team scaling smoothly:

  • People: It's all about having the right crew on the ship. Do you have the skills you need to grow the way you want? Are your superstars constantly playing catch-up?
  • Culture: This is your team's DNA. Do your values support growth? Are you focused on the right things to get you there? Is there a healthy sense of urgency or are you getting bogged down in perfectionism?
  • Operating Practices: How you do things matters! Are your processes efficient, or are you stuck in "because-we've-always-done-it-this-way" land? Can you automate some tasks to free up your team's time?
  • Product: Are you in constant communication with your product team? Can you work together to solve customer challenges and make sure new features actually help, not hinder, your team's efficiency?
  • Technology: Tech is your friend! Do you have the tools you need to automate tasks and streamline workflows?
The enemies of scale

Watch out for these roadblocks that can stall your scaling efforts:

  • 80/20 Rule: Don't get caught up trying to build a system for every single exception. Focus on the core 80 per cent of your issues.
  • Decision Paralysis: Don't be afraid to make a call, even if it's not perfect. Indecision is the enemy of progress!
  • Lack of Urgency: Scaling takes focus. Don't get bogged down in the day-to-day and lose sight of your long-term goals.
  • Resistance to Change: New processes and ways of working can be scary, but they're often essential for growth. Embrace the challenge!

Scaling your customer success team can feel overwhelming, but by focusing on these pillars and eliminating the enemies of scale, you can build a team that's efficient, happy and ready to take your business to the next level.

Ready to scale?

Communitech offers a variety of resources and programs designed to help founders start, grow and succeed. Learn more here.