The Art of Translation: Technical Challenges into Critical Business Problems in Customer Success

In 2024, one of the most significant challenges facing customer success (CS) teams is the ability to effectively and concisely translate “technical challenges” into “critical business problems.” This skill is crucial because too often, CS teams get bogged down in solving technical, feature, or process-related issues without taking a step back to understand and discuss what these issues mean for the business. This article explores the importance of this translation, provides insights into how to achieve it, and outlines the benefits it brings to both the CS teams and their customers.

Understanding the Problem

At the heart of this challenge is the tendency of CS teams to focus heavily on the technical aspects of their product or service. They engage in discussions centred around features, processes, and technical difficulties, often neglecting the bigger picture—how these technicalities impact the customer’s business. This narrow focus can lead to missed opportunities to add real value to the customer.

For instance, consider the following questions:

“How will having this feature support your business growth objectives?”

“What impact will poor adoption have on your ability to execute key strategic objectives?”

“How does the lack of data and insight affect your ability to make critical business decisions?”

“What impact is all of this going to have on your P&L if left unresolved?”

These questions shift the conversation from a technical standpoint to a business perspective, allowing the CS team to understand the real impact of technical challenges.

The Impact of Focusing on Business Problems

Focusing on the business implications of technical challenges offers several advantages:

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

Customers are looking for meaningful insights from trusted advisors. By demonstrating an understanding of how technical issues affect their business, CS teams can build stronger, more trusted relationships with their customers.

Proactive Problem Solving

By understanding the business impact, CS teams can anticipate potential issues and address them proactively, rather than simply reacting to technical problems as they arise.

Strategic Alignment

Aligning technical solutions with the customer’s strategic objectives ensures that the product or service provided is truly supporting the customer’s long-term goals.

Increased Retention and Upsell Opportunities

Customers who see real business value are more likely to continue using the service and consider additional features or upgrades, leading to higher retention rates and upsell opportunities.

Strategies for Translating Technical Challenges into Business Problems

To effectively translate technical challenges into business problems, CS teams need to develop a deeper understanding of their customers’ businesses and industries. Here are some strategies to help achieve this:

Develop Industry Insight and Business Acumen

CS teams should invest time in understanding the industries they serve. This includes staying up-to-date with industry trends, challenges, and opportunities. By doing so, they can better relate technical issues to the broader business context.

Engage in Strategic Conversations

Shift the focus of customer interactions from technical discussions to strategic conversations. Ask questions that uncover the business impact of technical challenges. For example, instead of discussing a feature request in isolation, explore how that feature supports the customer’s business goals.

Collaborate with Other Teams

Work closely with sales, marketing, and product development teams to gain a holistic understanding of the customer’s journey and how different touchpoints impact their business. This collaboration can provide valuable insights that inform more strategic customer interactions.

Leverage Data and Insights

Use data and analytics to provide evidence-based insights into how technical challenges affect the customer’s business. For example, demonstrate how poor adoption rates are impacting key performance indicators (KPIs) and overall business performance.

Create a Feedback Loop

Establish a feedback loop with customers to continuously gather information about their business objectives and how your product or service can support them. This ongoing dialogue helps ensure that CS teams are always aligned with the customer’s evolving needs.

Case Study: Successful Translation in Action

Consider a software company providing a customer relationship management (CRM) system. The CS team noticed that a key customer was experiencing low adoption rates among their sales team. Instead of focusing solely on technical support, the CS team engaged the customer in a strategic conversation to understand the business impact.

Through this discussion, the CS team learned that the low adoption rate was hindering the sales team’s ability to effectively track and close deals, directly impacting the company’s revenue growth. By framing the technical challenge as a critical business problem, the CS team was able to develop a tailored adoption strategy that addressed both the technical and business needs of the customer. As a result, the customer saw a significant improvement in CRM adoption, leading to increased sales efficiency and revenue growth.

In 2024, customer success teams that excel will be those that can effectively translate technical challenges into critical business problems. By shifting the focus from technical details to strategic business conversations, CS teams can build stronger relationships, provide greater value, and drive better outcomes for their customers. Developing industry insight, engaging in strategic conversations, and leveraging data are key strategies to achieve this transformation. Ultimately, the ability to connect technical solutions to business success will be the hallmark of leading CS teams in the coming years.