This document outlines a comprehensive 10-step problem-solving process designed to efficiently address customer issues and opportunities. The process ensures clear communication, thorough analysis, and effective resolution while maintaining customer satisfaction throughout.
- Assign a Customer Success Captain
- Communicate the Process to the Customer
- Gather Information about the Problem and Context
- Determine the Severity of the Problem
- Generate Resolution Strategies
- Select the Optimal Resolution Strategy
- Delegate the Resolution Strategy and Communicate the Resolution Strategy to the Customer
- Monitor the Resolution
- Execute the Resolution Strategy and Communicate the Resolution to the Customer
- Extract Assets
The Customer Success Captain is the person who is responsible for ensuring that the issue is resolved, but is not necessarily the person who is best suited to resolve the issue or be the conduit back to the customer. Their job is to ensure that the issue is resolved in a timely manner and that the customer is happy with the outcome. The assignment of the Customer Success Captain should be clear in the Slack thread or Game Plan win (depending on the nature of the issue). The Customer Success Captain should be a person that generally works with the customer on their Game Plan wins, or is otherwise assigned to monitor similar issues at the time of the issue report.
When the customer reports an issue or idea, the first thing we do is to communicate the process to the customer so that they have a clear understanding of what will happen next.
The standard statement we use is:
When you report an issue, we follow a structured 10-step process to resolve it efficiently and keep you informed every step of the way. First, we assign a Customer Success Captain to oversee the entire resolution process and ensure everything runs smoothly. Next, we communicate the process to you, so you know exactly what to expect. After that, we gather all the necessary information about the issue to fully understand the problem and its context.
We then assess the severity of the issue to determine how urgent it is and the potential impact if not addressed. From there, our team will generate possible solutions, and after reviewing them, we’ll select the best solution that balances effectiveness and efficiency. Once we have a solution, we will delegate the task to the right team or person and ensure that you are informed about the plan moving forward.
Throughout the process, the Customer Success Captain will monitor the progress to make sure everything is on track and provide assistance if needed. The assigned team will then execute the solution and update you once the issue has been fully resolved. Finally, we’ll extract any insights or reusable knowledge from the process to improve future solutions and prevent similar issues from occurring.
The team should modify this statement to fit the specific circumstances of the issue if needed.
To generate resolution strategies, select the optimal resolution strategy, and monitor the resolution, we need to gather information about the problem and context.
In general, one doesn't need to be an expert in the specific area to gather information about the problem and context. The most important skill is to separate the interest from the positions being taken. For example, if someone says "I need you to change something", the interest is probably not about the specific thing they want changed, but rather about some broader goal. The broader goal is what we need to understand. Also, we need to have reference information (such as links or screenshots) so that we can directly observe the problem and context to the degree possible.
The following questions might be helpful, but are not exhaustive and would not fit all situations:
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What is the problem or opportunity you are experiencing?
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What are the specific symptoms or indicators of the problem or opportunity?
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When did the problem first occur, or when did you first notice the opportunity?
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What is the impact of this problem or the potential benefit of this opportunity?
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Have you taken any steps to address the problem or explore the opportunity?
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Can you provide any relevant context or background information?
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Are there specific conditions or environments where the problem occurs or the opportunity is present?
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Who is affected by this problem or who stands to benefit from this opportunity?
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What is your desired outcome or goal in resolving this problem or pursuing this opportunity?
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Is there any additional information or insights you think would be helpful?
What will happen (or not happen) if the problem or opportunity is not addressed? How does the impact change with time? The severity should be expressed in real business terms, not on an abstract scale. This will ensure that everyone understands the severity in the same way.
We need to identify potential resolution strategies that have a high probability of success, and then select the one that is the lowest cost. We'll never choose a strategy that is low likelihood of success, even if it is low cost, because what's the point of doing the wrong thing inexpensively. When determining cost, we need to consider the opportunity cost of time, and the cost of coordination between multiple people. The cost of coordination is often underestimated, especially if people need to go back-and-forth. The cost of coordination when multiple people are involved is lowest when the information flows in one direction. Of course, if the issue is complex and requires knowledge and skill across a variety of areas, the alternatives to involving multiple people may be limited or even non-existent. When generating the strategies, we only consider what people are actually capable of doing given their knowledge and skills, not what we wish they could do.
In most cases, the optimal strategy will be obvious (high probability and lower cost than alternatives). However, in some cases the optimal strategy may not obvious because the probability and cost are not obvious. In these cases, we should escalate the issue until we're comfortable making the trade off. This should all be explicit.
When the resolution strategy is selected, we need to delegate the work to the appropriate person or team and communicate the resolution strategy to the customer. At that point, the direct contact with the customer will be the responsibility of the person or team that is doing the work to avoid confusion and inefficiencies.
Regardless of who is doing the work, it is the responsibility of the Customer Success Captain to monitor the resolution strategies execution and assist as needed. This is as much about motivating the people doing the work as it is about reminding them to do the work. Being a cheerleader is valuable and appreciated.
The person or team that was delegated the resolution strategy is responsible for executing the resolution strategy and communicating the outcome to the customer in most cases. In some cases, the Customer Success Captain will be responsible for communicating the outcome to the customer, but only if doing so will improve the customer experience.
The team that executed the resolution strategy is responsible for extracting any assets that can be reused in the future. This could be features, scripts, documentation, and other assets that will help us prevent similar issues from occurring or make it easier to resolve future issues. At a minimum, the Customer Success Captain should motivate this activity, even if they are not the ones doing the extraction.