Dannii Mathers; Why CS is the unsung hero of revenue growth

When we think of revenue growth, our minds naturally gravitate to sales teams hustling to close deals or marketing teams generating leads. But one critical function is frequently overlooked in the revenue equation - Customer Success. In a recent episode of Scale Sessions, Executive Leadership and Revenue Enablement Coach Dannii Mathers explained why CS teams are not just support players - they are key drivers of sustainable revenue growth.

Drawing from her experience with global giants like Cisco, Microsoft, and American Express, Dannii explains how organizations can transform their CS teams into revenue-generating powerhouses. 

Many organizations still view their CS teams as “fixers” tasked with resolving technical issues. This outdated mindset limits their potential to drive growth. Instead, Dannii advocates for a shift toward “value-centricity.”

“CS teams need to think about how they can provide value, not just solve problems,” she explained. “If they lead with value, they become solvers - trusted partners who help customers achieve their goals.”

Key to this transformation is equipping CS teams with the right skills:

• Discovery techniques: Borrowing from the playbook of sales, CS professionals should master asking open-ended questions to uncover customer needs.
• Tailored value articulation: Value means different things to different stakeholders. CS teams must learn to adapt their communication to resonate with technical users, decision-makers, and executives alike.
• Data-driven insights: By leveraging customer data to craft compelling stories, CS teams can provide insights that build trust and demonstrate their understanding of the customer’s world.

The revenue impact of Customer Success

Investing in CS pays dividends - not just in customer satisfaction but also in hard revenue metrics like retention and account growth. Yet all too often CS teams are left behind in terms of training, resources, and coaching.

“Sales teams get all the investment, while CS is treated like the poor cousin,” Dannii observed. “But CS is critical, especially in today’s tighter budgets and longer buying cycles. Organizations need to empower these teams to show their value - not just to customers but also internally to their own business.”

One way to shift the internal perception of CS is to integrate it more closely with the sales and marketing functions. Breaking down silos ensures everyone is aligned on the ultimate goal: driving customer success and revenue growth in tandem.

The balancing act: Trusted advisor vs. revenue driver

One challenge Dannii acknowledged is the dual role of CS teams: maintaining the trust of their customers while also contributing to revenue targets.

“It’s about reciprocity,” she explained. “When CS professionals lead with insights and demonstrate how they can make their customers’ businesses better, they build trust. At the same time, they need the confidence to challenge customers and have strategic conversations.”

This delicate balance, she noted, is easier to achieve when CS teams are equipped with robust coaching and enablement programs. Regular coaching fosters the confidence and competence needed to navigate these nuanced relationships.

Coaching is the key

Dannii is a staunch advocate for coaching as a cornerstone of revenue enablement - not just for sales but for CS teams as well. She highlighted the need for micro-coaching sessions: quick, impactful conversations that can fit into a busy day.

“You don’t need an hour to coach someone. Even 10 minutes can make a difference if it’s done consistently,” she said.

In a business landscape that increasingly values long-term relationships over short-term wins, Customer Success is emerging as a vital function for driving revenue. But this potential will remain untapped unless organizations invest in their CS teams, providing them with the tools, training, and coaching needed to thrive.

Scale Sessions is the podcast of straight-talking, unfiltered chats with growth and revenue leaders. Each episode features a hands-on change-marker navigating the daily challenges of scaling businesses.

You can listen to the whole of Dannii's episode here on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.