The role of a Customer Success Manager (CSM) is both pivotal and challenging.

As businesses increasingly recognize the importance of customer retention and the value it brings, the responsibilities of CSMs have expanded significantly. Today, a CSM is not just a bridge between a company and its customers but a crucial player in driving the growth and sustainability of the business.

Managing an expanding book of business without compromising day-to-day output can be daunting. Proactive behavior is key to maintaining productivity and delivering continuous value. Here are ten detailed tips to help CSMs stay efficient and effective using Vitally's powerful tools.

1. Start Your Day With Prioritization

Begin your morning by using Vitally's task management features to maximize the impact of your to do list. Sort tasks based on urgency and customer tier. Focus on high-impact tasks first to set a productive tone for the day. For example, prioritize urgent customer queries and scheduled meetings to ensure you're addressing the most critical needs immediately.

Consider creating a prioritized task list each evening for the following day. This practice not only helps clear your mind for a restful night's sleep but also ensures you hit the ground running each morning. Use Vitally's task categorization to break down your tasks into manageable segments, such as urgent customer queries, scheduled meetings, and follow-up actions. By doing this, you can maintain a clear focus and handle high-priority tasks first.

Emma Miller-Crimm, former Sr. Customer Marketing Manager at PeopleGrove, used Vitally to gather customer value stories and engage with potential advocates. She highlights the importance of centralizing customer data to prioritize effectively. Emma says, “Vitally helps us engage with our customers proactively, ensuring that we can focus on the most impactful tasks first thing in the morning."

2. Utilize Personalized Workspaces

Vitally's personalized workspaces offered by Hubs allow you to sort and prioritize tasks effectively. Categorize tasks into custom Hubs based on urgency and customer importance. For example, create separate task lists for high-priority clients and routine follow-ups to maintain a clear focus.

Additionally, take advantage of Vitally's Categories and Tags features to mark tasks that require immediate attention. This customization ensures that your to-do list evolves with your daily demands. By setting up recurring tasks for regular check-ins with key accounts, you can ensure that no critical follow-up is missed, enhancing your overall efficiency.

For example, Culture Amp integrated Vitally to consolidate their tools and automate tasks, which previously required manual tracking. This resulted in improved productivity and better management of customer interactions, allowing CSMs to focus on strategic initiatives.

3. Leverage Meeting Notes Integration

Prepare for meetings using Vitally's Notes feature, which integrates seamlessly with your calendar. Review notes from previous engagements and plan for upcoming meetings to address customer needs more thoughtfully. For instance, revisit key discussion points and action items from prior meetings to ensure continuity and build stronger relationships.

Being well-prepared for meetings can significantly enhance their effectiveness. Before each meeting, review your notes on the client's history, pain points, and recent interactions. This preparation not only helps you recall important details but also demonstrates to your clients that you value their business. Notes ensure that all relevant information is at your fingertips, enabling you to enter every meeting with confidence.

In fact, User Interviews’ former Director of Customer Success, Hope Supernic, transitioned from a manual and reactive approach to a proactive strategy with Vitally’s platform. She says, “Vitally’s Notes feature helps us prepare thoroughly for meetings, ensuring we address customer needs thoughtfully and build stronger relationships.​"

Related: 10 Note Templates Every CSM Needs (and When to Use Them)

4. Consult Dashboards for a Quick Overview

Before starting your tasks, check Vitally's Dashboards for a snapshot of key metrics and alerts. These dashboards provide essential insights into customer health and team performance. You can also set, track, and analyze the performance of your Goals. Customize your dashboard to highlight critical metrics like customer health scores and engagement levels, enabling you to identify issues early and adjust priorities accordingly.

Vitally's dashboards are customizable, allowing you to focus on the metrics that matter most to your role. Set up your dashboard to highlight customer health scores, engagement metrics, and any critical alerts. This bird's-eye view helps you quickly identify areas that need immediate attention, ensuring that no critical issues are overlooked.

Case in point: CompanyCam used Vitally to gain visibility into customer data, which was previously scattered across different tools. The centralized dashboards provided real-time insights and helped prioritize tasks effectively, resulting in increased onboarding success and overall efficiency. 

5. Use Shared Table Views for Alignment

Vitally’s shared Table Views tool allows your team to view and update customer information collectively. This ensures that all departments, from Product to Support, are aligned on customer status and needs. For example, when a customer submits a support ticket, the support team updates the shared table, providing CSMs with real-time information for coordinated follow-up.

Collaboration is essential in customer success. Shared Views enable seamless communication across different departments, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. For example, when a customer submits a support ticket, the support team can update the shared Table View, providing the CSMs with real-time information. This transparency fosters a collaborative environment where all team members work towards the common goal of customer satisfaction.

Nick Raushenbush, COO and Co-Founder at Shogun, emphasizes the importance of Vitally’s Shared Table Views for team alignment: “Shared Table Views allow all departments to have a unified view of customer status, enabling us to deliver targeted and coordinated responses, improving overall customer satisfaction."​ 

6. Leverage Communication Tools for Seamless Coordination

Use Vitally’s Team Docs and Conversations features to maintain open communication across departments. Docs are shared documents that allow you and your clients to have access to the latest updates and customer insights. Conversations enable real-time communication for discussing urgent issues and brainstorming solutions, making quick decisions without leaving the platform.

Effective communication is the backbone of successful customer relationships. Use Vitally’s communication tools to share insights and updates with your team. For instance, create a Team Doc for each major client, outlining their journey, key contacts, and strategic goals. Regularly update these documents to reflect the latest interactions and developments, ensuring that everyone involved has access to the most current information.

7. Automate Relationship-Building Tasks

Vitally helps automate tasks like product training sessions, QBRs/EBRs, and account analyses. Set up automated reminders and workflows to ensure consistency in interactions. For example, schedule automated follow-ups after training sessions to reinforce key points and address any questions, saving time while maintaining high engagement levels.

Automation can significantly enhance your efficiency. Set up automated reminders for regular touchpoints with clients, ensuring that no follow-up falls through the cracks. Additionally, use Vitally’s automation features to streamline product training sessions and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs). By automating routine tasks, you free up more time to focus on building deeper relationships with your clients.

The sky's the limit here. In fact, Apollo.io set up over 140 Playbook automations within Vitally to reduce manual work and enhance customer segmentation and communication. This automation freed up CSMs to focus on building deeper customer relationships and strategic customer success​.

Related: 4 Customer Success Automations to Save Time and Boost Productivity

8. Utilize Health Scores for Strategic Action Plans

Monitor Vitally's health scores to tailor strategic action plans for each customer. Proactively address issues before they escalate and identify opportunities for upselling. For instance, if a customer's health score drops, initiate a targeted engagement plan to re-establish value and prevent churn.

Health scores provide a comprehensive view of each customer's engagement and satisfaction levels. Use these metrics to identify customers at risk of churn and develop tailored action plans to re-engage them. Conversely, high health scores can signal opportunities for upselling and expansion. By leveraging these insights, you can proactively manage your customer relationships and drive growth.

Nick Raushenbush says Vitally’s health score metrics have aided in proactive management: “Health scores allow us to identify upsell opportunities and intervene before issues escalate, driving expansion revenue and reducing churn”​. 

Related: How to Create a Customer Health Score With Four Metrics

9. Implement Onboarding Playbooks and Training Modules

Use Vitally's onboarding Playbooks and training modules to provide consistent yet personalized customer experiences. Track milestones to monitor progress and ensure each customer is on the right path from the start. For example, set up automated check-ins at key milestones to offer guidance and support, reinforcing a positive onboarding experience.

Effective onboarding sets the tone for a successful customer relationship. Use Vitally’s onboarding Playbooks to guide new customers through the setup process, ensuring they fully understand and utilize your product’s features. Track their progress with milestone tracking, celebrating their achievements and addressing any roadblocks they encounter. This proactive approach helps build a strong foundation for long-term success.

10. Conclude the Day With Reflection and Planning

End your day by using Vitally's note-taking feature to review customer interactions and capture follow-up actions. Reflect on the day's activities to identify areas for improvement, create templates for repeat interactions, and streamline documentation with embeddable tasks. Consider automating the entire note-taking process even further with ChatGPT and a Zapier zap to seamlessly complete any action, allowing you to focus on strategic planning for the next day.

At the end of each day, review your Notes and identify any outstanding follow-up actions. Use Vitally’s note-taking feature to capture these insights, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks. For added efficiency, automate the note-taking process with ChatGPT and Zapier, allowing you to focus more on strategic planning and less on administrative tasks.

Final Thoughts

By integrating these tips into your daily routine, you can enhance your productivity and effectiveness as a CSM. Vitally’s suite of tools not only helps manage tasks and communication but also ensures that customer success teams can deliver continuous value without feeling overwhelmed. This proactive approach is key to maintaining productivity and fostering strong, lasting customer relationships.

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