7 Must-Follow Customer Success Communities

Introduction

A sense of community means a lot for businesses today, as being part of a healthy community provides long-term benefits in terms of success and sustainability. If you’re passionate about customer success and have full faith in its power, well, it’s time to thank your lucky stars! There are plenty of customer success communities across the world that are willing to offer valuable insights and resources to support your journey.

So, what are the names of these customer success communities, and why join one? Continue reading below to get all the answers.

The Basics Of Customer Success Communities

Customer success communities are groups of experts dedicated to assisting customers in achieving their goals. They provide several benefits such as networking opportunities, learning from industry leaders, problem-solving, and career progression.

These communities frequently use digital channels such as social media, apps, chat rooms, forums, and email lists, but they may also engage in offline activities.

Most CS professionals prefer joining such communities to gather as well as share resources, strategies, and best practices with their fellow peers. By following a CS  community, people can further augment their career prospects. These communities offer valuable job opportunities, career advice, and training resources (sometimes for free). In several customer success communities, you can discuss industry trends and even get software reviews.

While most customer success communities focus on empowering customers to use products effectively, B2C communities cater to individual customers by highlighting common interests and lifestyles. Integrating a learning management system (LMS) with these communities can help to centralize instructional resources and increase their overall value.

The Benefits Of Customer Success Communities

The major reason to connect with a customer success community is to establish meaningful relationships with customers that hopefully last forever. But wait, there’s more on the table as well!

Here are a few perks of being a part of any reputed customer success community.

1. Peer Support And Knowledge Transfer

Customer success communities allow users to share ideas and solutions, expediting problem resolution and learning. Scheduled "office hours" or help sessions enable experienced members to offer advice, making users feel more supported and connected. This not only helps to handle concerns quickly but also develops a sense of community, which can increase customer loyalty and engagement with your brand.

2. Insightful Feedback

Through discussions and interactions, communities provide direct insights into the requirements, preferences, and pain points of customers. By monitoring these conversations, businesses can better understand desired features, reoccurring difficulties, and usage patterns. This real-time input is crucial for fine-tuning products, designing marketing tactics, and making educated decisions that meet customer expectations and increase overall happiness.

3. Minimized Support Costs

Companies can dramatically cut support expenses by allowing users to fix common problems within the community. Users frequently find answers and solutions from their peers, reducing the amount of direct help queries. This reduction frees up support teams to work on more complicated issues, resulting in significant cost savings and a more efficient customer support system.

4. Greater Customer Loyalty

Being a part of a community instills a sense of belonging in customers, increasing their commitment to the business. As we all know, loyal customers are more likely to endorse the brand, accept minor difficulties more easily, and make constructive contributions to their community. This increased loyalty not only encourages repeat business but also attracts new users via enthusiastic referrals and endorsements.

5. Enhanced Promotion And Brand Positioning

Managing or participating in a customer success community allows businesses to identify themselves as market leaders. Businesses can gently promote their products and generate leads by offering expertise and communicating with members while following the community's guidelines. This positioning improves brand visibility and reputation in the marketplace.

6. Professional Development For CS Practitioners

Customer success groups provide excellent resources for professional development, such as networking opportunities, job leads, and career assistance. Professionals can interact with their peers, exchange best practices, and gain access to tools that help them grow professionally. This pooled expertise and assistance enables participants to develop in their professions and discover new opportunities in their fields.

Top Customer Success Communities To Follow

There are some finest customer success communities that I believe you should follow if you want to amp up your CS game.

Let’s take a great look at some of the famous and supreme customer success communities available online.

1. Customer Success Network

Customer success network is a global community for CS professionals to network, learn, and grow. It was founded in London and now invites members from all around the world. The community's objective is to assist every customer success manager while also building a collaborative learning environment. Members benefit from a variety of opportunities, including networking, mentoring, and access to resources. Professionals can also use the platform to look for career opportunities and get useful advice. It's an excellent forum for anyone wishing to improve their abilities and build their professional networks in the CS field.

2. Gain, Grow, Retain

Gain, Grow, Retain is another CS community that has crossed 7,000 members, making it one of the largest and most active groups for customer success. This free platform provides a variety of discussion threads on topics such as account transitions, customer health, and CS tools. The community hosts weekly “office hours” for a variety of roles, including individual contributors and B2B SaaS leaders, to provide personalized assistance and direction. Gain, Grow, Retain also includes a job board, directory, and a dedicated podcast. Its active environment and various resources make it an excellent choice for CS professionals looking to further their expertise and network with peers.

3. BreakoutCS

BreakoutCS is a free community designed by and for customer success experts. It provides a secure and experience-driven environment for members to discuss challenges connected with customer experience, advocacy, and engagement. The network welcomes both new and seasoned CS leaders, enabling meaningful interactions and cooperation. BreakoutCS offers instructional seminars, resource guides, and networking opportunities, making it a great venue for professionals seeking to connect with like-minded peers and mentors in the CS arena.

4. Thrive Network

Thrive Network is an exclusive community for women pursuing jobs in customer success. This group is especially useful for women who are interested in developing a fruitful career in the realm of customer success. It offers useful materials such as career advancement tips, interview techniques, resume help, and compensation facts. The supportive environment and abundance of information make Thrive Network an invaluable resource for women in CS.

5. Customer Success Leaders Institute

Customer success leaders Institute is a renowned online network for senior CS executives such as chief customer officers and vice presidents of customer success. The community's goal is to assist leaders in making greater contributions through research and networking. In this forum, membership is exclusive, with tight eligibility requirements to ensure that members are in strategic Customer Success roles. While lower-level managers have limited access to resources, the community provides a means for high-level professionals to network, share insights, and develop their strategic grasp of customer success.

6. CS in Focus

One more customer success community to not miss out on is CS in Focus. This is an informal Canadian-based community that now functions as a Slack group with around 2,000 members. The group is known for its relaxed and engaging atmosphere, which combines business networking with fun activities such as open-bar parties and virtual comedy nights. CS in Focus prioritizes applying customer success principles in a relaxed setting, while also creating genuine connections and giving opportunities for businesses to discover skilled people. It's a good alternative for professionals who prefer a mix of business and casual encounters.

7. Modern Customer Success Pro (MCS)

Modern customer success pros is a specific group that connects CS leaders without the distraction of self-promotion. It provides access to a private Google Group where members may exchange ideas, exclusive content, and resources. This forum also conducts a variety of virtual and in-person events, such as webinars, luncheons, summits, and even virtual wine tastings. MCS is a valuable community for senior CS professionals who want to share experiences and gain insights in a non-commercial setting.

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FAQs

1. What are "office hours" in customer success communities?

Office hours are set times when experienced professionals are accessible to offer guidance, answer questions, and provide assistance to community members.

2. Can I promote my products or services in these communities?

Some communities permit product promotion under certain conditions, while others prohibit it to keep the focus on support and learning.

6. How can I pick the best customer success community for me?

Determine your career goals and interests, and whether you prefer a global or specific platform. Consider the community's size, focus areas, and member advantages.