🪜 The rungs of customer success…
Your business, as well as your competitors, probably (and hopefully) places customer experience and success at the core of their mission.
Customer success is more than retention. It’s more than customer satisfaction.
In today’s competitive landscape, businesses move through different levels of customer success maturity — from indifference to full customer-centric transformation.
In this article, we break down the real-world tiers of customer success and explore what it truly takes to reach the highest level.
But customer success comes with more than one level, with each one being better than the previous.
So, what’s your current level?
Select one that applies, and forget what you see in books. I’m talking about real-world examples we encounter daily.
Tier 🇦: The “Meh”
You and/or your employees couldn’t give a damn about your customers’ success. They still cross your door and find you attractive due to the high opportunity cost of choosing your competitors.
This can be due to many factors, such as favorable location, a good-enough brand positioning that’s still lurking in people’s minds, or a good-enough niche you’re in.
If you’re here, your business hangs by a thin thread.
Tier 🇧:The “good enough”
You satisfy customer’s desire for wanting to know more, but they can feel the hollowness of your business. You feel like you’re doing them a favor for having to buy from you. You still roll your eyes over once a customer leaves your store.
If you’re here, your business will be swept away when someone seizes the opportunity.
Tier 🇨: Customer satisfaction
Most businesses should be in this tier. People feel satisfied with their experience of buying from you. You’re doing it by the books.
Tier 🇩: Customer empowerment
Your clients feel the power in their hands, as they grab your products and use your service. AKA the “Nirvana” of branding and strategy. At every touchpoint, people feel you’re really doing them a great service, and they spend their money knowing they get the best bang.
🥇 Wait, there’s one more!
It’s a hard one to achieve.
You’ve been warned.
The top rung requires a lot of effort and a carefully executed strategy to achieve it.
I’m not talking about telling your customers how your business helps them, how you address their pain points, how you raise their gain points.
I’m talking of making it all about your customers.
Saying: “Hey, my business and our employees are making it all for you, about you, and with you. Come to me and take the center stage you deserve. I’m here to help if you need anything, and please don’t hesitate to tell me what you want, I’ll listen and act accordingly.”
This top rung represents a truly customer-centric organization — one that builds customer advocacy, long-term loyalty, and even community around its brand. It’s where customer success turns into customer-led growth.
✌️ The two types of execution
How do you do this?
First, you decide if it’s worth it. Not every business type or model fits an “about you” mentality. Plus, doing this sets a high expectation level from your customers. If you don’t deliver, your business might be hit harder than normal. Sticking or aiming towards empowerment may oftentimes be sufficiently good for your business.
Next, you choose your strategic model.
You can take the “silent” road, and let your actions speak louder than words. You let customers judge by themselves.
It’s what, for instance, Zappos did with its ultra-exceptional customer service: telling people they’re will be more than empowered to become a client. “We’re making it about you, so we’re here to talk to you whenever you want.”
Or, you’re stepping forward and put it out, ALL CAPS.
It’s what a German brand did to penetrate the European fashion market. You won’t guess its name.
Its name is, literally with no surprises here, “ABOUT YOU,” in full caps.
It’s latest commercial? A jingle repeating “It’s all about you,” while showing how their clothes fit every occasion in a typical day in a busy woman’s life: street fit, office style, playing with her kiddo, going home with her family.
See for yourself the 20-sec brilliance.
Should your business pivot to making it all about its customers?
Reaching the top rung of customer success isn’t about slogans. It’s about operational alignment, culture, and long-term commitment.
Most companies stop at satisfaction. Few reach empowerment. Even fewer build true customer-led organizations.
The question isn’t whether it sounds good.
The question is whether your business is ready for it.
