Process Parrot
These days, if you happen to strike up a conversion with me, there is a 40% chance that at some point I will go on a rant about the need for processes. I will give you unsolicited examples of failures, personal and well-documented ones, that could have been avoided with minimal processes. And if you give me enough time, I may even share my vision to improve humanity through process creation. (We’ll save that for another article.) For now, Customer Success Managers, I’ll urge you to add more processes to your workflows by showing you how to keep them simple and effective.
Processes don’t need to be complicated. The more complicated they are, the more likely they are to be ignored.
Too often, we associate processes with complications. We envision them as tools for challenging multi-dimensional problems and the processes themselves as complicated steps/instructions. In my world, I create processes for any recurring situations. Oxford Languages defines “process” as “a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.” This already concise definition could be shortened to “a series of actions taken to achieve an end.” That’s it!
CSMs and CSM leaders, here are a few 2-3 step processes that generate a lot of impact but require little effort:
A. Create a space to connect with your reports/coworkers
1) Create recurring “office hours” events
2) Periodically remind folks that the event exists
I appreciate my current managers for doing this. Even if I use it sparingly, I know that space exists when I need it.
B. Make weekly/bi-weekly meetings useful
1) Create two questions that you always ask; one at the start and one at the end
2) Prepare a short agenda
3) Send a follow-up email with the essential points or action items
My questions for step 1 are “what challenges did you have this week?” and “was this meeting useful?” Also, I know that steps 2 and 3 sound like “duh” items, but folks skip them enough that it’s worth the reminder.
C. Create a visual reminder to reply to important emails
1) Keep a clean/empty Drafts folder
2) Hit reply on the email, type a character, and close the draft. Even if your inbox is messy, your draft folder will now only have the most pertinent emails that need a response.
If you admired the parrot photo and skipped to this paragraph, here’s a summary of what you missed: using simple processes can help you achieve your goals. Lastly, the creation of processes, especially those created by senior leaders, can indicate that the issue is a priority, i.e., “walking the walk.” Does a manager who says “my door is always open for a conversation” but doesn’t have an easy process to meet with their reports prioritize that conversation as much as the manager who opens the door by hosting weekly office hours? You be the judge.
Photo by David Clode