Many companies treat customer success as an afterthought. In healthcare IT, where ongoing customer support and relationship building are critical to future revenue creation, this mindset can be detrimental to long-term business success. After all, happy customers don’t just pay their bills. They are strategic assets that can fuel the growth of a business.
Growing healthcare IT organizations often find themselves focused on customer acquisition and revenue generation. This may be necessary to show that an early stage company has a viable solution to a real-world problem. Yet, the long-term success of an organization is not determined by the ability to close the sale of a net new customer. Long-term growth requires a people-first approach that nurtures long-term customer relationships far beyond the initial sale and successful implementation.
In this blog we’ll explore the importance of strong customer relationships and how you can leverage them as strategic sales and product marketing tools.
Customer Success Is a Strategic Product Marketing Tool
Healthcare IT buyers are risk averse and often intellectually minded in their decision-making process. For this reason, the ability to secure net new customers hinges on the company’s ability to substantiate the quality and accuracy of any product claims. Also, most sales prospects require quantified evidence and/or direct references from existing customers. This is where managing your customer relationships is crucial.
Satisfied customers are not “just” satisfied. They should be advocates who can vouch for the benefits your products provide and the attentiveness of your support team. A happy customer is more likely to be willing to:
- Contribute to case studies
- Provide favorable verbal and written testimonials
- Agree to reference calls and site visits
Fabricated success stories lack the impact and credibility needed to convince discerning healthcare IT buyers. So, evidence-based product marketing content like the above are invaluable for building confidence and eliminating the fear, uncertainty and doubt that is common in potential customers.
Happy Customers Support Sales
Walking away after a sales engagement ends is a missed opportunity that reflects a short-term perspective. Truly successful salespeople are those who continue to engage with customers, ensuring they are happy by solving problems as they arise, taking an interest in their ongoing needs, and finding opportunities to sell more. This ongoing relationship-building process is especially complex in healthcare IT, where the product life cycle is typically 5-7 years and requires continuous customer and technical support.
If done well, a delighted customer will not only buy more from you—they can sell for you! By evangelizing the problems solved and benefits realized by your products, happy customers attract similar buyers with common problem statements. Not only does this create a new opportunity for lead generation, but it simultaneously leapfrogs these new prospects further along the sales process as interest and credibility are already established.
Relationship Building Starts at the Top
The role of company leadership, particularly the CEO, is pivotal when it comes to fostering a sales culture focused on long-term customer success. CEOs who place too strong a focus on technology or near-term revenue generation may risk overlooking the importance of long-term human relationships.
When a company’s leadership is people-focused, other teams follow suit and are more likely to build trust through deep and meaningful interactions that foster a richer understanding of the client’s business challenges and pain points. This not only benefits sales and support but can also lead to better products and a better understanding of the needs of the market.
Customer Success as a Strategic Philosophy
Having happy customers is not only a competitive advantage—it’s a prerequisite to long-term business growth. Experienced product marketers with direct inroads to senior leadership, sales, and customer support can stay informed about each customer’s journey. They tap into these success stories to create powerful messaging, compelling thought leadership content, and engaging marketing collateral.
Are you ready to unlock the strategic potential of happy customers? Our healthcare IT product marketing experts bring the knowledge and expertise required to help your organization build a customer-success oriented culture. We can help you maximize the impact of your sales and marketing strategy. Contact us to learn more.
