This article is based on a presentation given by Mark at our Customer Success Festival in Las Vegas, 2024.

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Empowering your customer success (CS) team is the key to reclaiming your sanity. 

My journey through various companies like Comcast, WeWork, and startups has given me a unique insight into the significance of efficient knowledge transfer in post-sales operations. 

In this article, I'll share my strategies and practical steps for implementing effective knowledge transfer methodologies to transform your CS operations. By the end, you'll understand how to reduce dependency, improve efficiency, and ultimately create a more autonomous and productive CS team.

A novel approach to taking over customer success teams

When I start a new CS motion, which encompasses all post-sales activities like tech support, onboarding, and the customer success piece, I follow a specific process: I call it the "Kill Mark" philosophy. 

It involves fully immersing myself in a role for 30 days to better understand that function. For example, let’s consider the tech support role. Using the “Kill Mark” philosophy, I’ll take on everything that comes my way in terms of tech support. This helps me understand the reality of what our customers, Customer Success Managers (CSMs), and tech support agents experience. I need this firsthand knowledge to ask the right questions and design effective processes.

During this period, I push myself to the brink of failure, reaching a point of near misery before customers start to suffer. Once I hit that threshold, I begin offloading tasks and refining processes. This hands-on approach allows me to learn the unique nuances of each company.

Something unique happened when I joined ScreenSteps two months ago. Historically, I've followed the "Kill Mark" philosophy at four or five other companies, but ScreenSteps was different. 

When I took over, I assumed responsibility for support and took on every support ticket myself. Despite the high volume from hundreds of customers and thousands of users, I didn't reach the point of failure. This was a first for me, and it blew my mind.

My previous customer success structure

In previous roles, our products and processes were always complex. We had training programs, articles, shadowing, and knowledge bases. However, the knowledge bases were often outdated, as there was usually no one designated to keep them current. Documentation would start strong but eventually fall apart as priorities shifted.

Despite extensive training and hiring training professionals, questions kept coming. My typical schedule used to be:

  • 8 AM to 5 PM: Answering questions and attending meetings.
  • 5 PM to 6 PM: Trying to catch up as others logged off.
  • 10 PM to Midnight: Doing my actual leadership job.

This scenario was especially true at WeWork, where I had over 30 direct reports without any middle management support. My supervisors were also managing tech teams and fielding constant questions, making it impossible to focus on strategic tasks during regular hours.

This approach is what I've always done, but ScreenSteps provided a new perspective and experience that challenged my usual methods and led to surprising results.

So, what made the difference here at ScreenSteps? The answer is our CEO, Greg DeVore. Greg co-wrote a book called Find & Follow: Reduce Supervisor Burnout & Improve Employee Performance by Transferring Knowledge Faster (2023).

 This methodology was developed during his time consulting for massive companies, focusing on efficient knowledge transfer. 

The core idea is to deliver the necessary information to the right people in a way that they can find it quickly.

Our software at ScreenSteps incorporates this methodology, enabling efficient knowledge transfer. But I must add – this methodology itself can be used by anyone. Here’s how it changed my approach.

Implementing the “find and follow” methodology

When I joined ScreenSteps, I knew there would be a lot of questions initially. I warned the team that I would be asking a lot of questions because I was the only one handling the CS for a while. Greg, however, kept redirecting me to search for answers within our system instead of directly answering my questions.

At first, I was skeptical. I didn’t have much time to research before joining, so I wasn’t familiar with all the details of their system. But Greg insisted, and I started searching for answers. To my surprise, I consistently found what I needed, complete with step-by-step walkthroughs. Over time, I stopped asking Greg questions and trusted the system more.

This methodology matters because of several critical factors affecting businesses today:

  • Increasing labor costs: With rising labor costs, it’s essential to maximize productivity and efficiency.
  • High employee turnover: Onboarding new employees, especially with complex products, is time-consuming and challenging. Efficient knowledge transfer can alleviate some of this burden.
  • Maintaining productivity: Even with some clients able to self-serve on easy issues, the more complex problems still come to us. This often results in CSMs triaging issues, which can be inefficient.
  • Burnout and stress: Agents and supervisors are stressed and burned out from answering repetitive questions all day. Empowering CSMs with the right tools and knowledge can reduce this strain.

By using the “find and follow” methodology, we empower our CSMs to handle their responsibilities without needing to know every single step offhand. This system streamlines knowledge transfer, reduces stress, and improves overall productivity.

The power of the find and follow methodology

I know of three success stories from various utility companies that applied the “find and follow” methodology to their operations. All three saw a significant reduction in their time to proficiency. This means their employees reached a level of expertise where they no longer needed to ask questions or seek help from others —they became subject matter experts (SMEs).

The point here is not the technology but the framing and behavioral changes. It's about identifying the real problem and addressing it effectively.

Often, we assume that a lack of training is the issue. However, the real problem is usually related to framing and behavior. Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg's book discusses the importance of digging deep to identify the actual problem. It's about understanding whether the issue is insufficient training or a lack of accessible information. Most often, it's the latter.

For example, when switching from Salesforce to HubSpot, or implementing a new process, it's not just about training on the new tool. It’s about ensuring that the necessary information is easily accessible and up-to-date for everyone involved.

Organizations that evolve quickly face a unique challenge. High complexity and frequent changes make it nearly impossible to rely solely on training. No one can memorize every step of every process. Even those who become experts end up being bombarded with questions from others, which is inefficient.

In one instance, I had a new hire sit between me and someone else so she could ask us questions directly. While this provided her with quick answers, it wasn't sustainable or effective in the long run.

The real solution is effective knowledge transfer. 

Knowledge transfer

It's about making sure that information reaches the right person, no matter how many changes occur. This requires a system that supports continuous updates and feedback.

I present to you the “knowledge ops maturity model.” This model helps organizations assess their current state and identify steps to improve their knowledge transfer processes.

  1. Tribal knowledge: This is where most organizations start. Knowledge is held by specific individuals (e.g., Lisa knows how to do this, so we ask Lisa).
  2. Documentation: Some organizations have documentation, but it might be hard to find or outdated, leading to a lack of trust in the system.
  3. Guide: Employees rely on checklists, reference guides, and decision trees every time they follow a procedure.
  4. Train: Employees are trained to rely on actionable digital guides instead of memorizing mountains of information. 
  5. Accelerate: The goal is to reach a point where CSMs and tech support agents use guides and systems that are continuously updated through circular feedback. This means agents can suggest improvements, leading to more accurate and reliable documentation.

By understanding where your organization is on this model, you can take steps to improve and ensure effective knowledge transfer, reducing dependency on individual experts and enhancing overall efficiency.

Challenging limiting beliefs

Some of what I'm about to share might ruffle some feathers, but it's essential to challenge these limiting beliefs. One common misconception is that training needs to focus on what CSMs need to know. 

In reality, it should focus on what they need to do. Another belief is that CSMs who memorize procedures perform better. Data shows this isn't accurate; agents perform better by memorizing less and finding efficient ways to execute their tasks.

I'm often guilty of being too helpful, which creates a dependency where people constantly come to me for answers. This is why Greg insisted on me searching for answers myself. It was uncomfortable initially, but it was necessary for fostering independence.

The process involves aligning, defining, designing, refining, training, empowering, and adapting. Here’s a quick rundown:

  1. Align and define: Start with a workshop to identify common questions, requests, and tasks. Include the person who fixes mistakes, answers questions, trains others, and a tenured person in the target role.
  2. Design and refine: Document tasks clearly, separating foundational information from actionable information. Foundational knowledge includes understanding the tools and their purposes, while actionable information is covered in guides.
  3. Train: Focus on less complex training, emphasizing the "what" and "why" over the "how." Use digital guides for procedural steps.
  4. Empower and adapt: Continuously update and improve the process based on feedback.

For example, in training for a tool like HubSpot, cover what it does and why it's used, leaving the "how" for guides. Effective documentation should be easily findable (within five seconds), scannable, and usable. Instead of a lengthy PDF, provide simple, clear steps.

Spend 20% of the time on foundational courses and 80% on practical exercises where agents find answers themselves. This method was transformative for me at ScreenSteps. Typically, it took me 30 days to ramp up in a support role. With this approach, I was fully functional in just two days. I handled support by myself, answering every question through chat and email, and even opening accounts.

The impact of this approach is profound. It creates a flywheel effect, where knowledge transfer becomes more efficient over time, continuously improving. This methodology not only enhances productivity but also fundamentally changes how teams operate, leading to more empowered and self-sufficient employees.

This system has changed my life and can change yours too. By focusing on efficient knowledge transfer and practical application, we can overcome the limitations of traditional training methods and achieve remarkable results.