Balancing high-touch and low-touch engagement models for customer success

There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook for customer engagement in SaaS. Businesses have to constantly analyze and iterate their approach as their customer base evolves. 

We hosted Shivangi Sahu, Director of Customer Success at Clari, to share actionable advice on building high-touch and low-touch customer engagement models. In this conversation, she explained how the two models differ, best tactics to adopt these models, and her hands-on insights.

Understanding high-touch vs. low-touch customer experience

High touch involves more personalized, custom support with dedicated resources like a Customer Success Manager (CSM), often seen in enterprise segments. 

Low touch, however, focuses on efficiency and scalability, typically through digital channels, aiming to serve a broader customer base without the need for direct, constant contact. 

Shivangi explains, "High touch is more custom, more personalized, low touch on the other hand is the more efficient way of scaling your support.”

High-touch customer experience

  • Customization and personalization: High touch engagement is characterized by a highly personalized approach, where services and support are tailored to meet the specific needs of each customer. This model is particularly prevalent in dealing with enterprise clients, where the stakes are high, and the solutions often require intricate customization.
  • Dedicated support: In this model, customers have access to dedicated resources, such as a Customer Success Manager (CSM), who acts as a business advisor. This direct line of communication ensures that customers receive the attention and bespoke service they need to fully leverage the product or service.
  • Relationship building: The high touch model is also about building and nurturing relationships with customers. It involves understanding their business on a deeper level, aligning the product's capabilities with their strategic goals, and ensuring they derive maximum value from their investment.

Low-touch customer experience

  • Efficiency and scalability: The low touch model, by contrast, prioritizes efficiency and the ability to scale support to a larger customer base. This approach leverages digital channels and automation to provide support and drive customer success without the need for constant, direct contact.
  • Tech-first tactics: Tools and platforms that facilitate automated communications, self-service options, and digital onboarding processes are key to a successful low touch engagement strategy. This includes knowledge bases, in-app guidance, automated email sequences, and self-serve portals.
  • Personalization with scale: Even within a low touch framework, Shivangi notes the importance of maintaining a degree of personalization. This can be achieved through segmenting customers by their needs and behaviors, then targeting them with relevant content and resources that guide them towards desired outcomes efficiently.

Adapting to customer segments

The transition from consumer to B2B segments requires adaptability. Shivangi's journey from Meesho to a small startup and then to Clari exemplifies the need to understand customer segments deeply and to tailor engagement models accordingly. 

You have to focus on the service offered while also understanding the customer's business model and potential for growth. 

"Understanding the underlying business models of our clients is crucial. It's about more than just providing a product; it's about solving specific challenges and unlocking opportunities for them”, Shivangi explains.

For instance, a startup might benefit from a low touch model that emphasizes digital resources and automation, allowing for scalability. In contrast, an enterprise might require a high touch approach, with dedicated support and personalized service to navigate complex requirements.

Recognizing the growth potential within each segment is crucial. Shivangi's approach involves identifying which customers have the potential to expand their usage and investment over time and tailoring the engagement strategy to nurture this growth.

She explains, "Recognizing which customers have the potential to grow with us guides how we tailor our engagement. It's not one-size-fits-all; it's about fostering growth together."

An essential part of adapting to customer segments is establishing a robust feedback loop. This enables the customer success team to continuously refine their understanding of different segments and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Shivangi advocates for a data-driven approach in understanding and segmenting customers. By analyzing customer behavior, engagement levels, and product usage patterns, teams can make informed decisions about how to best support each segment.

Tools and tactics for low-touch engagement

For scalable low touch models, digital first strategies are essential, but they must include a human element for critical interactions like renewals or when customers face challenges. 

Tools like Calendly for scheduling, Groove for internal use, and platforms for product analytics and engagement monitoring are crucial. 

Content plays a key role, with a focus on creating accessible, easy-to-understand resources that empower customers to self-serve effectively.

Maintaining consistency and quality

As businesses scale, maintaining consistency and quality across customer interactions becomes challenging. 

Shivangi emphasizes the importance of data in understanding customer needs and adjusting strategies accordingly. Regular feedback from CS teams and staying true to defined goals and KPIs are pivotal in ensuring that both high touch and low touch models deliver the desired outcomes.

The balance between high touch and low touch engagement models is dynamic and requires continuous evaluation. 

By leveraging the right tools, focusing on customer-driven data, and ensuring a seamless experience across all touchpoints, companies can drive adoption and success in their customer success efforts.

Balancing high-touch and low-touch engagement models for customer success

There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook for customer engagement in SaaS. Businesses have to constantly analyze and iterate their approach as their customer base evolves. 

We hosted Shivangi Sahu, Director of Customer Success at Clari, to share actionable advice on building high-touch and low-touch customer engagement models. In this conversation, she explained how the two models differ, best tactics to adopt these models, and her hands-on insights.

Understanding high-touch vs. low-touch customer experience

High touch involves more personalized, custom support with dedicated resources like a Customer Success Manager (CSM), often seen in enterprise segments. 

Low touch, however, focuses on efficiency and scalability, typically through digital channels, aiming to serve a broader customer base without the need for direct, constant contact. 

Shivangi explains, "High touch is more custom, more personalized, low touch on the other hand is the more efficient way of scaling your support.”

High-touch customer experience

  • Customization and personalization: High touch engagement is characterized by a highly personalized approach, where services and support are tailored to meet the specific needs of each customer. This model is particularly prevalent in dealing with enterprise clients, where the stakes are high, and the solutions often require intricate customization.
  • Dedicated support: In this model, customers have access to dedicated resources, such as a Customer Success Manager (CSM), who acts as a business advisor. This direct line of communication ensures that customers receive the attention and bespoke service they need to fully leverage the product or service.
  • Relationship building: The high touch model is also about building and nurturing relationships with customers. It involves understanding their business on a deeper level, aligning the product's capabilities with their strategic goals, and ensuring they derive maximum value from their investment.

Low-touch customer experience

  • Efficiency and scalability: The low touch model, by contrast, prioritizes efficiency and the ability to scale support to a larger customer base. This approach leverages digital channels and automation to provide support and drive customer success without the need for constant, direct contact.
  • Tech-first tactics: Tools and platforms that facilitate automated communications, self-service options, and digital onboarding processes are key to a successful low touch engagement strategy. This includes knowledge bases, in-app guidance, automated email sequences, and self-serve portals.
  • Personalization with scale: Even within a low touch framework, Shivangi notes the importance of maintaining a degree of personalization. This can be achieved through segmenting customers by their needs and behaviors, then targeting them with relevant content and resources that guide them towards desired outcomes efficiently.

Adapting to customer segments

The transition from consumer to B2B segments requires adaptability. Shivangi's journey from Meesho to a small startup and then to Clari exemplifies the need to understand customer segments deeply and to tailor engagement models accordingly. 

You have to focus on the service offered while also understanding the customer's business model and potential for growth. 

"Understanding the underlying business models of our clients is crucial. It's about more than just providing a product; it's about solving specific challenges and unlocking opportunities for them”, Shivangi explains.

For instance, a startup might benefit from a low touch model that emphasizes digital resources and automation, allowing for scalability. In contrast, an enterprise might require a high touch approach, with dedicated support and personalized service to navigate complex requirements.

Recognizing the growth potential within each segment is crucial. Shivangi's approach involves identifying which customers have the potential to expand their usage and investment over time and tailoring the engagement strategy to nurture this growth.

She explains, "Recognizing which customers have the potential to grow with us guides how we tailor our engagement. It's not one-size-fits-all; it's about fostering growth together."

An essential part of adapting to customer segments is establishing a robust feedback loop. This enables the customer success team to continuously refine their understanding of different segments and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Shivangi advocates for a data-driven approach in understanding and segmenting customers. By analyzing customer behavior, engagement levels, and product usage patterns, teams can make informed decisions about how to best support each segment.

Tools and tactics for low-touch engagement

For scalable low touch models, digital first strategies are essential, but they must include a human element for critical interactions like renewals or when customers face challenges. 

Tools like Calendly for scheduling, Groove for internal use, and platforms for product analytics and engagement monitoring are crucial. 

Content plays a key role, with a focus on creating accessible, easy-to-understand resources that empower customers to self-serve effectively.

Maintaining consistency and quality

As businesses scale, maintaining consistency and quality across customer interactions becomes challenging. 

Shivangi emphasizes the importance of data in understanding customer needs and adjusting strategies accordingly. Regular feedback from CS teams and staying true to defined goals and KPIs are pivotal in ensuring that both high touch and low touch models deliver the desired outcomes.

The balance between high touch and low touch engagement models is dynamic and requires continuous evaluation. 

By leveraging the right tools, focusing on customer-driven data, and ensuring a seamless experience across all touchpoints, companies can drive adoption and success in their customer success efforts.