Orchestrating Customer Success Experiences! 5 Secrets to Applying 'Praise-First' Techniques Used for Children
Hello, this is Komaten.
“They went through the trouble of implementing it, but they aren't using it at all...”
“Even when I report results at the regular meeting, the reaction is lukewarm...”
When working in CS (Customer Success), you've likely hit walls like these.
No matter how wonderful the features are, it's meaningless if the customer doesn't take action. Even if you feel like you're running alongside them with high-touch support, the other party's enthusiasm doesn't rise. Honestly, “Why don't you understand?” I have experienced those moments where I wanted to hold my head in my hands just as painfully as anyone.
Actually, this has the exact same structure as parenting struggles.
I have a 6-year-old son, and I used to just get angry, saying things like “Hurry up and get changed!” or “Why won't you clean up!” But when I tried a technique from a parenting book called “Praise-First (Positive Attention)”, he started acting spontaneously to a surprising degree.
“Wait, couldn't this be used in client work too?”
Thinking that, I applied this “Praise-First technique” to a certain difficult contact person... and to my surprise, the person who was so cold before has now become my biggest fan.
This time, as an active CS professional and father of two, I will explain “How to orchestrate customer success experiences by applying ‘Praise-First’ techniques for children” in 5 points.
This is by no means about treating customers like children. It is about the fact that the “essence of moving people's hearts” is the same for both adults and children.
Please take home some hints that will make your customer interactions from tomorrow a little more fun.
1. Why is “Praise-First” necessary for CS?
To start with the conclusion, it is because “self-efficacy” is the fuel for success.
Customers immediately after introducing SaaS or IT tools are in the same state as “a child who has just started practicing riding a bicycle without training wheels.” They are full of anxiety and afraid of failing and getting hurt.
What is needed here is not detailed feature explanations. It is confidence—the belief that “I can do it” or “I can succeed if I use this tool”—in other words, self-efficacy.
Logic alone does not move people
We in CS tend to try to persuade using logic like “ROI (Return on Investment)” or “feature superiority.” Of course, that is important for decision-makers.
However, what moves the people in charge who actually touch the tools on the front lines is “emotion”.
Having their hard work recognized
Being able to acquire new skills
Evaluated by the company
Providing this "emotional reward" is the essence of "praise" in CS. It is a staging technique to transform customers from mere "users" into active "heroes."
2. Applied Technique 1: Put the Spotlight on the "Process," Not the Results
If you only praise a child for the result, saying "You're amazing for getting 100 points," the child will feel pressured, thinking, "I'm no good if I don't get 100 points." This is the same in business.
"Your CV count has increased by 20%!"
If you only say this, it becomes difficult to contact them when the numbers go down, doesn't it?
Verbalizing and praising specific actions
The important thing is to praise the "actions" that led to that result.
"Thanks to you completing the initial setup by the deadline."
"The announcement email to your internal team was very easy to understand."
"Thank you for gathering the members for the regular meeting."
In this way, you convey the message, "I am truly seeing the hard work you put in.".
When their process is acknowledged, people feel reassured that "this way of doing things is correct," and it motivates them for their next action. This is truly the moment when trust between CS and the customer accumulates.
3. Applied Technique 2: Use "I-Messages" to Show You Are an Ally
When scolding a child, if you say, "Why don't you clean up?" they will rebel, but if you say, "(I) feel happy when the room is clean," they might actually do it.
In psychology, this is called an "I-message." It is a technique where the subject is "I" instead of "You."
In the CS field as well, when conveying requests to customers, we tend to hit them with logical arguments like, "(Your company) should utilize this more." There is a risk that this will make them feel like you are being condescending.
A way of communicating that lowers the other party's guard
NG (You): "The setup is not finished yet. Please do it quickly."
OK (I): "We are almost there with the setup. It would make me very happy personally if we could reach the goal together."
NG (You): "That way of using it is wrong."
OK (I): "Using it that way makes it hard to get results, so (I am) concerned."
By using "I" as the subject, it is conveyed not as criticism, but as "personal feelings wishing for your success." Instead of being a cold consultant, aim for the position of "a partner right by their side." This way of closing the distance is where a CS professional shows their worth.
4. Applied Technique 3: Orchestrating Success Experiences with "Small Steps"
It's impossible to tell my 6-year-old son to "clean the whole room" all of a sudden, but he can do it if I say, "First, let's put these toys in the box."
SaaS onboarding is exactly the same. The more high-functioning a tool is, the more you want to teach them everything, but that is a cause of "indigestion" for the customer.
Stacking up "I did it!" moments like a quest
Let's incorporate elements of gamification.
Logged in → "Wonderful! That's the first step!"
Entered data → "That's fast! Now you're ready for analysis."
Generated a report → "Keep it up! Let's share this within the company."
In this way, you orchestrate ordinary tasks one by one as "success experiences."
Even adults are happy when they are praised. Especially for those in charge of introducing new tools, they are often forced to fight a lonely battle within their company. Become the only person who understands and supports them as a CS representative.
The accumulation of small "I did it!" moments will eventually lead to greater LTV (Lifetime Value).
5. Applied Technique 4: Transforming Negatives with "Reframing"
When a child says, "I don't want to go to school," instead of denying it by saying, "What are you talking about!", you reply, "You just really love being at home, don't you?" This is called "reframing (shifting the perspective)."
In the field of CS, it is an everyday occurrence for negative reactions to come back from customers.
"It's hard to use because there are too many features."
"There is resistance from the staff."
"I can't feel the effects."
Refuting with "No, that's not it..." is third-rate work. A first-rate CS professional converts negative words into a positive context.
Rewriting a pinch as an "expectation"
"There are too many features" → "That just means there is a wide range of ways to use it. Let's start by mastering this one feature first."
"There is resistance from the field" → "That is proof that the staff on the ground truly value their current workflow. Let's transition gradually while showing them respect."
Accept the other person's words while shifting the perspective just a little bit.
If you can make the customer think, "I see, that's one way to look at it," you've won. Guiding them to change their perspective without denying them is also a high-level facilitation skill.
Summary: CS is a job that provides "confidence," not just "features"
How were these 5 points on applying "praise-first" techniques for children to CS?
Boost self-efficacy: Make the customer the "hero."
Praise the process: Give them the peace of mind that their actions are being seen.
I-messages: Stand as a "partner," not an "instructor."
Small steps: Accumulate small successful experiences.
Reframing: Turn negative energy into positive energy.
To be honest, doing these perfectly every time is exhausting. We in CS are human too, so we might get annoyed when told unreasonable things.
But don't you think that being able to witness "customer growth" up close is the real thrill of this job?
The moment a child who couldn't ride a bike starts riding through the wind. The moment a contact person who was anxious because they didn't know how to use it achieves results worthy of an internal award.
For the sake of those moments, we accumulate the gritty, day-to-day communication.
Start with tomorrow's email, or the first thing you say on Zoom. Try adding a little spice of "praise-first." The expression of the person on the other side of the screen will surely soften a little.
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