While we linguistically know “Great” is better than “Good and we believe we ought to pursue it, is that really the best course? What if there were cases where seeking “Good support” is the way the business needs to go? For example, what if the business is designed with a very slim Support budget? You will only burn yourself and your team out trying to attain Great status when we honestly need to settle for Good.
I’m not saying to simply give up, but if there are such tight constraints such as money or leadership philosophy, could we consistently make something terrific out of something very little, year after year?
Good Support is for when it just doesn’t fit, the tradeoffs aren’t worth it, or you can’t get buy in from teammates/management (quick aside…if you are a firm believer in Great Support and management is not, you likely have a philosophical divide and need to consider leaving).
For what it’s worth, I believe in Great Support and have the full backing of the executive team. We’re in alignment here, which is absolutely necessary for running a Great company.
The long term impact of Great Support will be devoted customers, media and PR that is much more friendly and open with you, better place to work, and, for your sales team, an increase of Second Order Revenue as discussed by Jason Lemkin (http://www.saastr.com/its-not-just-cltv-its-your-trgcltv-that-matters-total-all-in-revenue-generated-by-your-customer/). It’s crucial for growth. Great Support sells. It retains customers (vitally important to SaaS companies). Makes hiring that much better for the entire organization since with good reviews come happy, prospective employees. If you’re like me and believe the backbone of a Great company are Great people, then this is certainly one leg of the stool.
Find clarity on where you stand. Ensure everyone agrees. Then execute.
Jeff Beaumont 