Episode 48:
Owning the Outcome: The Real Role of Customer SuccessAbout this episode
I sat down with my good friend and former Oracle teammate Jane Scott for a deep dive into customer success. Jane and I worked together for years on the key account team supporting Xerox, and she was the glue that held it all together — truly the most important (Oracle) person in the room.
We covered a lot in this conversation: from the foundational elements of long-term account management, to the evolving role of customer success in today’s SaaS world. Jane brings a wealth of experience and a refreshingly candid perspective on what it takes to really support customers.
Here are a few key points we dug into:
Why consistency and historical knowledge matter — and how Jane’s 12 years on a single account gave her unmatched influence and insight.
How customer success is about enabling outcomes, not just solving problems.
The importance of aligning to the customer’s business rhythm and strategic objectives.
Why some SaaS companies may not need a dedicated CS team — but the function must still be owned somewhere.
How internal alignment between sales, operations, and product impacts the customer experience.
Takeaways:
✅ Understand the rhythm of your customer’s business — timing is everything.
✅ Great customer success starts with empathy and ends with results.
✅ Whether or not you have a CSM team, someone needs to own the customer journey.
✅ The best relationships go beyond QBRs — think industry events, shared learning, and meaningful connection.
✅ Ask early: “What will keep us from being successful together?”
🌟 Jane reminds us: “It doesn’t have to be a huge, elaborate plan. Sometimes it’s just asking, ‘How can I help?’”
Connect with Us
If you enjoyed this episode, take a moment to leave a review -- it helps others find and benefit from the show. And, please, share this episode with a colleague who could use these insights!
Take one or two key insights from this episode, apply them in your sales role, and let us know how it impacts your success.
Thanks for tuning in!
I sat down with my good friend and former Oracle teammate Jane Scott for a deep dive into customer success. Jane and I worked together for years on the key account team supporting Xerox, and she was the glue that held it all together — truly the most important (Oracle) person in the room.
We covered a lot in this conversation: from the foundational elements of long-term account management, to the evolving role of customer success in today’s SaaS world. Jane brings a wealth of experience and a refreshingly candid perspective on what it takes to really support customers.
Here are a few key points we dug into:
Why consistency and historical knowledge matter — and how Jane’s 12 years on a single account gave her unmatched influence and insight.
How customer success is about enabling outcomes, not just solving problems.
The importance of aligning to the customer’s business rhythm and strategic objectives.
Why some SaaS companies may not need a dedicated CS team — but the function must still be owned somewhere.
How internal alignment between sales, operations, and product impacts the customer experience.
Takeaways:
✅ Understand the rhythm of your customer’s business — timing is everything.
✅ Great customer success starts with empathy and ends with results.
✅ Whether or not you have a CSM team, someone needs to own the customer journey.
✅ The best relationships go beyond QBRs — think industry events, shared learning, and meaningful connection.
✅ Ask early: “What will keep us from being successful together?”
🌟 Jane reminds us: “It doesn’t have to be a huge, elaborate plan. Sometimes it’s just asking, ‘How can I help?’”
Connect with Us
- Visit our website:podcast.thoughtsonselling.com
- Connect with Lee Levitt:LinkedIn
- Connect with Jane Scott :LinkedIn
If you enjoyed this episode, take a moment to leave a review -- it helps others find and benefit from the show. And, please, share this episode with a colleague who could use these insights!
Take one or two key insights from this episode, apply them in your sales role, and let us know how it impacts your success.
Thanks for tuning in!
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