From start-up to Growth in new markets.
How we helped True Angle establish the foundation to implement a value-driven Customer Success model.
Summary:
True Angle is a medical technology company that takes a data-driven approach to therapy for dysphagia (swallowing disorders). The Mobili-T® wearable device and software combine biofeedback data with remote monitoring to improve patient outcomes.
To accelerate growth in the US clinical market, True Angle pivoted its focus to a B2B market, opening significant revenue opportunities through large, multi-clinic enterprise customers. True Angle partnered with Passing Lane to develop and implement a Customer Success model that would enable them to effectively scale in this new market.
Our Role
Assessment of the Customer Success function
Development of a Customer Success roadmap
Provide ongoing advisory and guidance to leadership
The Challenge:
True Angle was at a pivotal moment in their growth trajectory. The decision to focus on a B2B market came with new challenges. The team had a viable product, with the wearable technology that improved patient outcomes, but a gap existed in how best to address the needs of the B2B enterprise customer.
“We were at an exciting time for the business but were looking for an expert to build a roadmap for Customer Success. We needed help to prioritize how to create the biggest impact and bring our team together to deliver an exceptional experience for our customers.”
Jana Rieger, Founder + CEO, True Angle
‘Land and expand’ is an attractive path to growth for many B2B companies. For this strategy to be effective, True Angle had to rapidly build a Customer Success program to drive value to early adopter customers, and in turn, create opportunities for revenue expansion.
“In the initial stages of working with Passing Lane, we were very early in our B2B journey, and it was clear that our business had a team gap in experience to address customer success at the level we knew the market was operating.” - Jana.
With a capability gap in the team, enterprise customers already moving through the sales pipeline, and the need to drive results quickly, True Angle had to leverage its internal talent to create a best-in-market Customer Success model.
The Insights:
It was essential that True Angle ensure early adopter customers realized exceptional value from the implementation of Mobili-T devices in pilot clinic locations. This traction would be a catalyst to expand sales into further clinic locations.
A strong Customer Success program was vital to lead the True Angle team in its goal to align customers on a path to achieving early results.
THE SOLUTION:
Define a Customer Success model and roadmap to deliver results while supporting leadership with ongoing guidance.
Passing Lane was referred by a trusted investor to Jana Rieger, CEO at True Angle. Cary Bohnet, Principal at Passing Lane, had a track record of Customer Success leadership and experience leading for rapid growth.
“Meeting Cary for the first time, sealed the deal. We knew it would be great working with him. He came with a well-thought-out process, and I knew his approachable, yet professional, manner would be a fit for the team,” shares Jana.
Cary began working in close partnership with Gabi Constantinescu, Co-founder + CXO who leads the Customer Success function at True Angle. The initial phase of the partnership focused on two areas:
Completing a deep-dive discovery and the True Angle Customer Success Roadmap
Ongoing advisory sessions
A deep-dive discovery kicked off the engagement which included aligning business goals, completing stakeholder interviews, and auditing current processes and technology. Next was the development of a roadmap with key initiatives that mapped out the foundation of the True Angle Customer Success model. A prioritization exercise identified which items would be first on deck to make the biggest impact in time for upcoming rollout milestones.
“Following the road-mapping session, I felt like we were swimming in an ocean of opportunity, but each stage felt like a pool with swim lanes. The roadmap remains my most referenced document,” says Gabi
“In just four weeks we had a blueprint — and it kickstarted a flywheel for our team, saving time, increasing output, and boosting speed to learning. It is now crystal clear what we need to do and how our team is going to get there,” Jana adds.
Armed with a detailed roadmap, ongoing advisory sessions, and Gabi’s strong leadership, the team went to work on implementing Customer Success initiatives in the following key areas:
Focus onboarding with a clear path to value
Passing Lane identified True Angle’s onboarding process as the first crucial step to establishing a successful partnership with enterprise customers. By outlining a clear path to value with defined milestones, True Angle and Passing Lane developed a process with three primary focus areas: (a) create an effective enterprise kick-off framework, (b) drive initial adoption with clinical users, and (c) build efficiency to help scale onboarding.
“While, to our customers, onboarding comes across as a very simple linear journey, it is incredible the depth Passing Lane went into when considering the customer journey and building out a robust experience for our enterprise clients. The processes set in place are turnkey for new clients and we definitely make a lasting impression,” explains Gabi.
Establish a structured customer lifecycle
Passing Lane focused on ensuring that True Angle drove consistent, proactive, and high-value activities with customers rather than passively reacting to customer needs. Key initiatives in the Customer Success roadmap highlighted: (a) setting proactive touchpoints throughout the customer lifecycle, (b) deepening clinical user adoption, and (c) growing the value realized by the customer.
“Our speed of learning allowed us to go from having limited understanding in Customer Success to effectively making this pivot into enterprise sales. We now have an entire customer lifecycle plan that I have confidence in and can scale a team with,”
says Gabi.
Gabi shares, “The first people to benefit from our work with Passing Lane were our customers. Cary met us where we were at as a start-up and our team immediately felt the value of working with such an experienced and trusted partner.”
Develop a clear value narrative and measure the impact
True Angle operates in a complex and challenging environment where stakeholders span from patients to clinical users and clinical buyers. With the B2B pivot, the team needed to highlight the impact of the Mobili-T devices and software to the clinical buyers that could promote expansion into more clinic locations.
The team established a clear narrative and identified key metrics by combining product data and clinical user feedback that would be shared back to the customer stakeholders on a regular basis via quarterly business reviews (QBRs).
“Our team went from feeling foggy to knowing exactly what to do. We now have the means to measure customer value and have a clear roadmap on our journey toward building Customer Success,” explains Gabi.
Additional work performed by the team concentrated on (a) internal alignment between sales, marketing, and Customer Success on the True Angle value narrative, (b) Product and Customer Success process inputs to capture data that drives value measurement, and (c) use of the value narrative and data to direct expansion opportunities.
Jana Rieger, Founder + CEO, True Angle
Passing Lane’s roadmap shifted our team from reactive to proactive. Our framework is organized, strategic, measurable and gives me a path to model B2B success.
Early Results:
True Angle now serves B2B customers in a manner that exceeds expectations. Fragmented guesswork has transformed into strategy-driven tactics that propel revenue, results and loyal customers.
True Angle is realizing the following benefits:
Accelerated learning and internal team enablement
“The speed at which our team went from being green with Customer Success to having the confidence to onboard, engage and reinforce customer success at an elite level is gold to me.” - Gabi.
Established confidence to execute with Enterprise Customers
“Following implementation, our first enterprise customer wrote back saying they were impressed with the process and the fact that it was not just one onboarding session but a journey for them.” - Gabi.
Helped Customers realize full and measurable value with True Angle
“Cary provided solid advice and established a proactive mindset within our team so they clearly know how to measure and communicate the value and impact True Angle delivers for each client.” - Gabi.
Created opportunities to expand revenue
“We not only have a blueprint to keep us accountable to our business goals but also have an approach to maintain and grow revenue from our early adopter customers.” - Gabi.
“Cary gave us more than we even knew to ask for and I would recommend him to anyone looking to solidify or scale their customer success function.”
Jana Rieger, Founder + CEO, True Angle