Module Overview

This module guides you through using the 3S (Sales, Success, Support) model as a diagnostic lens to evaluate how customer-centric your business truly is. By taking a structured, honest look at each pillar, you’ll uncover strengths, gaps, and actionable opportunities for improvement.

1. Why Use the 3S Model for Assessment?

The 3S model offers a holistic, yet practical structure to evaluate customer-focused operations. It moves beyond gut feel, helping you pinpoint where your company excels and where targeted changes can drive measurable impact—whether you’re just starting, scaling, or preparing for exit.

2. Step-by-Step Assessment Approach

a. Sales:

• Questions to Ask:
  • Are your sales processes clearly defined and customer-centric?
  • Do you have a well-articulated ideal customer profile and segmentation?
  • How well do sales and marketing align to attract, qualify, and convert high-value customers?
• How to Assess:
  • Review your sales funnel data: conversion rates, win/loss analysis, and lead quality.
  • Gather feedback from sales reps and recent customers about their experience.
  • Look for consistency in messaging and approach.

b. Success:

• Questions to Ask:
  • Do you have a proactive customer success strategy, or is engagement mostly reactive?
  • How do you measure customer health and outcomes?
  • Are onboarding, training, and value delivery consistent and well-documented?
• How to Assess:
  • Analyze retention rates, upsell/cross-sell metrics, and customer health scores.
  • Review onboarding materials, training programs, and customer feedback.
  • Identify if there are formal mutual action or success plans in place.

c. Support:

• Questions to Ask:
  • Are support channels accessible, responsive, and multi-modal (email, chat, phone, knowledge base)?
  • How quickly and thoroughly are issues resolved?
  • How is support quality measured and improved over time?
• How to Assess:
  • Track support metrics: response time, resolution time, first contact resolution, CSAT/NPS.
  • Review your escalation and knowledge base processes.
  • Solicit feedback from customers post-interaction.

3. Bringing It All Together

• Holistic View:
  
  Look for patterns across the three pillars. For example, strong sales but weak onboarding might lead to high churn. Excellent support but inconsistent sales process could mean missed growth opportunities.
• Prioritize Opportunities:
  
  Identify 1–2 areas in each pillar where improvement would have the most impact. Set clear, time-bound goals for making changes.
• Benchmark and Track Progress:
  
  Use the 3S model as a baseline, and revisit your assessment regularly. Over time, track how improvements in one area (e.g., onboarding) influence metrics in others (e.g., retention, upsell).

4. Example in Practice (Fable)

Imagine a B2B service company that’s struggling with customer churn. Applying the 3S model, they discover:

• Sales is bringing in customers outside their ideal profile.
• Success lacks a formal onboarding process, so customers don’t see value quickly.
• Support is reactive, with slow response times.

By addressing each pillar—refining their ICP, building a structured onboarding program, and improving support responsiveness—they see a measurable uptick in retention and customer satisfaction within a quarter.

5. Reflection & Next Steps

• Where does your company shine, and where are the biggest gaps across Sales, Success, and Support?
• What’s one actionable change you can make this month in each pillar?
• How will you measure improvement and ensure accountability?

Key Takeaway:

The 3S model isn’t just a theory—it’s a practical, diagnostic tool for continuous improvement. By applying it honestly to your current operations, you create a roadmap for building a truly customer-focused, high-performing B2B service business