We F*cked Up So You Don't Have To (Stijn Smet & Melanie Faye)
Explore every episode of We F*cked Up So You Don't Have To
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 2024 | We Fucked Up...and got a little too personal | Episode 7 | 00:27:11 | |
Have you ever sent every one of your customers a generic check-in email and been told you're not worth their time? Or creeped your customer out by commenting on a social post they didn't know you saw? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, we help you strike the balance between lazy and stalker vibes: 00:00:00 - Survey says 00:00:20 - Intro 00:01:06 - Boob sweat 00:03:14 - Too little personalization: The check-in email fail 00:05:08 - The art of customized emails 00:07:13 - Balancing efficiency and personalization 00:09:43 - Too much personalization: The cupcake incident 00:11:10 - Finding the right level of personalization 00:13:16 - Personalized communication setting the tone 00:16:02 - Starbucks gift card snafu 00:19:24 - Alternatives to endless Zoom meetings 00:21:04 - The experiment: Picking up the phone And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 10 Sep 2024 | We Fucked Up...and made our customer feel like a dumbass | Episode 8 | 00:25:35 | |
Have you ever done the exact same training? Twice? For a customer who couldn't understand the software? And made her cry because YOU couldn't understand why she wasn't getting it? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, we help you *remember* that no two customers, and no two trainee, are the same: 00:00:00 - The Facebook moms generation 00:01:18 - Defining change management challenges 00:02:45 - The pitfalls of lacking product expertise 00:05:41 - Navigating difficult customer onboarding 00:11:54 - Tailoring training to different generations 00:13:36 - Gen Z’s confidence backfires in onboarding 00:16:18 - Tips for managing successful product adoption 00:20:32 - Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions 00:21:38 - Pro tip: just ask why And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 25 Feb 2025 | We Fucked Up...and confused features with value | Episode 15 | 00:34:19 | |
Do you know the true value of the product you represent as a customer success manager? Have you ever been caught using a competitor's tool because it was better than your own? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode we welcome David Gunn, Vice President of Customer Success at SundaySky, to chat features, value, and making the same mistake twice: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:03 - Owning your mistakes as a CS leader 00:04:44 - The email disaster that exposed a flaw 00:07:04 - Feature training vs. real value realization 00:10:26 - The challenge of proving ROI in renewals 00:13:25 - Why CS teams struggle with product feedback 00:17:18 - The telephone game of customer requests 00:20:50 - When you can’t use the product you support 00:25:20 - CS enablement vs. sales enablement gaps 00:29:54 - Learning from mistakes: Just make new ones! And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 30 Jul 2024 | We Fucked Up...and killed an onboarding | Episode 5 | 00:26:18 | |
Have you ever made an onboarding customer cry? Or churn on the same day of their kickoff call? ...no? Well then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, we break down the do's and the don'ts of onboarding, including: 00:00:00 - Avoiding red flags in customer success 00:01:11 - Onboarding mishaps to avoid 00:03:16 - Trust but verify: handling sales handovers 00:05:04 - Always have a checklist! 00:05:50 - Preparation: knowing your client’s story 00:07:04 - Quit pushing features & listen to priorities 00:10:03 - Handling overwhelmed clients 00:13:57 - Pause: Don’t monologue during calls 00:16:01 - Setting clear expectations and next steps 00:19:19 - Dealing with difficult clients 00:21:53 - Treat onboarding like a first date 00:22:27 - Key takeaways for effective onboarding And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we fucked up so you don’t have to. Connect with us! Melanie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Stino's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media | |||
| 11 Feb 2025 | We Fucked Up...and let churn surprise us | Episode 14 | 00:36:43 | |
Do you treat every time a customer churns like the end of the world, searching high and low for everything you *could've* done? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode we welcome Denny Burda, Chief Customer Officer at River Consultancy, to chat churn: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:07 - First male guest with big ideas 00:03:18 - The story of a perfect churn 00:12:53 - Budget assumptions and surprise churn 00:15:42 - Stakeholder change and shifting priorities 00:19:55 - Transparency and learning from churn 00:22:00 - The importance of tracking churn reasons 00:28:30 - Drafting a churn ICP 00:32:18 - Key takeaways from the churn discussion And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media | |||
| 01 Mar 2024 | Trailer | 00:00:56 | |
Welcome to another exciting episode of "We Fucked Up, So You Don't Have To"! Get ready to dive into the wild world of customer success with your hosts, Stino and Melanie. Join them as they peel back the curtain on their own mishaps and triumphs, sharing candid insights and practical advice along the way. Stino, a charismatic Head of Customer Success, brings his unfiltered wisdom to the table, while Melanie, a seasoned Customer Success Manager, offers invaluable career insights. Together, they'll laugh, learn, and navigate the twists and turns of the customer success journey. So buckle up, and let's dive in! | |||
| 06 Mar 2024 | We F*ucked Up So You Don't Have To Communication Edition | 00:26:24 | |
Buckle up, ‘cause we're diving headfirst into the hilarious (and sometimes cringe-worthy) world of customer success blunders. This inaugural episode is all about the communication minefield we all know and (sometimes unwillingly) love. We'll be spilling the tea (and the lessons learned) on our biggest communication f*ck ups, from sassy retorts to humor gone wrong. Get ready to hear:
Remember, we've all been there, so learn from our mistakes and laugh along the way! Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 18 Mar 2024 | We F*ucked Up So You Don't Have To Renewal Edition | 00:26:41 | |
We F*cked Up, So You Don't Have To: Episode 2 - The Renewal Red Flag Rumble Here's the down-low:
Stino chimes in with some golden nuggets of advice:
Melanie reflects on her fumbled renewal call and the importance of being prepared. Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 06 May 2024 | We F*ucked Up So You Don't Have To: Too Friendly for Business? The BFS Trap | 00:30:12 | |
🎧 New Episode Alert: "Too Friendly for Business? The BFS Trap" 🤝 Hey, WFUSYDHT fans! It’s Stino & Melanie here, and boy, do we have a story for you! In this episode, we're diving deep into the pitfalls of becoming BFS (Best Friends with Clients) and how it can boomerang on your business relationships. Join us as we share our own blunders of getting too chummy with clients. I'll tell you about a time when my eagerness to be a "customer happiness manager" completely derailed my focus from what should have been my main goal: driving business value. Spoiler alert: it didn't end well. Melanie brings her signature blend of warmth and wisdom as she talks about the thin line between empathy and professionalism. She'll share insights into how understanding a client's personal situation can actually boost engagement with your product—when handled correctly. Together, we'll explore strategies for maintaining that perfect balance between personal connection and professional integrity. Expect practical tips like setting an agenda before client calls, and why keeping interactions professional through LinkedIn and email can save you from a lot of awkward situations. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a freelancer, or anyone who deals with clients regularly, this episode is packed with cautionary tales and savvy advice to help you navigate your business relationships more smartly. Tune in and learn from our mistakes—so you don’t have to make them yourself! 🚀 Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 11 Jun 2024 | We Fucked Up... We didn't keep a Paper Trail | 00:20:16 | |
Welcome back to "We Fucked Up So You Don't Have To," the podcast that blasts through the chaos with a POW POW POW! This episode is all about the power of keeping a paper trail. Trust us, it's more exciting than it sounds! Melanie and I dive into why having organized notes during customer calls is crucial for top-notch client management and smooth internal communication. Melanie drops knowledge bombs on capturing essential info like client goals and their feelings towards your platform. This isn't just about making your life easier – it's about nailing those internal stakeholder questions and prepping for future calls like a pro. I’ll hit you with some real talk about using AI tools for note-taking. They’re great, but don’t lean on them too hard! They might miss the vibes and sentiments that can make or break a meeting. We both agree on one thing: buffer time is a must! After a call, take 15 minutes – use tools like Reclaim.ai – to get your documentation and follow-up tasks on point. Templates are your best friends here. Keep your notes consistent and easy to read, focusing on key points like meeting date, attendees, discussion points, action items, and follow-ups. Melanie also highlights the magic of tagging notes for other departments – think marketing for case studies or product teams for feature feedback. It’s all about making sure everyone’s in the loop. And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we fucked up so you don’t have to. Let’s get into it! Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media | |||
| 03 Dec 2024 | We Fucked Up...and trusted our champion implicitly | Episode 10 | 00:32:24 | |
Have you ever put your success in the hands of your champion, your BFF, your CS soulmate? Only to have them use that trust against you? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, we welcome a very special guest to tell you how to trust but verify: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:20 - When champions become obstacles 00:05:00 - Red flags in champion relationships 00:08:40 - Trust issues with champions 00:11:15 - Strategies to bypass gatekeeping 00:14:30 - Building trust early on 00:18:10 - Personalizing customer interactions 00:21:30 - Overcoming personality mismatches 00:25:50 - Key takeaways from the episode 00:28:00 - Wrapping up the menage a trois And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media | |||
| 31 Dec 2024 | We Fucked Up...and underestimated the importance of SMB | Episode 12 | 00:38:26 | |
Do you give more attention to your customers with the household names than you do your small-time companies? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, another guest joins us as we share our struggles with giving preferential treatment: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:08 - Overlooking SMB accounts 00:04:34 - The allure of enterprise clients 00:06:00 - Reframing SMB value 00:09:14 - Lessons from enterprise pitfalls 00:13:16 - Melanie’s mid-market insights 00:18:41 - The power of customer praise channels 00:23:03 - Adjusting standards for SMBs 00:30:37 - Building scalable customer communities 00:33:47 - Wrapping up And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 13 Aug 2024 | We Fucked Up...and got taken off an account | Episode 6 | 00:24:59 | |
Have you ever tried to be the superhero and been removed from an account as a result? Or made a mortal enemy of your product manager by making promises to your customers? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, we help draw the line on when, and when NOT, to go it alone: 00:00:00 - Losing client trust 00:00:14 - Welcome! 00:01:03 - Stino’s superhero analogy 00:02:14 - Melanie’s first big mistake 00:03:30 - Proof of concept gone wrong 00:06:17 - Importance of early escalation 00:08:59 - Stino’s emerging market mishap 00:10:14 - Lessons in humility 00:11:25 - Navigating company policies 00:13:05 - Miscommunication during onboarding 00:16:48 - Promises and roadmaps 00:19:39 - Lasting impact of mistakes 00:21:17 - Transparency and communication 00:22:00 - Round-up! And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 05 Nov 2024 | We Fucked Up...and got way too many resumes | Episode 9 | 00:33:22 | |
Have you ever sent a job application through without reading the job description? Saying you're KEEN to LEARN MORE about a company? ...yeah? Well, then you're on Stino's shit list. In this episode, we TRY to tell you how to make each application go further: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:04 - Stino’s frustration with AI-generated resumes 00:02:33 - ChatGPT fails: authenticity is key 00:05:06 - The power of personalizing applications 00:07:09 - Highlighting relevant, accurate experiences 00:11:54 - Transferable skills vs. exaggerations 00:16:31 - Red flags: too much self-focus on applications 00:21:00 - How DMs can hurt your application 00:25:56 - Respect goes both ways And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media | |||
| 17 Dec 2024 | We Fucked Up...and avoided the difficult conversations | Episode 11 | 00:41:05 | |
Do you find difficult conversations...too difficult? Like, you just avoid them entirely until shit blows up in your face? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode, we welcome a very special guest to talk about her journey with hard convos: 00:00:00 - Intro 04:00 - Preparing for challenges in new places 04:46 - A funny identity mix-up 06:43 - Misjudging customer assumptions 07:32 - The cost of avoiding hard conversations 12:25 - Learning to manage compassionately 19:02 - Action-Impact-Do feedback framework 20:16 - Navigating feedback to superiors 23:11 - Balancing respect and accountability 24:38 - Setting boundaries with difficult peers 27:08 - Standing up for yourself 29:39 - Building confidence in tough moments 32:26 - Addressing disrespect head-on 37:01 - Data-driven conversations 38:28 - Feedback is a gift And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||
| 28 Jan 2025 | We Fucked Up...and sold out to AI | Episode 13 | 00:31:48 | |
Are you farming more and more of your daily job out to AI, only to realize you're spending more time than before just holding its hand? ...no? Well, then you haven't quite fucked up like we have. In this episode we talk about our journeys through the AI revolution: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:07 - The farmer’s mentality and AI reliance 00:03:51 - Blind trust in AI and its risks 00:04:52 - AI-generated emails: Overkill or useful? 00:06:17 - Lazy habits and losing the spark in CS 00:08:16 - Correcting AI: A time sink or necessary evil? 00:09:11 - Striking a balance: Creativity vs. automation 00:11:00 - The myth of the perfect CSM 00:14:49 - Personalizing customer interactions with AI 00:17:05 - Handwritten notes and meaningful gestures 00:19:37 - Rethinking customer engagement strategies 00:22:15 - Direct meeting invites: Bold or intrusive? 00:24:23 - Non-responders and alternative approaches 00:27:03 - Bye bye! And hey, we want to hear from you! What topics do you want us to tackle next? Reach out and let us know. Remember, we’re here to share how We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To. Reach out to Melanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-faye/ Reach out to Stino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-%F0%9F%90%B3-330435a9/ Sign up for the Lifetime Value newsletter: https://lifetimevalue.link/subscribe Mentioned in this episode: Advertise your brand with Lifetime Value Media Subscribe to The Segment! The tech news you need. ...and some you don't. | |||