Imagine two clients seated across from you; one’s a nimble start-up aiming to expand, the other a century-old institution navigating slow digital transformation. Though both want “success,” their definitions couldn’t be more different. One yearns for rapid onboarding and adoption; the other seeks steady alignment across silos. In both cases, success isn’t a one-size-fits-all endpoint; it’s a journey, shaped by unique goals, customer outcomes, constraints, and cultural contexts.
1. Outcome ≠ Standardised ROI
Some customers measure success in efficiency gains or cost savings. Others define it through the lens of inclusion, accessibility, or equity. Customer Success (CS) isn’t just about hitting numbers, it’s about deeply understanding what “wins” look like for each unique customer.
Nich Mehta of Gainsight captures this nuance well:
“CS = CO + CX. Customer success equals customer outcomes plus customer experiences.”
Success is dual; outcomes + experience, and the balance shifts per client.
2. Diversity Drives Better Outcomes
A homogenous team often misses the mark on what diverse customers truly need. In contrast, teams built on diverse perspectives, across culture, experience, identity, can craft solutions that better resonate.
• Atlassian’s example during the 2014 World Cup illustrates this beautifully: they assembled a cross-functional team with global marketing and engineering, enabling the creation of “Hashflags”; solutions that elevated user expression and engagement across cultures.
• Research consistently shows DEI-led organisations produce more inclusive designs, exhibit stronger innovation, and grow deeper customer trust.
3. Belonging Matters, Not Just Diversity
Inviting diverse voices is crucial, but making them feel welcome is even more important. Organisations that stop at “diversity” often fall short; true progress and stronger customer outcomes lie in inclusion and belonging.
A study from LinkedIn found that inclusive cultures, where introverts and extroverts alike are respected, lead to happier, more powerful employee engagement, which directly reflects in customer experience.
4. DEI in Customer Success Teams Strengthens the Lens
When Customer Success teams reflect diverse identities, they gain authenticity and visibility, both internally and for the customer base.
• Ejieme Eromosele of Success in Black argues that Customer Success as a field is poised to open tech’s doors wider. As teams become more diverse, they help reshape the narrative and provide critical representation.
• Still, DEI isn’t effective unless it’s structured like any other business initiative, measurable, iterative, and anchored in clear objectives.
5. Practical Ways to Honour Different Definitions of Success
To ensure “success” reflects each client’s reality:
Listen First: Conduct internal audits, where are the gaps between your team’s demographics and your customer base?
Treat DEI as a KPI: Build accessible features, inclusive marketing, or financial offerings for underserved groups, then track uptake and satisfaction.
Cultivate Inclusive Environments: Train leaders to facilitate contributions from all styles of thinkers, schedules that allow introverts to share, open forums for ideas, cultural education initiatives.
Begin Small and Scale Thoughtfully: Introduce bite-sized DEI steps, such as diverse lunch potlucks or inclusive book club picks, as momentum builders.
Final Thought: Redefining Success in a Complex World
Success today is as varied as your customers are. It’s a mosaic of productivity metrics, emotional connections, cultural resonance, equitable experience, and ultimately, customer outcomes. In a world where one size fits none, the companies that thrive are those that listen, include, adapt, and champion diverse definitions of achievement.
