Monday Guest Joe Di Grande-Y3-W35

Mohammed Alqaq August 26, 2024September 2, 2024

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Get to know Joe Di Grande

By: Mohammed Alqaq | August 26, 2024 | Year 3 – Week 35/2024

Hi, I’m Joe Di Grande, a seasoned professional with nearly a decade of experience in Customer Success, operations, and vendor management. I’ve had the privilege of working with leading companies such as Business Insider, Ceros, and EMARKETER, where I’ve successfully launched and scaled digital CS and Tech Touch strategies.

I’ve now launched my advisory firm, Joe Does Tech Touch. My expertise lies in optimizing customer success operations and implementing scalable retention strategies that drive revenue growth.

I’m passionate about leveraging technology and automation to help businesses unlock their full potential through effective customer success strategies. On a more personal note, I’m based in South Florida and love fishing boating, and cars!

We asked Joe to take us through a journey telling us about his career path, how he spends his workday, what advice he can share with someone starting as a customer success manager, and many other questions.

Enjoy reading this interview

Tell us about your career path?

My career path has been a journey through various roles in operations and sales, with a strong focus on customer success. However, growing up I was always looking for an opportunity to build something or projects to work on. I had many jobs before getting into Customer Success and Sales whether it was working with animals in a veterinarian’s office to launching a digital social marketing strategy at a wedding DJ company.

When working at a research company EMARKETER, I started as an onboarding rep for new customers. I was viewed as the one rep who would be up for experiments. After working up the ranks to become a CSM and account manager, I was presented with the task of automating the management of our small business segment, ultimately creating their Tech Touch strategy and segment. This was a fitting transition as I was leveraging sales engagement technology to manage my current book of business at the time. Now it was a matter of creating a consistent process at a larger scale. Over time, it became one of the company’s most successful initiatives growing revenue retention by 25% and encompassing 50% of our business. In addition to revenue growth, it helped us scale by including 700+ companies in the segment that were managed by a team of 2 CSMs which typically would have required 7-10 CSMs.

Following this, I transitioned into operations, taking on responsibilities for evaluating, implementing, and optimizing solutions like HubSpot CRM, Salesloft, and ChurnZero. My journey has taken me through various industries, including publishing, tech, and research, where I’ve had the opportunity to work with top-tier companies launching digital CS and Tech Touch initiatives, all while also evaluating and implementing the very technologies to get the job done.

Now, I’ve launched my advisory firm, Joe Does Tech Touch, where I help companies and coach CS leaders on how to launch or optimize their digital CS and Tech Touch strategies. When companies no longer have a budget to bring on more people, (which can be inefficient) they’re forced to do more with less. But often companies are unsure where to start to help their team scale. That’s where I come in. Given my experience, I help companies through this journey to help put them on the right path forward.

How did you join Customer Success?

I joined customer success (also known as account management at the time) roughly 10 years ago. To be honest, it was completely by accident. I originally received a bachelor’s degree with a dual concentration in marketing and management but once I graduated, I was interested in finding work at all costs.

I originally applied for a business development position at EMARKETER but after a few interviews, they felt I would be a better fit for an onboarding rep position. When I was offered the position, I accepted right away and hit the ground running. From there, the rest was history as I would up the ranks within the organization to eventually lead a very successful and efficient team.

How would you describe the ideal CSM candidate?

An ideal Customer Success Manager (CSM) is someone proactive, empathetic, and data-driven. They should have excellent communication skills to effectively engage with customers and internal teams.

A strong CSM is also adept at problem-solving, able to anticipate customer needs and provide solutions before issues escalate. Additionally, they should be comfortable with technology and data analytics, using these tools to track customer health and identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

Lastly, having experience with tech touch and digital customer success strategies is not only a significant advantage but the strategy will soon be the norm going forward as companies continue to scale and leverage technology like AI to do so.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out as a Customer Success Manager?

While there is the obvious advice of always prioritizing understanding your customers’ needs and goals, you should always be reading, listening to podcasts, networking, and anything else you can do to expand your knowledge in the space. Most of what I learned was self-taught through reading and collaborating with peers.

Additionally, Customer Success is still very much a Sales function. It’s about selling the value of the product or offering. It’s the CSM’s responsibility to advocate for the customer and align customer needs and goals. That means upselling to get more people on board, cross-selling to different departments, and ensuring that the customer is fully utilizing the product to see its worth. A CSM will be ‘selling’ customers on the value continuously, ensuring they see ROI. Sometimes users will push back on how your product may not be helpful to them. But it’s the CSM’s responsibility to understand the customer’s business and sell them on how it can be impactful to their day-to-day and their goals. The skills are nearly the same: persuasion, understanding customer pain points, providing solutions, and building strong relationships.

Don’t hesitate to leverage data and technology to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences. After all, digital CS and Tech Touch strategies are going to be the norm and the only way for these strategies to work is to have the data, tech, and infrastructure in place. Stay curious and continuously seek to learn more about your industry, your customers, and the tools at your disposal. And most importantly, be proactive—anticipate issues before they arise and always strive to add value to your customers.

Lastly, you have to be willing to take risks and experiment to see what works. Having an inherent entrepreneurial mindset will be key. There isn’t a “one size fits all” strategy so you’ll have to be always thinking and iterating on how to set up your customer for success.

Leverage data and technology to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences.

Can you take us on a journey describing what your workday looks like?

My day can often include one-on-one calls with customers to discuss their goals and how we can support them. I also spend time analyzing their data infrastructure and tech stack to identify if they’re ready to launch tech touch strategies and even identify opportunities for improvement (and sometimes save them money).

My evenings are usually spent catching up on industry news and continuing my professional development. A significant portion of my day is dedicated to leveraging automation and technology to streamline processes and enhance customer satisfaction even for my own business. I have to practice what I preach!

What makes you feel inspired or motivated?

In my later childhood years, I went through a life-altering event that resulted in my family having to start life over and rebuild. While traumatic at the time, this was a formative moment, as it helped give me the work ethic and grit I have today. A quote that I consistently live by today and certainly ran true in that moment, is “Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you” by Mark Cuban.

Aside from this, much of my motivation comes from building. When I see the tangible impact of my work on both the company’s success and our customer’s satisfaction is incredibly motivating. I’m inspired by the challenge of solving complex problems and finding innovative ways to enhance customer experiences. Additionally, witnessing my team grow and succeed brings me great joy and motivation. The ability to leverage technology and automation to achieve these results is also particularly inspiring.

What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?

People are often surprised that I have no interest in sports. Since childhood, I could never focus on a sporting event. You won’t catch me at a local pub cheering for the home team. Nor do I get much joy in playing a sport. While I’m still athletic and enjoy weightlifting, I have a deep interest in cars, fishing, and boating. These hobbies allow me to unwind and find balance outside of my professional life.

Who do you look up to the most?

I greatly admire Ferruccio Lamborghini, the founder of Lamborghini. His story is one of determination, innovation, and resilience. Initially, Lamborghini was a successful tractor manufacturer who owned several Ferrari cars. When he experienced mechanical issues with his Ferraris, he approached Enzo Ferrari with suggestions for improvement. Ferrari dismissed his feedback with the famous remark, “Let me make cars. You stick to making tractors.” which sparked Lamborghini’s resolve to create a superior car himself.

Despite having no prior experience in manufacturing sports cars, Ferruccio Lamborghini’s vision and drive led to the creation of one of the most iconic supercar brands in the world. His ability to turn a negative customer experience into a groundbreaking opportunity demonstrates the power of perseverance and innovation. Lamborghini’s story inspires me to challenge the status quo, take bold risks, and continuously strive for excellence in my own endeavors.

What are your top 3 priorities now?

These are my top 3 priorities:

Expanding my business to help more companies scale their post-sales strategies
Continuing to refine and scale digital customer success strategies to drive greater efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Investing in my professional development to stay at the forefront of industry trends and best practices.

What advice would you give to Customer Success Managers to grow and develop their careers?

Stay curious and committed to continuous learning. Network with other professionals in the field to share knowledge and experiences. Embrace technology and data analytics to enhance your decision-making and demonstrate the impact of your efforts. Always keep the customer at the center of everything you do, and strive to deliver value consistently. Understanding and implementing tech touch and digital customer success strategies can also provide a significant career boost. Lastly, seize the opportunity when it comes up. That one project or experiment you successfully led may be the pivotal moment of your career!

What’s your favorite book, and why?

I’ve read several books to help my personal and professional life but one in particular that stands out is “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” is a timeless classic that taught me the importance of interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Carnegie’s principles of effective communication, empathy, and building strong relationships have been invaluable in my career. Whether it’s negotiating deals, managing teams, or simply connecting with clients, the insights from this book have helped me navigate complex social dynamics with grace and effectiveness.

» Check out the 10 Books a CSM should read to advance and improve their skills.

Have you had your “I’ve made it” moment yet?

While I’ve had many proud moments throughout my career, I believe there’s always more to achieve. I’m continually setting new goals and striving for greater impact, both professionally and personally.

However, one moment was having the ability to work remotely and to move to Florida. Since Florida is known as the “Fishing Capital of the World”, I always dreamed of moving here since I was a kid, given my passion for fishing and the outdoors. I’m also not a big fan of the cold and snow!

Where can people go to find out more about you?

You can connect with me on LinkedIn or visit my website to learn more about my work and how I can help you succeed. I’m also always open to a virtual coffee conversation!