Growth Phases

In this initial phase you are determining what your product is all about and answering the question "will customers pay for it?" A clear definition of the business problem being solved has clearly emerged and there is some level of a working prototype in place. The main focus at this point is getting the technology right. Customer Success is just beginning to creep in as an idea as some client discussions start to take a "long game" perspective.

At this time, having a functioning (albeit early) product and possibly a few customers as early adopters is where you're at. The acquisition of the first significant tranche of customers is underway with some difficulty in scaling hiring to meet the growing requirements. The need for an effective Customer Success function starts to take center stage as a number of implementations are completed and early customers are requiring some significant support.

As growth explodes, and a significant installed base is put in place, a  robust Customer Success approach is the cornerstone of all customer interactions. Hiring difficulties are now a common occurrence. An ecosystem for your product is developed and being leveraged as a marketing,  support, and sales tool. The initial channel to market is being vigorously exploited and market development work around brand/product extension is underway.