For Procede Software’s Josh Smith, a Passion for Problem Solving and a Servant’s Heart Drive Customer Success
Procede Software Senior Manager of Customer Success, Josh Smith, has worked in the software industry for more than 15 years, and while he’s fairly new to Procede Software—he joined the company in November of 2020—his roots in the heavy-duty trucking industry run deep. His grandfather was a truck driver all his life, and his uncle owns a large trucking company south of Atlanta. Growing up, Smith was drawn to the sense of family and commitment to building long-term relationships that were such a big part of the dealership world, and that was among the factors that drew him to the industry and to Procede Software. “Procede has an amazing team—they’re like a family, and that extends to our customer base, as well. I had worked with them in my previous role, and it was a great experience, so I was excited to become a part of the Procede family and to continue my own family’s tradition of serving the trucking industry,” said Smith.
Understanding the Pulse of the Customer
Over the course of Procede Software’s 20 years—they are currently celebrating their 20th anniversary—the company’s software, Excede DMS, and its many features and functionality have all grown and matured. The Procede leadership team recognized the opportunity for their Customer Success team to grow as well, and they hired Smith to lead it.
The principle of customer success has its roots in customer service departments and call centers, but, as Smith explains, things have changed over the past 5 to 10 years, and it now encompasses much more. Nowhere is that more true than at Procede Software, where the Customer Success team is responsible for building and nurturing customer relationships, serving as a partner and consultant for their businesses, and advocating for them in resolving issues. “It’s the Customer Success team’s responsibility to understand the pulse of the customer—to know their business, support their growth, work through challenges, and celebrate their success. We work both for Procede and our customers!” Smith explains.
Building and Nurturing Customer Relationships
Building relationships with new customers and nurturing relationships with existing ones are always top of mind for Smith and the rest of the Customer Success team. Smith stresses how deeply Procede Software values its customers and strives for good relationships with them: “Relationships are a foundational part of the heavy-duty trucking industry, the software industry, our own business here at Procede, and our customers’ businesses. A good relationship takes focused effort, and it’s important to have a dedicated resource devoted to the success of it.”
“In the software industry,” Smith explains, “once a sale is made, the focus on the relationship building often becomes secondary. At Procede, though, that commitment never ends. We want our new customers to have the same experience post-sale that they had before the sale. And for our long-term customers, we want them to understand how important they are to the success of our business. The relationship is ongoing, so we have to be proactive about maintaining it.”
Procede—and Smith—believe that accountability, transparency, and communication are key to those relationships. “Accountability is one of Procede’s core values, and it’s also critical in Customer Success. Our words and actions have to be consistent—when we say something, we mean it. Transparency is also important, and you can’t have transparency without communication. The Customer Success team is here to keep the lines of communication open,” said Smith.
Serving as a Partner, Consultant, and Advocate
The Customer Success team’s charter also includes partnering with Procede Software’s clients and serving as a consultant who helps them optimize their use of Excede DMS to achieve their business goals. As a complete business system, Excede DMS has many moving parts, so Customer Success often functions as an umbrella for related services—a way to streamline customer access to the resources they need, whether that’s professional services, education and training, or support. The engagements are completely individualized—they are defined by the customer and no two are ever the same. As Smith explains, “Every dealership is different—there is no one-size-fits-all. We’re here to help customers figure out how to use Excede DMS in the way that works best for them, and we’re happy to meet them where they are. That might mean creating success plans, pulling in resources, or helping them overcome whatever hurdles they face.”
Helping to resolve issues is another important way that Smith and team advocate for Procede’s customers. In fact, the Customer Success team monitors the support queue to ensure that all tickets, especially those that may require special attention, are routed to the right people and processed efficiently. Once a customer submits a work order request, they can even reach out to Smith and team via phone or email, to let them know about it. “Whenever a customer needs help of any kind, or has an issue that needs an immediate attention, they can pick up phone and call. We’re happy to be able to pull together the right resources to help them run their businesses more efficiently,” says Smith.
Ensuring All Procede’s Customers are Met with Success
In 2020, the Customer Success team worked with approximately half of Procede’s customer base, helping them optimize their tools. For 2021, Smith set a much more ambitious goal—he wanted to ensure every Procede customer had the opportunity to grow through the support of his team. To meet that goal, he put two new processes in place. First, Smith initiated Annual Business Reviews (ABRs), which entail meeting with each customer annually to discuss their relationship with Procede, identify what’s working well, talk through challenges, and put a plan in place for the following year. Second, Smith and team make it a priority to check in with every single Procede customer each month, either by phone or email. “At first, some customers were surprised to hear from us, but now that they understand we’re here to help, they’re excited to take our calls—and we’re excited to find ways to support them.”
Accountability, Transparency, Communication—and a Servant’s Heart
In talking with Smith, it’s clear he has a passion for his role: “At Procede, we want our customers to know that Customer Success is more than a department; it’s a deeply ingrained part of our philosophy and an extension of the company designed to help our customers grow.” Smith looks for a similar passion as he grows his team: “When I look for someone to join my team, the defining trait I look for is a servant’s heart. They have to have a drive to help customers because serving others is what we’re all about!”
As we wrapped up our conversation, Smith summed up what he wants customers to know about Procede Software and the Customer Success team by saying, “Procede Software is here to partner with our customers and to help them grow, both geographically and financially, and the Customer Success program is one of the important systems we’ve put in place to help our customers do that. For my part, I’m truly looking forward to serving every one of our customers—that’s where my passion lies.”
If you’re a Procede Software customer and want to connect with the Customer Success team, there’s no need to wait for them to contact you. Email Josh and team at CustomerSuccess@ProcedeSoftware.com. You can expect a quick response—the team is eager to serve!