How Customer Success Leads Can Manage Clients Using Kanban in Google Workspace

Meet Ethan: A Customer Success Lead at Cyberdyne Solutions

Meet Ethan, a Customer Success Lead at Cyberdyne Solutions. He's responsible for ensuring clients get the most out of their Cyberdyne software suite. Like many CS Leads, Ethan relies heavily on Google Workspace. He uses Gmail for communication, Calendar for scheduling, and Drive for storing client documentation. He initially tried managing client onboarding and progress using Google Sheets. While functional at first, this approach quickly became unwieldy:

Email Deluge: Important client updates and requests were lost in overflowing email threads.
Spreadsheet Chaos: Managing multiple spreadsheets for different clients made it difficult to get a clear overview of everyone's progress and health.
Fragmented Information: Client data, feedback, and action items were scattered across different documents and platforms.

The Result? Inconsistent client onboarding, missed opportunities for upselling, and ultimately, higher churn rates.

Ethan discovered Kanban Tasks, a Chrome extension that integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace and offers a visual, Kanban-style approach to managing his client portfolio.

Why a Kanban Approach for Customer Success?

Kanban's visual workflow provides significant benefits for Customer Success Leads:

Crystal-Clear Client Overview: Instead of sifting through spreadsheets, Ethan sees all his clients' statuses and progress at a glance, organized by stages on his Kanban board.
Streamlined Onboarding: He can visualize each step of the onboarding process, ensuring no client gets lost in the shuffle.
Proactive Engagement: The Kanban board reminds Ethan to proactively reach out to clients, fostering stronger relationships and identifying potential roadblocks early on.

Step 1: Organize Client Information in Drive (Ditch the Spreadsheets!)

Ethan revamped his workflow by moving away from spreadsheets for client management:

Drive for Documents, Kanban Tasks for Client Management: He uses Drive for storing client agreements, training materials, and other documents, while Kanban Tasks becomes the central hub for managing client progress and communication.
Structured Folders: He creates a clear folder structure in Drive for each client, ensuring easy access to relevant information.

Pro Tip: Use a consistent naming convention for client folders (e.g., "ClientName-Onboarding" or "ClientName-Q1 Review") for easy navigation.

Step 2: Turn Emails into Actionable Tasks

Ethan used to copy important information from client emails into spreadsheets, a time-consuming process prone to errors.

How Kanban Tasks Helps

Email Integration: He drags emails directly from Gmail onto his Kanban board, converting them into actionable tasks with the original email attached.
Assign and Prioritize: He immediately assigns tasks to the appropriate team members and tags them by priority, ensuring timely follow-up.

Result: No more outdated spreadsheets. All client communication and action items are visually tracked and managed.

Step 3: Set Up Your Client Success Kanban Board

Ethan installed Kanban Tasks and set up his first board:

Customized Columns: He created columns reflecting his client lifecycle: "New Client," "Onboarding," "Active," "Renewal," "Churned."
Populate with Clients: He imported his client list, creating a card for each client.
Internal Collaboration: He invited his team members to the board, enabling real-time collaboration and visibility into client progress.

This Kanban board becomes his central command center for managing his entire client portfolio.

Step 4: Integrate with Docs, Chat, and Calendar

Ethan continues using Google Workspace tools, but now they're integrated with his Kanban workflow:

Google Docs: He links meeting agendas, client reports, and training materials directly to client cards.
Google Chat: He uses Chat for quick internal communication, referencing specific client tasks in conversations.
Google Calendar: He schedules client check-in calls and links them to relevant tasks.

No More Siloed Information: All client-related communication, documents, and appointments are easily accessible from within Kanban Tasks.

Step 5: Proactive Client Engagement with "Get Work Done"

The "Get Work Done" board in Kanban Tasks helps Ethan stay on top of his client portfolio:

Automated Task Grouping: Tasks are automatically grouped by due date, making it easy to prioritize daily and weekly activities.
Proactive Outreach: Ethan uses the board to remind himself to proactively reach out to clients, ensuring they're getting the most value from Cyberdyne's software.

Pro Tip: Schedule recurring tasks on your Kanban board for regular client check-ins and relationship-building activities.

Step 6: Leverage Advanced Features for Enhanced Management

Attachments: He adds client agreements, support tickets, and other relevant files directly to client cards.
Tags: He tags clients by industry, software plan, or other relevant criteria for easy filtering and segmentation.
Checklists: He uses checklists to break down complex onboarding processes into smaller, manageable steps.

Step 7: Analyze and Improve with Kanban Analytics

Ethan uses Kanban Tasks' built-in analytics to track client progress and identify areas for improvement:

Visualize Bottlenecks: He can quickly see where clients are getting stuck in the onboarding or support process.
Optimize Workflow: He adjusts his Kanban board columns and processes based on data insights.

Wrapping Up

Customer Success Leads like Ethan thrive when they have a clear overview of their client portfolio and can proactively manage each stage of the client lifecycle. Google Workspace provides the essential communication and collaboration tools, but Kanban Tasks brings it all together in a visual, organized system.

Ready to streamline your Customer Success workflow?

Install Kanban Tasks from the Chrome Web Store.
Set up your Client Success Kanban board.
Say goodbye to spreadsheet chaos and hello to proactive client management.

FAQ

1. What support does Tooling Studio provide?

We offer comprehensive support via email, live chat, and our online help center.

2. What is Tooling Studio?

Tooling Studio creates powerful, user-friendly Chrome extensions that enhance Google Workspace productivity. Kanban Tasks is our flagship product.

3. Why use Kanban Tasks if I already have Google Workspace?

Google Workspace lacks a dedicated project/client management solution. Kanban Tasks fills that gap, providing a visual, integrated system.

4. How do I install Kanban Tasks?

Add it from the Chrome Web Store. It seamlessly integrates with your existing Google account.

5. What future features are planned?

We're continually developing new features based on user feedback. Check our website for the latest updates.

6. How secure is my data?

We use robust encryption and follow strict security protocols to protect your data.

7. Can I collaborate with my team?

Yes, invite team members to your boards for real-time collaboration.

8. Will I receive notifications?

Yes, you can configure email notifications for task assignments, due dates, and comments.

9. Which browsers are supported?

Google Chrome is officially supported.

10. How does Kanban Tasks improve my workflow?

It centralizes client information, streamlines communication, and empowers proactive engagement, leading to increased client satisfaction and retention.