
02/08/2024
“I Just Lost My Customer Expansion Opportunity to Another Supplier!”
Written by Deborah Knight
“I just lost my customer expansion opportunity to another supplier. My client didn’t even invite me to pitch—I’m furious!”
Sound familiar?
This was something I heard earlier this week, but I’m willing to bet most of us in Customer Success have felt the same at some point. It’s infuriating, isn’t it? That mix of disappointment and frustration when you realise you’ve been sidelined.
When it happens, it’s tempting to point the finger at your customer:
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“My client wasn’t responsible—it sat with a different stakeholder.”
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“I’ve got a great relationship with my client, but they didn’t know anything about it.”
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“My client never told me this was an area they were looking at.”
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“They said they’d focus on this next quarter or next year.”
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“My client introduced me to the key stakeholder, but they never set up a meeting.”
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“My contact didn’t think we had the right credentials for this use case.”
Sound familiar? I’ve said some of these myself in the past. But here’s the thing: it’s rarely just one problem, and it’s certainly not the fault of one Customer Success Manager.
Why did you miss out?
When you strip back the excuses, the reality is often much bigger. The issue likely isn’t a one-off mistake but a gap in how you’re approaching expansion opportunities as a whole.
An expansion strategy isn’t about spotting a customer opportunity and scrambling to arrange meetings to let them know you’ve got something new to sell—this quarter. It’s not a quick sales push or a reactive process.
Expansion starts much earlier than that. It should be an integral part of your overall customer management strategy, not an afterthought.
Here’s a hard truth: many businesses assume they have an automatic right to upsell to their existing customers. They don’t. Incremental revenue still has to be earned.
Earning the right to expand
Just like acquiring new business, earning the right to expand with your existing customers involves:
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Raising awareness: Do they even know what else you can do for them?
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Generating interest: Are you creating curiosity about how you can help?
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Building trust: Have you proven your ability to deliver in this area?
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Reaching the right people: Are you in front of the key influencers and decision-makers?
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Nurturing until the timing is right: Are you staying top of mind until the stars align?
And here’s the kicker: all of this takes time. It’s not something you can rush to meet your quarterly targets. Expansion is a long game, and if you’re only starting the conversation when you’re ready to sell, you’re already too late.
When expectations falls short
If you’ve recently missed out on an expansion opportunity—or worse, you’re consistently underperforming against growth plans—now’s the time to take a step back.
Ask yourself:
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Are you looking at the entire customer journey? Expansion opportunities often stem from consistent value delivery, not sporadic sales conversations.
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Are you leveraging every touchpoint? Every interaction is a chance to reinforce your value and build trust.
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Do you have the right relationship networks? Relying on a single point of contact isn’t enough. Are you connected to the key influencers, gatekeepers, and decision-makers?
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Are you applying the wrong framework? Don’t treat existing customers like new prospects. The dynamics are different, and the conversation should start much earlier.
The conversation starts now
Missing out on an opportunity is frustrating, but it’s also a chance to learn. Take the time to reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve.
Are you nurturing expansion opportunities proactively? Or are you waiting until you have something to sell?
Customer Success isn’t just about delivering value—it’s about helping your customers see how much more value you can bring. And that starts long before you’re ready to pitch.
So, how are you approaching expansion opportunities in your organisation? And more importantly, what lessons have you learned from past disappointments?
Enhance the experience,
see the growth
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