Episode 5: Why Unhappy Customers Stay

Account Management Secrets

“Happy customers stay, and unhappy customers leave”—or at least that’s what we’ve always believed. But Greg Daines, a customer retention expert, sits down with Alex Raymond to challenge that assumption. Are metrics like net promoter score really reliable indicators of loyalty? According to Greg’s extensive research, retention has more to do with delivering measurable results than simply keeping customers happy. It turns out, customers who see clear, tangible outcomes are far more likely to stay—regardless of whether they’re fully satisfied.

Greg encourages account managers to rethink their approach and shift from focusing on customer happiness to ensuring that clients achieve real, measurable success. What happens when businesses prioritize progress over satisfaction? This results-driven mindset fosters stronger, longer-lasting relationships, as clients who see results are much more likely to stick around. By focusing on outcomes rather than satisfaction scores, companies can boost retention and create a foundation for sustainable growth.

Quotes

• “It turns out there’s just one factor that by far is the best predictor of long-term retention. Nothing even comes close, and that is customers who get results. In the data, customers who get measurable results stay six times longer on average than those who don’t. And the irony is that the measurable part is critical. If they’re not measuring, they might actually be getting results, but they just aren’t tracking it. It turns out that measuring their results makes all the difference. (06:47 | Greg Daines)
• “I’m not saying we shouldn’t make our customers happy—of course, we should. And shame on us if we don’t. The point is, it has nothing to do with whether they stay or how much they pay. It’s irrelevant.” (08:56 | Greg Daines)
• “The other way to think about this is, look, we provide the same product or service to all our accounts, and we treat them as similarly as possible. So, how do we explain the fact that their results vary so much—from incredible to terrible and everything in between? The answer is that there’s a variable we don’t control, which is them, their behavior.” (11:16 | Greg Daines)
• “Renewal is about convincing them they should continue. So you have to approach the renewal not just with evidence of past results, but with a vision of where things can go next. By tracking results, you’ll see opportunities for improvement or growth—whether that’s through change or buying more from you. Either way, it’s about showing forward progress that’s worth their continued investment.” (37:06 | Greg Daines)

Links

Connect with Greg Daines:

Website: https://www.gregdaines.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

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