A Segment executive explains how early adopters become product evangelists, moving the tool to new companies they join. Jason Lemkin questions the ethics of asking loyal customers to upgrade when their original plan still works, using a long-term Algolia customer as an example of sustained trust.
What do you do for your champions?
Well, actually, we have this one champion at Segment who has been with us since the very beginning, always giving us feedback. Every company this person goes to, they take Segment with them. And it's something that we've learned about our champions is that they do— once they become positive and they become getting meaningful use and value out of the product, that they will not only advocate to people they know, but they will actually take the product with them to other companies. One champion every single Segmenter knows, and he's almost like an icon in our company. Whenever we talk about the champion, we talk about this particular person. And I think those are great, and I think that too, having those people come and be part of your company activities, for instance, we have customer champions and customers come to our company all-hands and talk about how they're using Segment, and I think that helps It helps the company see that these people mean a lot to us and that this is what we're all working for. We're working to make sure these people have helpful experiences, and it makes it more vivid.
[Speaker:JASON M. LEMKIN] We're going to reuse some of your hacks about champions later on when I go back. Yeah, inventing your customers at events, internal events, is a good thing. We actually had a couple of them coming to an offsite we did last week. Sharing their experience. That was really valuable. Maybe another thing, it may be a little more controversial, is how do you respect your early customers? Of course, if they get to use the product more, getting new features, it's normal they would upgrade to new plans. But if they don't, if the product they signed up for is still the right product for them, why would you ask them to pay more? Whereas they actually trusted you, took a risk on you when you were much smaller. So maybe that's a kind of philosophy here. Actually, earlier today I was in the speaker lounge speaking with another speaker, and he just shared, "Hey, we've been customers of Algolia for more than 4 years." I'm like, "Wow, I had no idea." And having that feedback and knowing that they still love us was so good to hear.
Yeah, the original customers, right? The people— I love that idea, though. These are the ones who took the risk on you before you got to be where you are now. Where we're growing to be today. And I think that that's kind of a form of loyalty. It's really, it's nice.
