{"id":2657,"date":"2022-11-18T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/138.197.200.24\/resources\/blog\/5-key-elements-of-product-success\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:21:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T10:21:58","slug":"5-key-elements-of-product-success","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.smartkarrot.com\/resources\/blog\/5-key-elements-of-product-success\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Key Elements of Product Success"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Not too long ago, the mantra of many companies that were looking to retain customers was \u201cfocus on benefits, not features.\u201d This focus then shifted to ensuring results that provide measurable value. Today, companies increasing use customer success as a guide for the overall positive impact of their business activities. Product success is a subset of customer success that takes a close look at product experience and results. <\/p>\n

The idea is simple. Does your product provide value to a customer, and is it the optimal ecosystem for delivering the services and results that your customers want? Product success is all about answering this question. While product success is similar to product experience and customer success, there are key differences. These can be found in five elements of product success that we\u2019ve highlighted. Keep these considerations in mind when designing, deploying, and optimizing your product, and you\u2019ll ensure continued customer success. <\/p>\n

Product use<\/h2>\n

Of our list of five elements of product success, the first \u2014 use of the product \u2014 may be the most crucial. It\u2019s essential to fully understand how a customer uses a product in relation to the product\u2019s optimal uses. A customer may not be using the product as intended, in which case the customer may not be experiencing the level of success that both you and the customer anticipated as part of a sales presentation. Companies should collect data on product use. This data can help optimize the product adoption rate by identifying users who are not using the product to its greatest extent. A low adoption rate negatively affects customer success.<\/p>\n

Product use is a complicated matter. Companies should look at frequency, breadth, and depth of use, as these factors best reflect is the product is gaining organization-wide traction, which increases the value provided by the product. In general, the more frequently customers use a product, the easier it is for them to realize value, and the more likely it becomes that they will continue use. Of course, not every product is intended for daily use. SaaS companies should determine what optimal use periods will be for a customer and track against that ideal metric. <\/p>\n

Product use should also be widely cast across the organization. Companies should identify how many active monthly users within a customer\u2019s organization are ideal and check the figure each month. If active user counts drop below a defined number, such as less than ten active users, then the company knows that some user education or another type of follow-up may be in order. Similarly, SaaS companies should ensure deep use of the product, as there may be product features that provide value, but for one reason or another are not reached in normal use. If the depth of use is too shallow, then you might need to bring these features to the customer\u2019s attention or consider ways to make the features more readily accessible.<\/p>\n

Efficiency<\/h2>\n

Product use can also be
\ndetermined by how easy a customer can get to their goals. An efficient product
\nexperience can help avoid underutilization, such as is the case with
\ninfrequent, narrow, and shallow use. Efficiency also helps avoid user
\nfrustration, which often leads to product failure. A product should deliver the
\nresults that a customer anticipates, and customers should not have to go
\nthrough too many hoops to experience value. An efficient product has a great
\nproduct experience because time is not wasted. From a product design
\nstandpoint, efficiency is a great way to ensure \u201cquick wins\u201d and take advantage
\nof \u201clow hanging fruit\u201d \u2014 two customer success buzzwords that quickly translate
\nto positive experiences. <\/p>\n

SaaS companies can measure efficiency by connecting some simple metrics to common workflows. For example, the completion rate of onboarding or new feature activation can shed light on a product\u2019s efficiency. Your product may provide excellent results, but if the interface is so frustrating that users drop off, then redesign or improved user education may be in order.<\/p>\n

User Experience<\/h2>\n

Product success also
\nlooks beyond efficiencies and use frequency, breadth, and depth. The overall
\nproduct experience must be pleasant, easy to use, and aligned with customer
\ndesires. In other words, the product should feature:<\/p>\n