Suresh Babu recently joined Komprise as the Global Head of Customer Support. He brings 20+ years of progressive experience in leading and scaling customer support operations, including at Citrix, CA Technologies and Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC). “I’ve had the privilege of learning and growing while building and leading global teams focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences,” he says. “I am passionate about leveraging the power of AI and automation to enhance support efficiency and drive operational excellence.”
What intrigued you about joining Komprise?
First, I was intrigued by the product and its innovative approach to unstructured data management. The market need for intelligent data management is significant and growing, and Komprise is clearly a leader in providing solutions that help organizations gain valuable insights and control over their data. Second, the leadership team is very passionate about what they do. Their commitment to customer success aligns perfectly with my own values. Building and leading a global support organization offers exciting challenges, especially considering my foundation in tech support.
What are your near-term and long-term goals in this role?
Currently, my focus will be on understanding the existing support infrastructure, our team and processes to identify immediate opportunities for improvement. I plan to connect with our customers to understand their support needs and expectations. I am currently building strong relationships with our Product Management, Engineering and Sales groups to streamline our efforts for customer success.
My long-term plan is to build a world-class global support organization that makes Komprise stand out. My focus is to understand our customers’ needs using data-driven insights, delivering robust self-help resources and helping our highly skilled, global support team be as productive as possible. Ultimately, we will leverage customer feedback to drive product and business improvements and implement seamless, personalized support experiences.
How do you define the ideal relationship between customer support and customer success?
The distinction was much sharper a few years ago, but the lines have become increasingly blurred over time. As two sides of the same coin working in tandem across the entire customer lifecycle, our combined skills and perspectives ensure customers receive the support they need while achieving their desired business outcomes with Komprise. The goal is to foster long-term partnership and growth.
How do you look at churn today?
Customer churn is a critical indicator of customer health and a significant growth opportunity. Keeping customers happy and loyal requires a data-driven approach, proactive engagement and a thorough knowledge of the customer journey. My goal is to create positive customer experiences which address root causes and build a more resilient, customer-centric organization. We’re continually focused on driving successful adoption of the product with our customers so that they achieve the expected value and return.
You have worked in technical support roles for the balance of your career. What are a few lessons or tactics that you’ve learned along the way?
First and foremost, empathy is paramount. It’s critical to attain a thorough understanding of the customer perspective and the business impact of their issues. Secondly, being transparent and keeping customers informed at every stage of the support process manages their expectations and builds trust. Furthermore, support cannot function in silos; a strong collaboration with engineering, product management and sales is essential to ensure faster issue resolution and a more seamless customer experience. Finally, given the ever-evolving technology landscape, it is vital that we create an organization that prioritizes continuous learning and improvement, knowledge sharing and process optimization.
How has enterprise tech support evolved in recent years and how do you see that continuing to evolve – such as from the impact of AI or other business trends?
Enterprise tech support has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. We’ve moved from primarily fixing things after they break to a more proactive and customer-focused approach. Nowadays, customers expect self-service tools like online help centers and communities. There’s a greater emphasis on understanding the entire customer journey to provide a seamless support experience.
Looking ahead, AI will play a larger role by handling routine questions and proactively identifying potential problems. Analyzing support data will be crucial to better understand customer needs and improve how we help them.
Is this automation hard for customers to accept?
AI and automation are not inherently hard for customers to accept. As leaders in customer support, our responsibility is to implement AI and automation thoughtfully and strategically. Automation should enhance the human element, rather than replace it. The future of customer support is not about choosing between AI and human interaction, but about creating a powerful combination that best serves our customers’ needs.
How do you motivate your team?
Keeping our global support team motivated comes down to genuine connection and care. We focus on making sure their work feels important by highlighting positive feedback and customer testimonials. Hearing how their efforts resolved a critical issue or delighted a customer is incredibly powerful. We are committed to providing opportunities for our team members to learn, grow, and advance, celebrating their wins, and building a positive and inclusive work environment. Their passion, empathy, and commitment make a big difference in how customers feel about us.
There’s a unique satisfaction in witnessing a customer overcome a challenge, streamline their operations, and ultimately succeed with our team’s support.
What’s motivating to you about leading customer support in SaaS?
In the world of software as a service (SaaS) customer support, we’re more than just fixers; we’re active partners in our customers’ journeys, directly enabling them to achieve their business goals through our product. There’s a unique satisfaction in witnessing a customer overcome a challenge, streamline their operations, and ultimately succeed with our team’s support. It’s moments like these that reinforce the value of our work and keeps me motivated as a leader.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy reading books and sometimes I cook on weekends. I love traveling and experiencing new culture and cuisines. In fact, one of my long-term personal goals is to visit all Seven Wonders of the World. So far, I have been to the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, the Empire State Building, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum in Rome. With so much of the world still to explore, I’m always looking forward to my next adventure.
