Why Companies Struggle With Customer Insights – With Sandra Cruz

Everyone talks about “being customer centric.” But few know how to turn that talk into actual action. In this conversation with Sandra Cruz, a seasoned CS and enablement leader, we unpack what meaningful change looks like when you center it on real customer conversations, not assumptions.

This isn’t just about listening better. It’s about leading better.

Watch the full conversation here

Change Doesn’t Start with Process. It Starts with People.

If you want to drive meaningful change, you can’t start with frameworks or tools, you have to start with people. Sandra shared how successful customer transformation efforts rely on five key pillars: a clear strategy, strong governance, internal enablement, contextual support, and consistent communication.

It’s not just about teaching users how to use a tool. It’s about aligning teams, empowering champions, and making sure everyone, from exec sponsors to end users, is on the same page.

“We often serve as the communication glue between departments. Change can’t succeed if people aren’t aligned.”

Storytelling: The Accelerator Most Teams Ignore

Telling people what to do rarely works. Showing them how they fit into the bigger picture? That changes everything.

Sandra explained how a simple “day in the life” example – used at LinkedIn to show how Sales Navigator integrated into reps’ workflows, helped entire teams instantly get it. That’s the power of story. It creates emotional clarity, not just intellectual understanding.

“When you tell a story, people empathize. It accelerates buy in.”

The Blind Spots That Kill Momentum

The reason most teams struggle to act on insights isn’t because the insights are unclear, it’s because the leaders are too far removed from the field. Without first hand context, everything feels urgent and nothing gets prioritized.

Sandra pointed to blind spots that creep in when data is fragmented, teams hoard problems to protect themselves, and leaders lack direct contact with real users.

“Knowing there’s a problem is an opportunity to fix it, not something to hide.”

Coaching Isn’t a Tool. It’s a Culture.

The best coaching isn’t forced, it’s wanted. Sandra emphasized that coaching only works when people are ready to grow. When paired with clear data points, like call transcripts, talk time ratios, or empathy signals, it becomes not just feedback, but fuel.

And when people begin to improve, they want to keep going.

“One good outcome makes you want to chase the next.”

Patience is a Strategy

Change at scale doesn’t happen overnight. Sandra now coaches CS leaders to build multi year plans that account for limited time, resources, and energy. Instead of firefighting, they learn to zoom out, prioritizing impact, sequencing change, and carving out time for strategic work.

“You’ll burn out trying to solve it all today. Break it down. Prioritize what matters most to the business now.”

Final Thought

Real change doesn’t come from more tools or smarter hires, it comes from clarity, alignment, and relentless communication. And most of all, it comes from listening: to customers, to your team, and to what’s really happening in the field.

Want to build a culture where change actually happens? Start with the stories. Then lead with purpose.

Watch the full episode here

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