Numbers tell you what happened. I work out why, and what to do next.

Clearing a backlog that kept growing

Situation

We are a team of three, and my two colleagues work part-time. Cases arrived faster than we could close them, and the oldest had been open for more than six months.

What I did

I worked through the backlog one case at a time, more than 150 in three months. I ranked cases by commercial importance and regulatory exposure, and agreed urgent priorities with sales, client service and management so the time-critical work was never at risk.

Outcome

6+ months → ~1 month The oldest open case is now just over a month old.

Opening an account we’d normally decline

Situation

We received an application from a very wealthy client whose entity was classified as a foreign financial institution (FFI). We usually don’t open accounts for that kind of structure.

What I did

Instead of declining straight away, I brought together the client’s relationship manager, compliance, tax, KYC and my own team to find out whether the account could be opened within the regulatory requirements, and under what conditions. It took about two and a half months, during the holiday season, so I had to keep the case moving while key people were away.

Outcome

We agreed the account could be opened. The bank kept a valuable client relationship while staying compliant with internal policies.

Finding expansion revenue in support conversations

Customers rarely came in with a clear requirement. They had a challenge, or something they wanted to build, and it was often vague. Expansion opportunities came from asking the right questions, in this order:

1. ListenWhat is the customer trying to achieve, in their own words?
2. AskKeep asking questions until the request turns into something concrete.
3. CheckWhich tools does their current plan give them?
4. MatchWork out the gap, and bring in Sales or Customer Success when the answer is a higher plan.

Example A customer wanted automated emails sent when certain criteria were met across several object types. That needs workflows, which are only available on higher plans. What began as a how-to question ended as an upgrade that solved their problem.

Outcome

+$24K MRR · $288K annualized in expansion revenue from opportunities I found.

Keeping a customer who was ready to leave

Situation

A frustrated customer was close to cancelling.

What I did

I worked with their Customer Success Manager to deal with the causes of the frustration, not just the ticket in front of me.

Outcome

The customer stayed.