SME Gather Feedback from Customers

Customer Feedback Loop

Gathering and systematically relaying top asks from the field and customers to Product Management and Engineering, is one of the main responsibilities of a SME.

This allows a collective view of feedback from the field with analysis, so that it does not always seem reactive, but constructively adds to and builds on a roadmap, with roadmap themes.

The subject matter expert program can share the top ten requests from the field, with predetermined themes/ categories, rather than react individually or just have them go to a issue wasteland.

1. SAs and CSMs submit customer feedbacks and asks from the field via a process to be determined.
2. SMEs for each Area should analyze and prioritize the asks via a point system async or on one of their pod cadence calls.
3. The top requests are presented and discussed by the SME Area Leads at the monthly SME/ PM Cadence meetings
4. The status of the requests are updated. Updates are relayed back to the SMEs for each Area who then provides updates during a regional SME call or SME Corner updates.

Customer Feedback Framework and Process (TBD)

Customer Feedback Submission

TODO: Review Customer Issues Prioritization Framework

1. Implement a GitLab issue template with the following fields, for customer feedback submission from SMEs:
   • Customer name
   • Opportunity details
   • Net ARR or ARR basis
   • Use case description:
     • Current challenge/context
     • Proposed solution
     • Expected impact
   • Program theme/sub-category
   • List of other interested customers
2. Set up appropriate SME labels for the issue created, along with labels needed by Product Management
3. Assign Issues to appropirate themes (TBD)

Feedback Categorization

1. Collaborate with Product Managers to define sub-categories for each Program Area.
2. Example sub-categories for AI:
   • Chat
   • Code suggestion
   • Vulnerability analysis

Prioritization System

1. Develop an automated point system based on request attributes:
   • Customer tier
   • Potential revenue impact
   • Number of interested customers
   • Alignment with strategic goals
2. Implement a GitLab CI/CD job to calculate and assign points to each request.

SME Review Process

1. Schedule SMEs pod meetings in each Program Area to:
   • Review and validate point assignments
   • Adjust priorities as needed
   • Provide context to SME Area DRIs

Feedback Tracking

1. Create a “Top Requests” list for each Program Area.
2. Set up an issue board for each SME Area in GitLab, using the appropriate SME Labels with the following statuses:
   • New
   • Accepted by PM
   • Added to Roadmap
   • Resolved
   • Declined
   • Backlog

PM Collaboration

1. Schedule monthly meetings between SME Area Leads and Product Managers.
2. Use these meetings to review the SME Area Issue Board and discuss request statuses.

Communication and Updates

1. Include time in regional SA meetings for SMEs to present their Program Area’s Issue Board.
2. Allow for verbal requests during these presentations.
3. Establish a process for SMEs to provide updates during SME Corner sessions.

Request Classification

1. Implement a system to differentiate between:

   • Feature requests
   • Bugs
   • Enhancements

2. Ensure appropriate routing and handling based on classification.