The “All Good” Trap
“All good.”
“We have no issues."
"Yes, we’re using it, and so far, everything’s fine — no questions.”
These are phrases we’ve all heard from clients. Polite. Reassuring.
And these responses are dangerous — very dangerous.
Because often, that “all good” hides a very different reality:
- The customer isn’t using the product meaningfully.
- They’re not getting real value.
- They haven’t taken ownership of the solution.
- They’re overwhelmed with work, and your solution isn’t a priority.
🎩 It’s not just politeness
It’s not that customers want to deceive you — many times, they’re trying to protect their image:
“We don’t want to seem like we didn’t get it.”
“We don’t want to admit we don’t know how to continue.”
“We don’t want to admit we paid for something we’re not using.”
And when your client works in a more institutional, technical, or political environment, this barrier becomes even more common.
That’s where your role comes in. As a CSM or customer-facing professional, your job is not to pressure — it’s to translate, to investigate what’s happening, to reduce friction, and, from empathy, reactivate and turn things around.
🧠 What it really means to make progress
Progress is not just attending meetings. It’s not opening the product once a month, or five minutes before a call to check if those requested updates were made. It’s not replying to emails or asking for status updates.
Progress means:
- Making decisions based on the data your product provides.
- Creating habits and workflows that fit their day-to-day operations.
- Involving other team members to reinforce adoption.
- Measuring their own impact independently, defining roles and individual goals — and working toward them.
When that happens, the client doesn’t need you for everything anymore. They write to you less frequently — and when they do, it’s more strategic. That, right there, is a true sign of success.
🧬 The questions that change everything
One of the best decisions I made when leading the department was changing the questions we asked our clients.
That decision changed everything — and I still revisit it often to make sure our conversations stay sharp and focused.
In that moment, I shifted from seeking validation to seeking truth. And here are some of the real questions I now ask:
| ❌ Typical | ✅ Transformative |
|---|---|
| How’s the activation going? | Which sections have you used this week? |
| Is it working for you? | What decisions have you made thanks to this? |
| Has it gone well? | Where have you lost the most time this month? |
| Any updates? | What would you change if you could rewrite the past 30 days? |
| Were you able to take a look? | What blocked your progress this week? |
⚡️ Real signs of stagnation
Here’s another resource tied to the questions above:
Phrases that should set off your internal alarm when you hear them:
| Common phrase | What it really means |
|---|---|
| “It’s on our radar.” | It’s not a priority. |
| “We’re working on it.” | They haven’t started. |
| “We’ve reviewed it.” | They don’t know what to do with it. |
| “After X, we’ll come back to it.” | They’ve lost momentum. |
| “We use it from time to time.” | It’s not integrated. |
| “Only one person is using it.” | There’s no real adoption. |
🌟 What I do when I detect a client is stuck
When I notice a client is stuck, I use a strategy that combines action, context, and empathy:
I break the autopilot and reframe the conversation
“If you had to justify this project internally today… what would you show?”
This question breaks inertia and opens up an honest conversation — without putting the client on the defensive.
I reconnect with their goals and review the context
“When we started, you said this would help with X. Is that still important?”
- I revisit previous interactions, initial goals, early pain points, and any outcomes achieved.
- If there’s a renewal approaching, I consider that too — it may be influencing their tone or urgency.
I offer one small, easy, high-impact action
“Let’s upload a first dataset (even just a test version), and review it together on Friday. Nothing more.”
🎯 The goal is clear: show them a quick, visible win.
I offer a fresh start — without judgment
“Shall we redesign the plan together? Something that works for you now, from where you are today.”
This removes friction, lowers pressure, and gives the customer back control over their journey.
❤️ Conclusion
Don’t confuse politeness with adoption. Or silence with satisfaction.
“All good” might actually be the start of silent churn.
Your job isn’t to make everything sound fine — it’s to help customers move forward.
To fall in love with your product.
To become advocates.
To never want to leave.
Not all customers move at the same pace. Help them — even if it’s slow, even if it’s imperfect.
Get to know them deeply. And always, always: help them move forward.
🌍 If this article made you think of a customer or situation, share it or reach out.
Because in Customer Success, real momentum begins the moment we stop settling for “all good.”