SaaStr Annual 2024: Tips for Driving GRR Turnaround with Coursera

SaaStr Annual 2024 Session

1. Tips for Driving GRR Turnaround Brad Lawrence Senior Director Coursera

2. Centering Ourselves: Leading thru challenges Dad + Husband Brain surgery survivor ADHD adult Runner Sugary c ereal connoisseur Enneagram 2w3 Not-so-secret 90s pop music fan (BSB>N’Sync) (Very) novice fly fisherman Waterslides junkie Who is Brad? Caring, empowering and invested: passionate about multiplying those around me and coaching towards transformation Customer obsessed: the why of what we do a nd our True North Operationally grounded: transparency + consistency = outcomes + clarity for customers and team Challenger and strategist: the status-quo can always be questioned, new ideas > no ideas. How do I want to lead?

3. Setting the stage for the business Educators 135M+ Registered Learners 7,000+ Institutions served University Partners Industry Partners 300+ Educator Partners Learners Institutions 3 Source: Coursera data, October 31, 2023

4. How do we turnaround GRR from 47% to 86%?

5. Why 47% GRR in Q2 2023: NAMER Corporate (C4B) Too many surprises too late in the process, with poor executive engagement and “happy ears.” We were asking CSMs to do it all - renewals, CSQLs, utilization, and day-to-day program management Low enrollments in license-based model, amplified by customer RIFs, non-sticky product, R&R, & RTO Weak deal management Lack of scale Roles & Responsibilities Utilization and Health Two deals drove 18% of churn and lacked long-term journey; one $2.1M churn a non-sustainable model. Big deal fundamentals All customers being treated equally, causing us to miss on our largest customers + senior talent on smaller customers

6. Discuss: what challenges are you facing?

7. Driving 86% GRR Turnaround: What we did Too many surprises too late in the process, with poor executive engagement and “happy ears.” Solutions Required Joint Execution Plans for all deals Set targets for 40% renewals closed early (and paid early) We were asking CSMs to do it all - renewals, CSQLs, utilization, and day-to-day program management Solutions Shifted Renewal Ownership fully to Account Managers Kept NRR comp incentive for CSMs while adding Health All customers being treated equally, causing us to miss on our largest customers + senior talent on smaller customers Solutions Increased threshold for “Scaled” by 50% Organized Non-Scaled territories between Strategic (larger ACV, lower account load more senior CSMs ) + Growth (medium ACV, higher account load, mid-career CSMs) Low enrollments in license-based model, amplified by RIFs, non-sticky product, return to office Solutions Increased CSM accountability for Utilization + Exec (DMs) and CSM Engagement (Admins) Integrated into weekly performance coaching Weak deal management Lack of scale Roles & Responsibilities Utilization and Health Two deals drove 18% of churn and lacked long-term journey; one $2.1M churn a non-sustainable model. Solutions Created Deal Acceleration meeting with VP+ leaders Increased product alignment velocity to meet customer needs + competitive market Big deal fundamentals

8. Q&A + Discussion what are you doing in your org? what is key to GRR in 2025? how can we support each other?

9. UP NEXT: How We Worked Together to 10x Glean’s ARR and Collaborate Across GTM Lauren Kennedy Head of CS Glean AJ Tennant VP of Sales & Success Glean