#Japan #Tokyo #CADDi #Customer Success #SaaS Adoption

The Critical Importance of Customer Success in SaaS Adoption for Manufacturing

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, the integration of Software as a Service (SaaS) has become a common practice within the manufacturing sector. With this shift, understanding customer success (CS) support during the adoption phase has never been more crucial. A recent study conducted by CADDi Inc., a Tokyo-based company specializing in AI data platforms for manufacturing, reveals that more than 80% of executives and senior managers from manufacturing firms prioritize the quality of customer success support when making SaaS adoption decisions.

Background of the Study

The study surveyed 322 individuals involved in the implementation and management of high-value SaaS applications across the manufacturing industry. This survey aimed to uncover how customer success initiatives are being leveraged and the tangible outcomes they deliver to organizations. As the focus on return on investment (ROI) optimization becomes more critical, the role of customer success in understanding a company's unique circumstances and challenges emerges as a pivotal aspect of SaaS implementation.

Survey Highlights

Active Support is Key

The results showed that a significant 75.5% of respondents reported receiving active support during the SaaS implementation phase, which includes transformation, deployment, recommendations, and introduction. This trend was especially pronounced among companies with over 500 employees, of which 25% noted having holistic company-wide support services. These findings suggest that larger organizations expect thorough assistance to ensure effective system integration and user adoption.

Multiple Support Dimensions

The range of support provided was diverse, covering areas such as business challenges clarification, deployment assistance, and proposals for executive management. Approximately 60% of respondents indicated they had received two or more types of assistance, reflecting a demand for multi-faceted support that spans across strategy formulation to operational stability.

Positive Outcomes from Customer Success Support

Moreover, 98.8% of the participants reported experiencing positive changes as a result of customer success support. The most frequently cited benefit was improved operational speed and efficiency (39.5%), followed closely by enhanced evaluations of ROI (35.4%) and better-informed management decisions (28.0%). This signals that the impact of customer success support permeates from frontline operations to executive levels, highlighting its integral role in overall business performance.

Value Recognition in Customer Success

All respondents acknowledged the value of the support they received, with none indicating that they felt a lack of value. The highest-rated support type was the visualization and organization of business challenges (21.7%), highlighting the significance of clear objectives and effective KPI design from the onset of SaaS implementation.

The Role of Customer Success in Future SaaS Decisions

Looking forward, 83.0% of those surveyed emphasized the importance of customer success in future software selection processes. Notably, executives and senior managers exhibited a strong inclination towards prioritizing the quality of customer success, with an impressive 84.9% indicating that they would weigh this factor heavily in their decision-making.

Unique Needs of the Manufacturing Sector

Specific to the manufacturing industry, the need for implementation support based on an understanding of on-ground operations was the most in-demand (50.3%). This was followed by support in inter-departmental coordination (42.9%) and usage guidance based on manufacturing-specific KPIs (42.9%). These results emphasize that manufacturing firms prefer tailored support that directly addresses their unique challenges, rather than generic assistance.

Feedback from Respondents

In open-ended responses regarding memorable customer success support, participants highlighted effective proposals that contributed to revenue generation, rapid responses to issues, and assistance in internal communications. This feedback underscores the impactful role customer success teams play in not just facilitating software adoption but also in enhancing overall business outcomes.

Expert Insight

According to Ippei Shintani, Head of Customer Success at CADDi, this survey reveals that appreciation for customer success transcends company size and role. In high-value SaaS environments, the criteria for adoption increasingly hinge on understanding who will provide support and how effectively it will be delivered.
The data suggests that customer success is transitioning from merely a support function to a strategic partner in driving business transformation.

As companies grapple with the complexities of implementing SaaS solutions, the demand for comprehensive customer success engagement that evolves beyond simple software onboarding is apparent. Firms must prioritize not only the functionality of the products they select but also the caliber of support that accompanies them to maximize business success.

Survey Methodology

Survey Title: Survey on Your Work Involvement
Survey Duration: May 29, 2025 - June 12, 2025
Methodology: Online survey
Target Respondents: Manufacturing professionals
Valid Responses: 322 respondents from a preliminary screening of 7,000
The study illustrates that addressing the specific needs of clients through targeted customer success initiatives can be revolutionary for SaaS adoption, fostering trust and driving lasting change in the manufacturing industry.