Why leadership objects to customer education (and how to change their minds)

Α 2024 study by Forrester Consulting reveals that

“Spending on customer education has nearly tripled in the last five years and is projected to more than double over the next two.”

Not only that, but 86% of organizations implementing customer education have seen positive returns:

And yet, when you go to your manager to discuss a customer education program, you’re put on hold. Until the next quarter. And then the next one.

If customer education has so many benefits, stakeholders should welcome it with open arms, right? Well, if only life were so simple.

In the second article of our series dedicated to building a case for customer education, we dive into the reasons why leadership is reluctant to give the green light to customer education initiatives. We also share actionable tips and role-play scenarios to handle these objections successfully.

Why is it hard to get executive buy-in for customer education?

Implementing a customer education program often requires securing buy-in across departments and aligning resources, which isn’t an easy task to pull off. Additionally, some executives may question the ROI or see it as a distraction from revenue-focused activities.

Here’s a breakdown of common objections and ways to overcome them.

A relatively new concept

Formal customer education made its not-so-shy appearance in the early 2000s with the rise of SaaS and subscription-based services and continues to grow in popularity and sophistication.

Still, some companies may be unfamiliar with formal customer education programs and may require evidence of their benefits.

How to overcome this:

• Bring data and examples from industry leaders who have successfully implemented customer education, such as Hubspot and Salesforce.
• Share success stories that align with your company’s goals, showcasing tangible outcomes like improved product adoption and customer retention.

💁 Read the success story of our customer Workable, who achieved a drop in customer support tickets in less than one year after deploying their customer education academy.

A complex project

Coordinating customer education programs involves multiple departments (eg, support, sales, IT, and marketing), which adds complexity to already busy teams.

How to overcome this:

• Emphasize a phased rollout approach, starting with a pilot project, such as a focused onboarding program, to deliver quick, measurable results.
• Highlight that a phased approach allows teams to adapt gradually without disrupting existing workloads.

Our quick checklist simplifies the process by outlining six key steps to follow when building your program.

Concerns about ROI

Management may hesitate to invest due to the perceived complexity of measuring and proving the ROI of customer education.

How to overcome this:

• Provide data-driven ROI estimates using historical data or industry benchmarks.
• If internal data is unavailable, cite case studies or industry reports that showcase average ROI in similar customer education initiatives.

💁 In our article How to See a Positive ROI from Customer Education, customer education expert Vicky Kennedy addresses the complexity of measuring customer education ROI and shares tips for yielding a positive ROI.

It’s a long game

Customer education requires time to implement and see results. This can be challenging for teams focused on quick wins.

How to overcome this:

• Propose a pilot program that can demonstrate early, measurable wins to show value quickly.
• Set a clear timeline outlining short-term wins and long-term impact, establishing realistic expectations for ongoing benefits.

Management is unaware of the benefits

Management may not fully realize the broad benefits of customer education beyond customer support, such as its marketing potential.

How to overcome this:

• Clearly outline secondary benefits, like using customer education as a marketing strategy, to broaden the program’s perceived value.
• Demonstrate how customer education can drive long-term customer satisfaction, loyalty, and lead generation.

Learn more strategies and tips to get the buy-in for customer education in our free ebook.

Ηow to handle leadership objections: a role-play scenario

Time for a quick role-playing exercise.

Management might not always express their actual concerns and use an excuse instead. Or, they might give you a curt reply to dismiss your proposal and move on with their day.

Little do they know—you have a (valid) answer to every objection:

Objection 1: “Customers can go to customer support and CSMs for assistance”

🛠 The issue

This is a common response from those comfortable with the status quo. The assumption is that customer support and CSMs have been managing queries effectively, so there’s no need for a new initiative.

However, this viewpoint overlooks two critical points:

• Team strain: As the customer base grows, these teams face potential overload.
• Inefficiency: Relying solely on real-time support can lead to slower responses and limited scalability.

💡 The risk

Failing to address this can:

• Cause burnout in support teams.
• Slow response times, frustrating customers.
• Prevent the company from scaling support efforts effectively.

💬 How to reply

Objection 2: “We don’t have the budget”

💰 The issue

Budget constraints are a valid concern, especially if management isn’t convinced of a clear return on investment.

The real risk lies in missing out on a key differentiator that can provide long-term value and impact. Starting small can demonstrate results without requiring a huge initial investment.

💡 The risk

• Missed opportunities to scale efficiently.
• Potential churn due to poor onboarding or product adoption.
• Higher costs from over-relying on support teams.

💬 How to reply:

Objection 3: “We have other priorities”

⏳ The issue

This often signals that customer education is seen as “nice-to-have” rather than essential, especially when resources are stretched.

It’s critical to frame customer education as a direct driver of goals like customer retention and product adoption. Clarifying that a phased approach can yield results without significantly diverting resources is key to overcoming this objection.

💡 The risk

• Missed opportunities to drive product adoption and reduce churn.
• Falling behind competitors who prioritize customer empowerment.
• Long-term profitability could take a hit without strong customer loyalty.

💬 How to reply:

Objection 4: “We’re doing fine. Why do we even need customer education?”

🌟 The issue

When things are going well, management might see no reason to adopt new initiatives, especially ones that seem redundant. However, this mindset doesn’t account for evolving customer expectations and market competition.

Customer education is about staying competitive and future-proofing the business, not just meeting current standards.

💡 The risk

• Falling behind competitors who offer customer education academies.
• Failing to meet growing customer demand for self-service options.
• Losing market share as customer expectations evolve.

💬 How to reply:

Objection 5: “There’s a lack of internal expertise to create educational content”

🎓 The issue

Management might be concerned that without dedicated instructional designers or training specialists, the quality of content will suffer. This is often the case in small and medium businesses that don’t have a dedicated training team.

However, modern tools and strategies allow organizations to leverage existing resources to create professional-grade educational content.

💡 The risk

• Delays in creating essential educational resources.
• Higher costs for external training or content development.
• Missed opportunities to showcase expertise and build credibility.

💬 How to reply:

💁 Read our comprehensive guide on How to Build a Customer Education Program From Start to Finish to find out more.

Objection 6: “It will be hard to quantify the ROI of customer education”

📈 The issue

Management may worry about tracking ROI for customer education, feeling it’s difficult to link it directly to revenue or retention. Not being able to effectively measure ROI can impact the yearly budget and the ability to measure success.

💡 The risk

• Difficulty in justifying future investments in education.
• Missing opportunities to demonstrate measurable business outcomes.
• Lack of alignment between customer education and broader business goals.

💬 How to reply:

Turning objections into opportunities

Getting leadership on board with customer education is all about tackling concerns head-on and showing the real benefits. When you can connect the dots between customer education and things like better adoption, lower churn, and happier customers, you make a stronger case.

Focus on sharing data, aligning with company goals, and addressing objections with simple, clear answers. With the right approach, you’ll not only get leadership’s support but also set your program up for success.

Find more tips to build a strong case and win executive buy-in for customer education in our free ebook.

Androniki Koumadoraki

Androniki is a Content Writer at LearnWorlds sharing Instructional Design and marketing tips. With solid experience in B2B writing and technical translation, she is passionate about learning and spreading knowledge. She is also an aspiring yogi, a book nerd, and a talented transponster.