Gaiane Azatian | Service Next West

Wednesday, April 28, 2027

11:45 AM Track B: Mastermind Topical Discussion: Leading Global Service Without Direct Control

Session Objectives:

Global service organizations are being asked to deliver consistent performance across regions they do not directly control, forcing leaders to rely on influence rather than authority to drive alignment and growth. This creates a core challenge: how to align global strategy, standards, and innovation while working through highly diverse regional structures, capabilities, and priorities.

These peer-led discussions will explore how global service leaders influence performance across regions through governance, standards, and enablement rather than authority. Participants will share approaches for assessing service maturity, scaling best practices, and balancing global consistency with local flexibility.

Key Discussion Areas:

How do you influence global service performance without direct authority over regional teams?
How do you assess and act on differing levels of service maturity across countries and regions?
What mechanisms help balance global standards with local execution needs?
How can best practices (e.g., preventive maintenance, outcome-based contracts) be scaled across diverse markets?
How do global service teams influence pricing, portfolio strategy, and margin decisions across regions?
How do you ensure consistent KPIs, offerings, and customer experience across daughter companies?
How do you identify and unlock underpenetrated markets and adjacent growth opportunities globally?

2:00 PM Mastermind Topical Discussion: Defining the Future of Customer Ownership: Where Service, Customer Success, and Sales Come Together

As service organizations expand beyond break-fix support into proactive, lifecycle partnerships, the lines between service, customer success, sales, and account management are becoming increasingly blurred. These peer-led discussions will explore how leading organizations are redefining roles, responsibilities, and customer ownership to deliver a more seamless experience while driving stronger commercial outcomes. Leave with new ideas for organizing teams, improving collaboration, and ensuring every customer interaction contributes to long-term success.

Key Discussion Areas:

Where should responsibility for customer success, renewals, and account growth sit within the organization?
How can service, customer success, sales, and support collaborate more effectively throughout the customer lifecycle?
What organizational structures best support proactive customer engagement and long-term retention?
How can teams share customer insights and responsibilities without creating duplication or confusion?
What metrics best measure customer health, retention, and lifetime value across functions?
How are organizations evolving from product and support organizations to truly customer-centric service businesses?