What Great Client Experience Really Means

A Conversation with Paul Yaros, Anaqua’s Chief Customer Officer

 

Client experience has become a defining factor in IP and legal tech. As portfolios grow more complex, AI is becoming part of everyday workflows and processes that are rapidly changing, and clients are looking for more than powerful technology.

Paul Yaros, Anaqua’s Chief Customer Officer, leads this effort across Client Success, Client Support, and Professional Services. In this conversation, Paul shares what led him to Anaqua and his perspective on where the company - and client experience - is headed next.

 

Can you share some of your experience in Customer Experience before joining Anaqua and what excited you about this role?

Paul Yaros: For over three decades, I’ve been focused on one thing: helping clients see real value sooner after they buy enterprise software. That work has centered on strengthening technical support, implementation, professional services, training, and enablement - reducing friction, removing barriers, and making it easier for clients to get the business results they expect from their technology.
After working in supply chain and project portfolio management, I became interested in Anaqua because of its focus on helping organizations manage and drive value from their innovation and intellectual property.

I was drawn in by the organization's strength, its world-class client base, its deep and trusted client relationships, and its reputation for putting clients first.  Most compelling of all was Anaqua’s vision for the future of IP — an AI-first approach focused on transforming the entire client value journey, backed by strong strategic and operational investments.

 

What originally drew you to a customer focused role, and what still motivates you about it today?

Paul: I’ve always loved helping people. I started my career as a technology trainer. I was drawn to Anaqua to help our clients understand how Anaqua's technology could help make their work easier, faster, and more impactful.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the biggest barrier to technology adoption is rarely technology itself. Rather, it's all the process changes that come with it - and, even more importantly, the human side of change. Successful adoption happens when teams learn to navigate new ways of working, shift their behaviors, and build their confidence.

What I enjoy most is:

• Partnering with customers to tackle challenges together
• Collaborating through the change that comes with new technology
• Engaging in open, practical conversations with customers
• Seeing the moment when new technology clicks and starts delivering real, meaningful value

 

If you had to describe your role at Anaqua to a client, what would you say?

Paul: At its core, my role is to eliminate any obstacles after clients purchase one of Anaqua’s IP solutions, allowing them to transform their investment into real value. Three themes consistently come up in conversations with clients:

1. Clarity about what’s coming next and how it applies to a client's everyday work. Our clients have told us they are looking for forward-looking guidance to help them plan, prioritize, and avoid leaving value on the table. Without visibility and trusted advice, teams may stall or question their technology decisions unnecessarily.

2. Help turning new capabilities into everyday impact. Releases only matter if teams can use new capabilities and enhancements. Enablement is critical in this regard, helping clients move faster from launch to production and supporting the people and process changes that ensure adoption.

3. Quick resolutions when something isn’t working. Any delay - whether a question or an issue - slows progress and can impact value and the relationship. We focus on helping clients get answers quickly, removing roadblocks, and helping them continue moving forward with confidence.

 

From your perspective, what does a “great” client experience look like in practice, and what makes the Anaqua experience unique?

Paul: To me, great client experience begins with doing everything possible to reduce breakdowns and simplify complexity. But it is equally important to consider what happens when those moments inevitably occur. That’s when client-centered, collaborative, and knowledgeable support really matters - help that fixes the issue or at least minimizes its impact on the business.

Technology will never be perfect. It's created by people and operates within a web of systems, data, and variables that no one can control completely. We should always work to improve quality, reduce complexity, and eliminate friction wherever possible. But, as a realist who genuinely wants to help, I believe the real difference comes from being present when clients need us most.

Having the right people with the right expertise to show up at the right moment turns an issue into a positive experience. To me, that is the foundation of great client experience.

 

To me, the Anaqua Experience is about what it feels like interacting every day across our teams from your first conversation through every stage of your journey as a client. This involves working as true partners, collaborating on our vision and roadmap, listening closely, and staying aligned with client business goals to ensure you achieve meaningful outcomes.

 

How does Anaqua’s approach to partnership go beyond just delivering technology?

Paul: Our focus isn’t simply on delivering technology - it’s on delivering business value through our technology and services. And value doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s created through strong partnerships built on openness, collaboration, and shared understanding.

A strong partnership brings together our clients’ knowledge of their business with Anaqua’s expertise in technology, industry best practices, and solutions. When those strengths align, we’re able to deliver meaningful, measurable value - not just from the platform itself, but from the way it’s used to support their business goals and priorities.

 

What excites you most about where Anaqua is headed for clients over the next year? What would you say to a client who’s been with Anaqua for many years about where we are heading?

Paul: I am incredibly excited about the future of our product roadmap. AI is undoubtedly changing everything, and in my 36-year career, I’ve never witnessed a technological shift of this magnitude.

AI is potentially more significant than the shift to desktop computing, client-server architectures, SaaS, multi-tenant platforms, or even the internet itself. Anaqua has a compelling vision for transforming IP management with AI and the team and resources to make it happen. I often tell our clients, "We're just getting started."

 

Building What’s Next in IP

Now is the time to engage more closely with Anaqua. Partner with us as you work on plans for the future.  Join our webinars. Collaborate with our team. Meet our new leaders. Be part of the conversation.

Also, I can’t stress enough about the importance of making plans to attend the Anaqua Experience Conference from September 29 to October 1 in Orlando, Florida where you’ll find lots of hands-on training, practical insights, and the opportunity to share best practices with your peers.

To all our Anaqua customers, we are grateful for your collaboration and working alongside us as we continue shaping the future of IP together.