As SaaS companies increasingly shift their focus to securing enterprise-sized accounts, Customer Success (CS) roles are transforming to address the unique needs of this market. This is how the Enterprise CSM (Customer Success Manager) has emerged as the definitive CS title for supporting larger clients, bringing a new approach that changes how go-to-market (GTM) teams engage with client stakeholders. From providing more technical understanding to delivering more consultative services, ECSMs revitalize the nature of Customer Success for enterprise-level accounts.
Building on insights from our brand new Enterprise Compensation Guide, this blog explores the unique responsibilities of Enterprise CSMs, when you should consider hiring for this role and how to navigate the competitive landscape for this high-demand talent:
What is an Enterprise Customer Success Manager?
An Enterprise Customer Success Manager is a senior-level CS professional who specializes in managing higher-value accounts, which often include much more complex technology needs and business objectives than smaller or even midmarket companies. ECSMs serve as trusted business advisors who proactively drive value realization and revenue expansion within their accounts. They also bridge the gap between technical implementation and business outcomes, working closely with multiple stakeholders across the client’s organization to ensure solutions deliver measurable ROI, while identifying new opportunities for strategic growth.
The Role of Enterprise CSMs in Post-Sales Success
In the enterprise sales ecosystem, CS teams play a crucial role in the post-sales phase, working closely with technical sales and product experts to deliver tailored service and support. ECSMs and Customer Success Engineers (CSEs) will collaborate with Solutions Architects (SAs) and Implementation Consultants to map out, understand and refine client software environments to ensure their value return.
There are several ways that Enterprise Customer Success Managers will help achieve this:
Strategic Account Management
Enterprise CSMs take ownership of the complete customer lifecycle for high-value accounts, developing deep relationships with key stakeholders on the client side. They create and execute strategic account plans that align product usage with business objectives while identifying expansion opportunities that deliver additional value.
Consultative Expertise
Rather than simply responding to customer requests, ECSMs proactively analyze usage patterns, business metrics and industry trends to provide strategic recommendations. They conduct regular business reviews, develop ROI analyses and present insights that help customers optimize their investment while building cases for expansion.
Risk Mitigation and Retention
With enterprise contracts often representing significant portions of company revenue, ECSMs play a critical role in identifying and addressing potential churn risks before they impact renewal decisions. They monitor account health metrics, stakeholder satisfaction and business outcomes to ensure continued success.
Enterprise CSM vs. Traditional CSM
The differences between Enterprise Customer Success Managers and traditional CSMs extend beyond the account sizes each handles. Here are the top ways that ECSMs stand out:
Account Scope
- Traditional CSMs typically manage dozens of accounts of various sizes
- Enterprise CSMs focus on a smaller number of high-value accounts
Consultative Expertise Required
- Traditional CSMs provide product support and best practice guidance
- Enterprise CSMs deliver strategic business consulting and ROI optimization
Compensation Expectations
- Traditional CSMs earn $100K-$160K based on experience and location
- Enterprise CSMs command $175K-$200K+ reflecting their strategic impact
When Do You Need to Hire an Enterprise CSM?
Determining the right time to bring on an Enterprise Customer Success Manager depends on several factors related to your primary client base, average account size and growth objectives. Consider hiring an ECSM when:
Account Value and Complexity Indicators
- Your average account consistently exceeds $250K in deal value
- Client implementations require 6+ months and multiple stakeholders
- Accounts represent significant portions of your total revenue
- Clients require custom integrations or specialized configurations
Strategic Relationship Requirements
- Customers expect regular executive-level business reviews
- Accounts involve multiple departments and complex decision-making processes
- Expansion opportunities require strategic planning and relationship building
- Competitive threats require proactive relationship management
Revenue Growth Objectives
- Net revenue retention targets exceed 120%
- Expansion revenue represents a significant growth driver
- Customer lifetime value justifies dedicated strategic resources
- Churn prevention requires specialized expertise and attention
Enterprise CSM Experience and Skill Requirements
Successful Enterprise Customer Success Managers combine deep support expertise with business acumen and strategic account management capabilities. When evaluating candidates, look for:
Customer Success Leadership Experience
- 7+ years in Customer Success, account management or consultative roles
- Proven track record managing enterprise accounts worth $500K+
- Experience with complex implementations and multi-stakeholder management
- Demonstrated success driving expansion revenue and preventing churn
Business and Strategic Consulting Skills
- Ability to conduct business case analysis and ROI calculations
- Experience developing and presenting strategic recommendations to executives
- Understanding of enterprise business processes and decision-making
- Background in strategy consulting (including firms like McKinsey, BCG, etc.)
Technical and Product Knowledge
- Sufficient technical understanding to engage with IT stakeholders
- Ability to translate technical features into business value
- Experience with enterprise software integrations and implementations
- Understanding of security, compliance, and technical requirements
Relationship Building and Communication
- Executive presence and ability to engage with C-level stakeholders
- Strong presentation and communication skills for business reviews
- Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships
- Cultural fit for consultative, advisory relationships
The Challenge of Finding Enterprise CSM Talent
Recruiting qualified Enterprise Customer Success Managers presents unique challenges that traditional hiring approaches struggle to address:
Limited Talent Pool
The combination of strategic expertise and enterprise experience creates a naturally constrained available talent pool. Most qualified candidates are currently employed and not actively seeking new opportunities.
Specialized Experience Requirements
Enterprise CSMs require specific experience with high-value accounts, complex stakeholder management and strategic business impact that cannot be easily developed through training programs.
Competitive Market Dynamics
High demand for enterprise Customer Success talent has intensified competition among technology companies, driving up compensation expectations and extending recruitment timelines.
Find Your Right Fit Enterprise Customer Success Manager with Betts
The specialized nature of Enterprise Customer Success Manager roles requires a more sophisticated approach to talent acquisition than traditional job boards or referral networks can provide. That is why we developed our Recruitment as a Service (RaaS) model to provide SaaS companies with a more scalable hiring solution.
RaaS by Betts Recruiting allows you to source and hire as many candidates as you need to and as fast as you need to, without bringing on additional placement fees as with traditional agency contracts. Leveraging our Betts Connect platform and the largest collection of pre-vetted GTM talent in the tech industry, this unique approach gives your hiring managers the tools and flexibility they need to track down your unicorn candidates without blowing up your recruiting budget.
Successfully Building Your Enterprise Customer Success Team
Whether you are hiring your first ECSM or scaling a team to support growing enterprise revenue, the right talent acquisition strategy makes all the difference. Enterprise CSMs represent a critical investment in customer retention and revenue growth, requiring specialized recruiting approaches to identify and secure top candidates. Contact Betts here to learn how our RaaS model can help you build the enterprise Customer Success team you need to drive long-term growth in an increasingly competitive market.