It’s exciting for a new company to get people on board with their product or service. The team has worked hard together to start making sales and landing clients. However, what sets companies (especially those with unique and game changing products) apart is their ability to continue the relationship after a sale.
It’s truly a win-win situation, and the people who manage these “after sale” relationships are known as Customer Success Managers (CSM’s). The CSM role is still relatively new but adds incredible value to your organization. When a company is in the early stage, as many New York City startups are, it’s important to retain the customers that you already have.
Read on to see how CSM’s can help you manage churn, work cross-functionally, and serve as your product evangelist.
Manage Churn
CSM’s are often key hires for startups because they can identify what causes customer churn and how to solve it. By listening to the client’s feedback on how they are using the product, the CSM is able to act as a liaison for the client and pass on the feedback to their own team in order to continually better their offering. When a client’s expectations are managed, the CSM can keep them on board. This relationship can keep a customer for life, which can make your company successful.
Work Cross-Functionally
A great Customer Success Manager works with sales, product, marketing, and support teams to uncover value and identify pain points within the product. When the team understands the client’s pain points and what value they see in the product, they can optimize it. Without the CSM role to provide this clarity, the rest of the company could be in the dark when it comes to client’s opinions.
Be a Product Evangelist
They are also your product evangelists, bringing excitement about the product after the client has signed on the dotted line. The better your product, the more likely customers are to keep using it. Also, when you are able to provide support to new clients, you continue offering them value and increase your chances of referral. CSM’s are adept at encouraging product adoption through training and communicating ongoing benefits.
If you’re looking to bring your first Customer Success Manager onto the team, check out our CSM eBook for more information on attracting the right person to the role. When you’re ready to take that step, our team will be there to make your hiring process a breeze.
If you’re a Customer Success Manager looking for a new challenge, connect with a Betts Recruiter to review the amazing new opportunities in your area.
Author: Lauren Brasier
Customer Success Manager Recruiter
[email protected]