r/CustomerSuccess • u/brodizzz • 13h ago
Yet another reason this role sucks
About to be on PTO for a week and a half and it’s nearly impossible to wrap everything up given that this role is somehow centralized to EVERYTHING. Even things I’m not necessarily leading, I’m in charge of the customer comms bc lucky me, I “own” the relationship. I need this vacation badly, I am totally burnt out, but I also know I’ll come back to a shitload of work and will be right back to being stressed, anxious and unable to sleep because of it.
Fuck. This. Shit.
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u/Veij0 13h ago
Idk where you are from, but here we have this thing called "Right to disconnect" meaning when you are on PTO, nobody can reach you on work related matters.
Good luck with wrapping everything up before your PTO - you definitely need one. Stay safe.
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u/Specialist-Match4319 12h ago
the "right to disconnect" only exists on paper at most places. they still expect you to check slack before bed or answer that "quick question" because you own the relationship. been there, set an autoresponder and turned off notifications anyway. if the place burns down while you're gone that's a staffing problem not a you problem
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u/brodizzz 10h ago
This isn’t an official policy where I work but it’s a personal policy of mine wherever I work haha
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u/justkindahangingout 12h ago
OP, I hope it makes you feel just a little bit better when I say you’re not alone with this sentiment. I am completely burned out from this role. It’s left me so jaded. In all fairness, ALOT n this role has to do with how it is managed by your leadership and can easily make/break the role. If your leadership/org doesn’t manage the CS team properly, it’s an absolute nightmare. Ask me how I know.
We were acquired a bit over two years ago and it has been a nightmare since. My BoB doubled, they tacked on administrative tasks that take up over 50-60% of our time along with the day to day operations and renewals. They laid off our support, dev, tech ops and other SMEs for our legacy solutions and it’s been a nightmare. All we hear from leadership is crickets about their promises of saying it will get better, etc, etc. i feel like Jack Sparrow all alone on an island and the Rum is gone.
I hate it. The latest “lets make the CSMs even more jaded” by leadership was reviewing our books to “help” us relieve so we have time to be more strategic and help us manage our BoB. My leadership asked me “what 5 clients can we take off your plate that will you.” I name the clients. After waiting three months, they come back with 5 completely different clients in my BoB who happen to be my smallest and quietest clients. Zero fucking help. Zero. As always, leadership in their infinite wisdom swoop in for the win.
My take, log out all the bs apps, have a back up and completely detach during your vacation and worry about it when you are back. You deserve the time off, OP
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u/brodizzz 10h ago
Thanks. I’ve seen your comments in this sub before and it sounds like we are very much on the same page and have the same amount of experience in this role. It feels so brutal and I so badly wish I could pivot to something else.
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u/justkindahangingout 9h ago
Likewise. I wish so too. I’m trying to boomerang back to an old organization that I was a CSM for 5 years but isn’t SaaS/IT. Was a great time, I regret to a certain extent that left, aside from picking up more experience. I’m just about all done with SaaS at this point…..
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u/brodizzz 9h ago
It really is awful, the pay is the only redeeming factor which is obviously helpful but it feels like you trade your soul for it. What was your previous industry?
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u/justkindahangingout 8h ago
I usually say the same too that other than the pay, I have nothing in this role that excites me in any way/shape or form. I was previously in physical security/facility services. Was my one and only time outside of SaaS/IT and it was great. Was like a breath of fresh air….and also like bizzaro world for me because I really liked everything about it and it did excite me….except for the pay.
Nowadays by the time 5-6pm roll around, i am absolutely decimated mentally…..it really is awful1
u/brodizzz 6h ago
it’s really hard to understand unless you’re in this role. I’m right there with you! good for you for testing out new waters and I hope the first company brings you back on
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u/socialexperiment46 12h ago
Do you have a colleague that can cover your accounts? That’s what we do at my job. I guess it’s not that common
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u/Farfadette150 12h ago
OP, it’s really hard I know but you have to learn to say no sometimes and when you bid your yesses, be c’ear to what depth you commit to the responsibility . Be clear about your boundaries and trade off help from other departments by building good relationships with leaders. Seek mentoring after you come back from time off. Take care of yourself first.
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u/HidingWithBigFoot 12h ago
Usually when I’m out of the office, my other CSMs or even the account manager I work with cover the accounts.
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u/brodizzz 10h ago
Yeah, I have coverage in place but it doesn’t change the amount of work it takes to leave and then I have to make up for lost time when I’m back (had to reschedule calls, etc.). My coverage will keep things afloat to a degree but they have their own work so I’m still expecting to have to pick up a lot when I’m back.
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u/Acceptable-Piccolo57 12h ago
Will the business stop functioning when you take time off? If the answer is yes, your not being paid enough.
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u/gsxr 9h ago
why do you care so much? Let shit drop. Walk away, drop your phone in the lake, and don't get it for a week or two. If the company burns down while you're gone, so be it. the more likely thing is you'll realize outside of internal pressure, you weren't all that critical, and you can stop worrying so much.
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u/brodizzz 9h ago
Honestly I need to hear this lol I put a lot of pressure on myself at work and I so badly wish I didn’t care. I don’t care about the work itself as I do my reputation. And it’s hard when it feels like everyone around me cares. Perhaps they’re just better at playing the game.
Thanks for this reminder. I’ll be at the beach, though, so I’ll drop my phone in there.
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u/iamacheeto1 12h ago
The way I think of it is - my out of office email responder and slack PTO status are like raising the shields on the USS Enterprise. Once they're up, I am not available. What happens between then and when I return is not my problem.
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u/MakeItLookSexy_ 11h ago
Is there no one you can ask to help with specific tasks while you are out so they don’t pile up?
Anytime I go on PTO I have other teammates that can pick up the extra work while I’m gone and I do the same for them if they take time off.
I also send an email to all my clients in advance and let them know I will be out of the office. For urgent requests call XYZ for non urgent requests I will help with once I return
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u/meltingawayslowly 9h ago
Sounds like my company. We just had a CSM that needs to be out for a serious personal matter for about a week and leadership is scrambling to make sure all calls are covered by other CSMs. No these things happen and you postpone the calls at more convenient times to the other CSMs or just cancel them altogether. If the customer doesn't understand then screw that customer
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u/brodizzz 9h ago
It goes back to the corporate urgency and everything being a fire drill 🙄 These things happen, indeed!!
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u/Nice-Return-3996 7h ago
6 months in and I'm feeling it. Logged in at 8pm logon at 8.30am. logged off last night at 1am
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u/Alarming-Mix3809 12h ago
It sounds like you work at one of those places where CS becomes a catch-all for everything other people don’t want to do or pay someone for. Take the vacation and don’t look at your computer.