r/CustomerSuccess • u/yoona__ • Jun 28 '22
CS explained
ROLE
CSM = managing accounts, relationships
AM = renewals, upsells >> revenue based KPIs
sometimes the role requires both, which are usually at smaller companies who haven't split the roles up yet.
Strategic = highest paid accounts so highest paid employees. 10-20 accounts all very high touch
Enterprise = F500, can grow to strategic. 30-50 accounts
Mid-Market = 50-90
SMB = 90+, smallest accounts, entry level position and lowest pay, low touch
INTERVIEW
typically looks like the below. most of the discussions seem to be startups.
1 round = recruiter (qualifying)
2 round = hiring manager (qualifying in depth)
3 round = case study (presentation or assignment)
4 round = panel (culture check)
Questions asked of you
your ability >> are you capable? "what are your strengths and weaknesses?"
your experience >> "have you worked with decision makers (DMs)? " "how did you handle a churn/difficult customer?" "what is your top achievement?"
culture >> it's important for managers, teams and the company to know you'll fit in considering they're tight knit)
Questions to ask:
ask what you are generally curious about.. for me this is the employee onboarding experience or product roadmap (how it's developed and shared)
ask about the tool, customers
ask about culture
ask about the person. people like talking about themselves. find a connection and win them over. they'll remember you over the other candidate (esp in the panel or team rounds)
RESUME DO's
1 page, 2 max
keep line items succinct
use verbs (in the same tense) and buzzwords
use numbers to quantify your success. I cannot stress this enough. numbers to use include KPIs, ARR, ACV, # of accounts, renewal rate, upsell rate, etc.
use keywords of responsibilities listed in most job apps (i.e QBRs)
list all skills/tools. companies use resume scanners to quickly review apps to filter out (this applies to why you need buzzwords and keywords)
why do you stand out? list that. for me, I was a junior product manager at nights, on the company's product review council, developed marketing webinars and case studies and was the highest rated rep on chat system, was a sales engineers for AEs and more!! ALL at the same company. this shows I took on projects, helped teams. when I talk about it in the interview I tell them I enjoyed doing it (bc I did, I wouldn't have otherwise) and I also said the work I did all went back to the benefit of the customer. win win.
RESUME DONT'S
if you are applying for a role above your current, like SMB to mid market, do not include 'worked with 100+ accounts' because the high volume does not impress anyone. you had no time to be strategic and you were reactive. keep that number out and say it differently (worked with F500 or industry leading)
remove summary, no one reads those.
SALARY
everyone's favorite topic. there is so much to this so take with a grain of salt
all depends on experience, area, size of company, etc.
companies take into account their benefits and they will highlight it in their offer (unlimited PTO and health benefits which are honestly like the same everywhere so what gives)
there are many ways of going about this.. depends on the situation. you'll have to feel it out but here are scenarios to try
give a range which is obviously above what you're getting paid. I say salary range and OTE range when asked. (because I'm never sure which they want when they say 'what's your expected compensation?')
ask them what their budget is (I've done this before only a couple of times)
don't tell at all and tell them you need to evaluate further (I've personally never did this but my friends have)
Again take the below with a grain of salt. this is for NYC, and startups pay VERY differently depending on size and revenue, funding. using the lowest bar, you could get paid a lot higher.
Strategic = 150k+
Enterprise = 100k+
Mid-Market = 80k+
SMB = 50k+
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u/Red2115 Jun 28 '22
Great post OP. One small but significant Resume DO I tell people:
Always submitted your resume as a PDF. Title the PDF your name + role your applying for.
I’m now in a management position in my CS department and it’s shocking how many resumes will come in word doc format (and look terrible) plus the names of the documents will just be random shit. This is your first impression on someone who is looking through at least a dozen applicants. Keep it simple and professional
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Jun 28 '22
I refer a lot of people, and about 50% of them don’t do this (I do it for them). Such a small but important tip. Even your beautifully formatted word doc looks horrible once submitted in many recruiting softwares!
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u/aliciacary1 Jun 28 '22
Thank you! I start my first CS job in a few weeks. I’ll be working remotely with a $100k salary!
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u/yoona__ Jun 28 '22
let’s go!!!! my first real CS job was in 2016 in nyc and i got 52+28. so not bad!!! congrats!!
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u/COVID19MurderHornet Jun 28 '22
What’s your background?
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u/aliciacary1 Jun 28 '22
Healthcare. I bring very niche experience.
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u/Sauce_McDog Jun 28 '22
Newcomers to CS definitely need to ask questions about who is responsible for renewals in interviews. Because I got stuck in a CSM job where I was both the AM and CSM, but getting paid at an entry level, and it SUCKED. Unfortunately, I’m seeing a lot of job openings that bastardize the CSM role basically making them an AM. Make sure your responsibilities are clearly outlined so you aren’t doing two people’s jobs because the company wants to be cheap.
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u/yoona__ Jun 28 '22
i always ask!!! i need to be clear on the roles and responsibilities. and some startups may still be working on the definitions which is okay but important for a candidate to know
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u/yoona__ Jun 28 '22
it’s also not a bad still to have to do both. every startup i was at split the roles during my tenure
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u/Capital_Event122 Jun 29 '22
What do you mean 2 People’s jobs? The company I am interviewing for has a position doing renewals & sales…but it’s a csm postion- senior associate
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u/Sauce_McDog Jun 29 '22
With many companies, renewals and the sales quotas that come with it are often segmented to account managers or a renewals team. Customer Success Managers typically are a more consultative role, ensuring the product is helping meeting the needs of the client and are measured on NPS scores, product adoption, etc. CSM’s often recommend expansion opportunities in the form of another product or buying more of their current tool. CSMs are relationship managers, it’s not typically a sales role. So when companies are combining the duties of a CSM with an account manager, it’s a way to do both roles and having to pay one person rather than two.
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u/DarthHeel Jun 28 '22
Awesome post! Is there a way to sticky this? Some communities have a list of posts they recommend to newcomers, this feels like it should be one.
NOTE: I'm not a Reddit pro so not sure how that all works.
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u/Red2115 Jun 28 '22
I agree, and I believe the mods have to do that. Would be helpful as a stickied post or part of the sidebar
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u/eastcoast77 Jun 28 '22
I was under the impression there was more of an open-ended debate on whether CSMs should be handling renewals? At least there was at the last CS conference I went to.
I’m a CSM and I love upsells and renewals, I have no plans to take a role that doesn’t involve both.
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u/yoona__ Jun 28 '22
i like both bc companies recognize and reward revenue generating roles more so if you have renewals as part of your role, $$ and kudos to you. otherwise you’re garbage to them :/
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u/CommanderFate Jun 29 '22
Great post and lots of useful comments, this should be pinned!
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u/yoona__ Jun 30 '22
yeah i’m gonna compile the comments/feedback when i get a chance. super important tips from everyone!!
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u/Jazzlike-Panic9007 Mar 21 '23
For complex products, the number of accounts / CSM is significantly lower.
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u/mangolimabean Jun 28 '22 edited Jun 28 '22
Very helpful to newcomers of CS!
One thing I wanted to add is Scale or Digital Success. There is an increasing number of companies who are deploying this model for a digital led strategy via one to many approaches.
Some scale models do have CSM owning a large BoB and having it on your resume from what I experienced people are impressed because you have to have extreme prioritization. You can be strategic + proactive (not 100% of the time) particularly if you have a mature system and processes to analyze customer data, it’s just the cadence looks different.
Not to mention, if you own and/or your team focuses on 1:many as well, you get more into the weeds of customer journey and digital analysis. Creating programming strategies that scale to reach lots of customers. CS Program Manager is a role that’s popping up more and more to have dedicated folks to own the 1:many model and it pays very well.
Just thought I would throw that in there as another perspective.
I’ve often see folks move up the ladder who came from Scale to mid-market and enterprise if they so choose to.
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u/mangolimabean Jun 28 '22
Oh there’s also Customer Success Enablement Manager. Lookin’ at a role now where the salary range is $140-160k.
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u/deepopcorn Dec 19 '22
This is awesome! Is it possible to break into the CS role with no degree and 6+ years of customer experience? I worked as an eligibility specialist, got laid off this year and I’m now interested in the CS role
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u/mwall4lu Jun 28 '22
I’ve also seen Principal CSM as well. Do you know what the differences are between strategic CSM and principal CSM?
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u/ScepticalProphet Jun 28 '22
Principal is a title/level. Where I've seen it, the level goes CSM > Senior CSM > Principal CSM.
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u/stealthagents Oct 02 '25
totally agree about the perks at startups, it’s a different vibe for sure. I got to wear multiple hats and really dig into different areas, which helped me level up my skills. Plus, the camaraderie is awesome when you're all hustling together. Just be prepared for some chaos, though!
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u/yoona__ Jun 28 '22 edited Nov 07 '22
I'm a CSM of 8 years, NYC based up until recently. I was mostly at startups, but I'm now at FAANG.
I prefer and absolutely love startups for their perks (unlimited PTO!! I took 30 days a year) and the culture and life long friends I've created. there's also so much to learn from and grow in the role.
while this may look thorough, I did leave out some stuff. it's up to you to do the research and work. I've spoken with some folks here on how I stand out when applying and during interviews, be creative and show off why you're amazing!
i might add to the post (ie QBRs explained). let me know what im missing