Estimated salary range: $59,000–$120,000 USD
For positions in USA
For positions in USA
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The role of customer success manager is crucial in reducing customer churn by bringing customer care and sales approaches, and priorities, together. Customer success manager responsibilities include:
- Onboarding and educating customers on product usage
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients
- Identifying opportunities for upselling and cross-selling
- Addressing customer inquiries and resolving issues
- Monitoring customer satisfaction and success metrics
Below is a job description template built specifically for the customer success manager. Feel free to use it and adapt it to your specific needs.
About [Company]
This section convinces candidates to apply for a role at your Company instead of another. Include practical information about the Company, as well as details about its culture and values.
[Company] helps [Target] do [x].
[Company] consists of over [x] employees spanning over [x] countries, meeting the needs of our valued customers. Our unified yet diverse culture keeps us continually learning and innovating ourselves and our products.
Our market-leading technology, expertise, and global team are crucial to our success and customer satisfaction, so we deliver the best products on the market.
Why should you be part of [Company] success story?
We envision a world of [x].
We offer [Target] all the tools they need.
There’s never been a more exciting time to join [Company]
About the customer success manager role
Consider whether you need a description of the role or prefer to list duties and responsibilities directly as a bullet-point list.
As our customer success manager (CSM), you’ll play an important role in ensuring the long-term success and satisfaction of clients by understanding their needs, providing proactive customer support, and fostering strong relationships.
You understand how the responsibilities of a customer success manager impact the bottom line, playing one of the most vital roles in the Company.
The customer success manager role involves the following day-to-day responsibilities:
- Boosting customer loyalty by building and maintaining solid relationships with existing and new customers, acting as their main point of contact
- Proactively identifying customer needs and goals, developing strategies to help them achieve success with the product or service
- Conducting regular check-ins and meetings with the existing customer base to assess their satisfaction, address any customer issues, and provide ongoing support
- Collaborating with internal teams, such as the sales team, support team, product team, and the rest of the customer success team, to ensure a smooth customer onboarding process, implementation, and resolution of any issues
- Monitoring customer usage and adoption of the product or service throughout the customer journey, analyzing data and metrics to identify trends and areas for improvement
- Providing product training and education to customers, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to maximize the product’s offerings and any new features
About compensation
The more openly you talk about compensation and benefits, the more honest and attractive your job listing will be. We suggest a brief introduction about the values behind your compensation package, followed by a bullet-point list with the details of what is offered.
- Salary
- Bonuses
- Equity
- Perks
- PTO
- Personal development budget
- Health and wellness budget
- Pension plan
- Insurance contribution
- Off-sites or events
Use Deel's expertise to make an informed decision.
Customer Success Manager Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or a relevant field is preferred
- Certifications in customer success or related areas are valued
- [X] years of experience in a customer-facing role, preferably in customer success, account management, or a related field
- Experience working within a B2B SaaS environment
- Familiarity with customer success tools and software, such as CRM platforms
- Proficiency in Excel or other data analysis tools is valuable for assessing customer data
- Experience working with NPS scores and surveys is a big advantage
Customer Success Manager Skills
List the soft skills and personal qualities you are looking for in the perfect candidate.- Excellent communication skills - you possess strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively interact with customers, understand their needs, and convey information clearly, boosting the customer experience
- Empathy - genuine empathy for customers is crucial to build relationships and retain customers through active listening and implementing customer feedback to create personalized solutions
- Relationship-building - interpersonal skills and relationship management are important for building and nurturing relationships, enabling you to establish trust, develop rapport, and maintain long-term partnerships
- Problem-solving - being adept at analyzing complex situations, identifying root causes of issues, and finding creative solutions is one of the fundamental customer success manager skills
- Strategic thinking - you can understand the bigger picture and align customer objectives with the overall business goals and provide guidance to customers to boost customer retention and lower churn rates
- Time management and organization - as a customer success manager, you’ll be handling multiple accounts simultaneously, and you’ll need strong time and project management skills to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and effectively manage customer relationships
- Sales skills - you can identify the opportunity to cross-sell and upsell, and you are proficient in presenting demos to help customers understand the benefits of the product
How much does a Customer Success Manager make?
Determining the exact salary of a Customer Success Manager can vary based on factors such as experience, location, industry, and the size of the organization. Here is a general overview of median salaries for Customer Success Managers:
- North America: In North America, particularly the United States and Canada, Customer Success Managers typically earn a median annual salary ranging from $80,000 to $120,000.
- Europe: In Europe, salaries for Customer Success Managers vary across countries. In Western European countries, median salaries can range from €60,000 to €90,000 or more annually.
- Middle East and North Africa: Median salaries in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia can range from $50,000 to $80,000 annually.
- Asia-Pacific: Customer Success Manager salaries in the Asia-Pacific region can vary widely. In countries like Australia, Singapore, or Japan, median wages range from $70,000 to $100,000 or more.
Additional salary-related considerations
While these figures provide a general indication, consider other factors when assessing Customer Success Manager salaries:
- Industry: Salaries may vary based on the industry. Customer Success Managers in sectors with high competition or specialized customer success requirements may receive different compensation.
- Geographic location: Cost of living in different regions can significantly influence the real value of a salary.
- Experience level: More experienced Customer Success Managers or those with a proven track record may command higher salaries.
Individuals considering a career as a Customer Success Manager should focus on gaining customer-focused experience, developing strong relationship-building skills, and staying informed about industry trends to excel in this pivotal role directly impacting customer satisfaction and retention.
How to become a Customer Success Manager
Becoming a Customer Success Manager typically involves a combination of education, practical experience, and the development of key skills focused on ensuring customer satisfaction and fostering long-term relationships. While there isn't a rigid, standardized path to becoming a Customer Success Manager, several common steps can guide individuals aspiring to this role.
Common pathways to becoming a Customer Success Manager
Product and industry knowledge
It is crucial to build a strong foundation in the product or service and the industry in which it operates. Customer Success Managers should familiarize themselves with the features and capabilities of the product, as well as industry trends, to provide valuable guidance and support to customers.
Effective communication skills
Strong communication skills are vital for Customer Success Managers. They need to convey complex information, address customer concerns, and articulate the product's value proposition. Developing effective communication skills fosters positive relationships with customers and internal teams.
Proactive problem-solving
Being proactive in identifying and addressing customer issues is a key responsibility. Customer Success Managers should actively anticipate challenges, work to prevent potential problems, and offer solutions to enhance the overall customer experience.
Networking
Building a professional network within the customer success community and related industries is valuable. Participating in customer success conferences, joining relevant associations, and connecting with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn can provide insights, share best practices, and offer opportunities for collaboration and career growth.
Customer success manager education
Degree
While not strictly mandatory, obtaining a relevant degree can significantly contribute to building a solid foundation for a successful Customer Success Manager (CSM) career. Aspiring CSMs often pursue degrees at the bachelor's or master's level in fields that enhance their understanding of customer-centric principles, relationship-building, and effective communication.
Degrees that can be particularly beneficial for a Customer Success Manager career include:
- Business administration
- Marketing
- Communications
- Customer experience management
- Psychology (with a focus on human behavior)
Training and workshops
In addition to formal education, participating in workshops and training sessions focused on customer success, relationship management, and effective communication can significantly enhance your skills and professional profile as a Customer Success Manager. Consider attending training in the following areas to strengthen your capabilities:
- Customer-centric communication strategies
- Relationship management and building customer loyalty
- Advanced customer success strategies and practices
- User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) principles for enhanced customer satisfaction
- Leadership and management in a customer-centric environment
Alternative career paths
In some cases, individuals transition into the role of Customer Success Manager from different professional backgrounds. Understanding which roles align well with a transition to customer success management can help plan a successful career switch.
Roles that fit well with a transition to Customer Success Manager generally fall into these fields:
Account management
Professionals with experience in account management or sales may transition into customer success management, building on their skills in building and maintaining relationships.
Product management
Individuals with a background in product management, especially in understanding customer requirements, may transition into customer success management.
By following these pathways, gaining relevant education and experience, developing key skills, and staying engaged with the customer success community, individuals can work towards achieving a successful career as a Customer Success Manager.
Account management
Professionals with a background in account management, including account managers or customer account executives, can seamlessly transition to the role of a Customer Success Manager. Their experience building relationships with clients, understanding client needs, and ensuring client satisfaction aligns well with customer success management's relationship-focused and customer-centric aspects.
Sales
Professionals from a sales background may excel in onboarding customers, driving customer engagement, and ensuring clients' long-term success and retention, crucial skills in customer success roles.
What is a customer success manager?
A customer success manager (CSM) is a professional that works to ensure the success and satisfaction of clients or customers who use a company's products or services. Their role focuses on building strong relationships, understanding customer needs, and guiding customers towards achieving their goals through the effective use of the company's offerings.
What does a customer success manager do?
A customer success manager works closely with clients to understand their objectives and challenges. They provide personalized support, offer product recommendations, deliver training, address concerns, and act as a liaison between clients and internal teams. CSMs aim to maximize customer value and retention by ensuring clients derive the most benefit from the products or services.
What makes a great customer success manager?
A great customer success manager possesses strong communication skills, empathy, problem-solving abilities, and a deep understanding of the products or services they support. They are proactive, attentive to customer needs, and able to foster trust and rapport. Being adaptable, knowledgeable, and dedicated to delivering value to customers are key traits.
What is the difference between CSM and AE?
While both roles involve customer interaction, a customer success manager (CSM) focuses on nurturing existing client relationships to ensure their success and satisfaction. They work to understand clients' goals and challenges, provide solutions, and offer ongoing support. An account executive (AE) is more sales-oriented, responsible for acquiring new clients, negotiating deals, and bringing in new business.
What problems do customer success managers solve?
Customer success managers solve a range of problems to enhance customer experience and success. They address issues such as:
- Ensuring clients effectively use products or services
- Identifying and resolving challenges clients face
- Providing guidance and training for optimal product usage
- Proactively preventing churn or customer attrition
- Aligning company offerings with client needs
- Managing expectations and delivering value to clients
- Improving customer retention and loyalty
- Advocating for customers within the company
