The digital transformation of companies is in full swing, and is having a major impact on customer relations. Today, companies must offer their customers a fluid, rapid and efficient experience and follow-up. To meet this need for immediacy, companies need to rethink their development strategy, placing customer loyalty at the heart of their concerns. The job of Customer Success Manager is now an essential position in the digital world, since it is the "guarantor" of this successful customer experience.
Decoding this promising profession
What's its role?
The role of Customer Success Manager (or CSM) is to maintain good customer relations by focusing on the development of the portfolio and proactively ensuring user satisfaction. The goal is twofold: loyalty and retention.
From the moment of onboarding, customers have a privileged contact: their account manager, who may be a CSM or CSP. In particular, the CSM enhances the human dimension of our exchanges by creating an atmosphere of trust and benevolence. Responsible for the adoption and training of the customer, the CSM assists the customer in mastering the tool(s).
At this stage, his role is already a precursor of the added value delivered to the customer. Also wearing the hat of an advisor, he proactively monitors his customers' activities, suggesting anything that might be positive or "king-ste".
The CSM is just as important internally. He carries the customer's voice internally and, through his advice and observation, enables all teams to work together towards the common goal of delivering fast and well.
What are its objectives?
Summed up in one sentence, the main aim of CSM is tohelp customers achieve their own objectives by making full and optimal use of the product or service offered by their company.
The CSM is responsible for many issues that have a direct impact on the relationship with the supplier company. It also meets more specific objectives
- Supporting customers in using the solution
- Customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Increase the customer's Customer-Lifetime Value
- Represent the voice of the customer to other company departments
- Analyze performance indicators to continually optimize strategy
Missions
The Customer Success Manager is assigned a number of missions in response to these challenges:
- Analyze and identify customer needs;
- Develop expansion and loyalty strategiesSupport users in adopting the service and practice up-selling (as needed);
- Act as a point of contact and provide ongoing after-sales service to ensure the best possible response to customer needs;
- Redu feed-back terrain ;
- Exploiting customer data ;
- Selling (up-sell, cross-sell, constant work with AMs) ;
- Ally and coordinate other work/project teams.
When Success Management benefits the company
Having such a customer relations specialist on your team has a considerable positive impact on your company's efficiency.
A strategic ally close to customers
At the heart of the customer experience...
Each customer has his own definition of the value of a solution and the measure of its success. So it's important to pay close attention to your entire portfolio. This is where the CSM comes in, in the post-purchase phase. It is the CSM's job to support the customer in using the service or product, and to advise him or her. It provides training and responds to customer concerns.
CSM's success is its customer's success: the realization of its objectives through optimal use of the solution offered by the company.
... loyalty, retention, expansion
At a time when the need for instant answers is becoming ever more pressing, CSM is a real added value for every company. By offering such a high-quality service, a company stands out from its competitors and considerably enhances its reputation.
The CSM's missions are very varied, and it is also in charge of the lesser-known subjects of expansion, retention and acquisition. Even if they are not precursors of the AARRR framework, they play a commercial role, which has also been forgotten. Right from the onboarding stage, he's responsible for ensuring the long-term viability of the contract and the relationship. To do this, he has to juggle the roles of consultant and up-seller.
Genuine guarantor of customer data and customer voice within the company
Customer relationship indicators
The CSM defines and monitors performance indicators. CQFD. It monitors the evolution of the loyalty strategy adopted and its impact on customers. These data are invaluable tools for identifying appropriate strategies, measuring the effectiveness of the services provided, and identifying areas for improvement.
Based on this information, he must constantly adapt his action plan (cf. customer roadmap) to optimize the company's offering.
Collaboration with all teams
The CSM rethinks the development of the company's strategy, placing customer satisfaction at its heart (cf. "customer-centric"). He or she mobilizes and coaches internal teams to establish and deploy actions (with the Product team in particular) aimed at improving customer experience and loyalty.
They are present for the customer at every point of contact, giving them an overall view of the customer lifecycle. The CSM analyzes customer complaints globally and shares them with other teams. Based on customer feedback, it considerably improves the efficiency of the services delivered.
Thanks to performance indicators, they have the resources they need to solve problems before they arise. As a result, the company is able to provide a product or service that better meets their customers' expectations, rather than just selling for the sake of selling.
The CSM is the customer's voice to the company's other departments. As the customer's first point of contact, the CSM listens to his or her needs and expectations.
He reports requests for improvements to his colleagues and plays a direct part in the growth of the product he supports.
