5 Reasons Customer Success is a Smart Career Pivot
A generation ago people chose a career and that’s what they did. No matter how much they outgrew it, felt trapped, felt bored, hated their quality of life, wanted something better. Till they retired. Thank goodness we live in different times! According to the World Economic Forum, “the quit rate is at an all time high.” But for many mid-career professionals it’s not as simple as walking out. What will you do next?
Don’t let the name confuse you, Customer Success is not a Customer Service /tech support/ call-center job. So what is it? Companies of all types use technology powered by software to get business done. From waiters entering a food order to Fortune 50 companies tracking cyber threats, software has to fit into the daily routines of the users and work seamlessly with other tools the business uses. If the buyer doesn’t feel like it helped to do these things, the customer won’t pay for it again.
Enter the Customer Success Manager who:
Builds relationships with clients to understand the big picture of what the customer is trying to accomplish with your product or service to achieve their unique business goals
Uses their expertise to advise the client on the best way to use the features, engage with the end-users, and configure the software for their unique needs
Helps the buyers feel successful, they need to understand the value they are getting and why they should continue to invest in your product or service
Communicates internally to help your own company better meet your client’s current and future needs
Why should you consider a career pivot to Customer Success?
As a mid-career professional you are already an expert on what it takes to get work done for customers like you. These transferable skills give you a distinct advantage in building trust and credibility with clients using software in your industry. For example; a former warehouse manager would have a unique understanding of the difficulties of teaching a distributed workforce of truck drivers. So they could offer informed advice on rolling out a new route planning software to drivers, which would add tremendous value.Put your years of experience to use!
Customer Success offers all the advantages of working for a tech company which typically includes normal office hours, possible remote work, competitive salary which could even include stock or equity, and great benefits. But you don’t have to learn to code. Let’s face it, sitting in front of a computer looking for syntax errors isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s okay, tech companies don’t just need engineers. There is a big difference between developing software and managing relationships with people who use the finished product. Both are needed for a technology company to survive.
As the 6th fastest growing career, demand for CSMs far outpaces supply. Technology is the fastest growing industry in the world, so there is no sign of this slowing down any time soon. The Customer Success career path is relatively new, so as we see continued 10x growth year after year, the opportunity for career growth is fantastic. What was just the Customer Success Manager (CSM) function a few years ago has split off to CS Operations, Implementation, Customer Learning, CS enablement, CX, and complex CSM tiering structures. From an entry-level Customer Success Associate to Chief Customer Officer, once you are in, there are many options for continued growth and upward mobility.
Do you get bored easily? While your true north will always be helping your clients to succeed, each one is different and technology is constantly evolving. You’ll be called on to be creative, analytical, organized, flexible, and most of all to embrace change. CSMs have a wide and varied scope of work, so no two days are the same.
Your work can make a meaningful difference in the world as a CSM. You could be helping non-profits to learn how to source volunteers with your software. You could be implementing health-tech software to bring inclusive access to rural patients. You could be supporting first-responders to dispatch fire fighters efficiently. You could be helping classroom teachers personalize learning for special needs kids. Whatever cause you care about, as a CSM, you can help the people on the frontline to be more effective. You’ll get to know your clients as a trusted advisor and often as a friend. You’ll measure and celebrate your impact together.
Does this sound like a good career for you? Let us know in the comments what else you’d like to know about Customer Success.
If CSM sounds like a great option for you but you’re not sure how to get your foot in the door, follow our LinkedIn page or schedule a free consultation with a RecastSuccess representative to learn about our bootcamp and career counseling services.
