The Growth Of The Customer Success Manager

When a business buyer makes an initial purchase from a seller, it’s only the start of the value exchange between the two. Most of the mutual value accrues over time as the customer benefits and both continues and expands purchasing. Consequently, more companies are shifting responsibility for ongoing customer care and growth from an account manager to a customer success manager (CSM). When done right, CSMs are a powerful growth engine!

To assist with the growth of the industry here are my top 3 reasons why ever SaaS company should have a thriving CSM team:

1. Advocate for the company.

Since a CSM works one-on-one with customers, they have an opportunity to significantly influence the customer base. They should act as personal cheerleaders for your business explaining to customers why you can meet their specific needs. This positive reputation will not only keep your customers satisfied, but it will also create advocates for future sales.

2. Encourage upsells and cross-sells.

Another way to increase a customer's lifetime value is through upselling and cross-selling. CSMs are dedicated to fulfilling customer goals, which creates an opportunity to introduce premium products and services. When customers are ideal for an upgrade, CSMs can meet with them to explain why the additional purchase will be helpful. Since your CSM will have a rapport with the customer, they'll be more likely to trust their advice!

3. Follow up on renewals.

The job of the CSM is to create loyal, repeat customers instead of one-time users. Therefore, renewals are key for this position. CSMs should keep track of customer product expiration dates -- whether they be monthly, quarterly, or annually -- and follow up with customers to renew their contracts. Without following up, you risk potential churn which impacts your customer retention rates.

With the growth of the CSM role it will be interesting to see how organisations are positioning themselves to leverage their existing customer base for underlying growth.