Why Teachers Make the Perfect Customer Success Managers

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” my mom would ask me at the beginning of each school year.

And since first grade my response was always the same: “a teacher”. I simply loved the idea of helping and leading others, even as a 7-year-old. After graduating from Arizona State University with my MA in Curriculum & Instruction, I landed the perfect job at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

While I worked in the classroom, my friend had started working at a tech startup. He began encouraging me to apply as a Customer Success Manager. My friend knew I would excel in the role even though I had zero experience within the SaaS industry because my teaching experience was strikingly similar to his CSM role.?

After 5 lightning-fast years as an English teacher I moved beyond the classroom and into the office. Now 7 years into the Customer Success industry, here are 3 reasons why I feel teachers make the perfect Customer Success Managers.

Reason 1: Teachers are Advocates

Teachers are advocates for their students. We take the time to know each and every child that enters our classroom and as a result become part of their support system. When working so closely with students, you became aware of:

• tone
• engagement
• mood
• personality

And it’s through this active listening that teachers can become advocates for their students’ strengths and opportunities.

Similarly, an excellent Customer Success Manager brings to the table a customer-centric approach each time they pick up the phone or send an email. It’s their job to focus on solving the customer’s long-term needs much like they did throughout the school year for each student. The most successful CSMs have empathy at the forefront of each customer relationship.

Reason 2: Teachers take Ownership

Teachers are accustomed to responsibility. It’s through a myriad of skills they run their classes like a book of business. Some skills I quickly picked up early on in teaching were:

• time management and organization skills
• problem-solving and decision-making
• managing and communicating to large groups
• providing feedback and constructive criticism
• coaching individuals toward improved performance

At any given time, a teacher is a mentor, adviser, coach, manager, facilitator and project manager.?

This type of ownership mentality transfers to Customer Success seamlessly. CSMs are expected to utilize decision-making skills and be held accountable for their customer’s progress. I have seen time and time again CSMs readily respond to change and it’s those time management and organization skills that keeps them aligned to our team charter and company goals.

Reason 3: Teachers are Leaders

Teachers enter classrooms with a growth mindset. They become trusted advisers to hundreds of students each school year and guide students in their development. Teachers are natural leaders that quickly become master communicators of their space managing 5-6 classes a day with 30+ students in each class.

Now, think of these 5-6 classes not full of students but with customers. Teachers are more than capable of managing books of business of 100+ customers and businesses. They are experienced leaders who want to see others succeed. In the same way, CSMs are mentors to customers.

Summary:

Like teaching, leading Customer Success teams focused on driving customer loyalty and delivering business value to our customers has been a rewarding and meaningful experience. I thrive on empowering team members to achieve their best in a fast-paced environment.

My goal?as a teacher has not changed as a Customer Success Leader. My mission is to know my team members and their needs and then create one-of-a-kind development experiences. I want to impact people by focusing on their strengths and natural talents while promoting productivity and collaboration in the workplace.

For transitioning teachers and current jobseekers: check out https://tealhq.co/yanira to simplify your job search and land your next position sooner.