Customer Success Manager as career

Ranjan K Baruah *

We are living in an economy or world where customer is important for any business. Now customers have also changed from needs to style or luxury.

Generally in the past customers used to buy or deal with products or services which were needed for them or which were really important. But in recent years we have seen the change in the mindset of the customers and the way they shop or purchase from market either online or off line starting from basic needs like foods to luxury items.

As the customers are changing so the sellers are also changing their way of retaining customers as they have learnt that customer is not only for one time but they can be engaged longer for different sales. Customer-centric enterprises no longer focus exclusively on account management, customer support, or client services.

They are operating by a new set of rules and growing the lifetime value of customers. They understand customers’ business priorities and desired outcomes and make sure everyone in the company focuses on unlocking that value for customers.

In simple when a business buyer makes an initial purchase from any seller, it’s only the start of the value exchange between both parties. This is mutual and there are all possibilities that relationship expands in due course of time as there might be other needs of the customers and seller might provide the need of the customer.

More companies are changing responsibility for in progress customer care and growth from an account manager to a customer success manager (CSM). The CSM title was almost unheard of a decade ago. One of the LinkedIn survey identified customer success manager as the second most promising sales job for 2019, behind enterprise account executive which is making it one of the emerging career in India too.

It is a multi tasking role as one must have to make sure to retain customers and also satisfy them. They try to bridge the gap between service and sales, between company interest and customer interest, and between product expertise and customer insight. They are important in their companies as they enhance sales and also enhance in the growth of the company.

CSM would be engaged depending on the size of the customers or their accounts. The CSM success profile is more like a consulting profile than a sales one. They have to build trust and maintain the same with their customers. CSM might be engaged with different companies or corporate which may start from a mega mart to financial institutions.

It is relatively very new term in the career avenue but will be in demand in recent times as more marketing options and opportunities have increased. Like offline there are also opportunities to work with online or digital marketing platforms where there are sales and services.

Aspirants may study business management or business studies to get into this profession. They might take special advance diploma but with experiences learning is more and one may establish in the area. Aspirants must have effective communication skills and other skills to be successful as a CSM.

Exam Updates:

NEET 2020: National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for admission into under graduate courses related to medical would be conducted by NTA on 3rd May, 2020 in all over India. Students from science stream who aspires to study medical in the country or even abroad may appear in NEET and fill in the forms before 31st December.