How to become a customer success manager

Is becoming a customer success manager right for me?

The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:

Overview
What do customer success managers do?
Career Satisfaction
Are customer success managers happy with their careers?
Personality
What are customer success managers like?

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How to become a Customer Success Manager

Becoming a customer success manager involves a combination of education, relevant skills development, and practical experience. Here's a guide on how to pursue a career in customer success:

  • Educational Background: While there's no specific degree requirement for this role, having a Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field can be beneficial. Some employers may prefer candidates with a background in these areas.
  • Develop Relevant Skills: Customer success managers need strong communication skills to effectively interact with clients, understand their needs, and convey information clearly. Develop your problem-solving skills to address challenges that may arise in a customer's journey. Develop interpersonal skills and the ability to foster positive client relationships.
  • Gain Industry Knowledge: Understand the industry in which you want to work. This knowledge will help you tailor your approach to customer success based on industry-specific needs and trends.
  • Customer Service Experience: Gain experience in customer service or related roles to understand the dynamics of customer interactions. This could be through internships, entry-level positions, or relevant volunteer work.
  • Networking: Attend industry events, join online forums, and connect with professionals in the customer success field. Networking can provide valuable insights, job leads, and mentorship opportunities.
  • Certifications: Consider obtaining relevant certifications. While not mandatory, certifications such as Customer Success Manager Certification (CSMC) or Customer Success Association's Customer Success Management Professional (CSMP) can enhance your credibility.
  • Build a Strong Resume: Highlight your relevant skills, education, and experience in your resume. Emphasize any customer-focused achievements or projects you've been involved in.
  • Apply for Entry-Level Positions: Start by applying for entry-level positions in customer service, account management, or related fields. This will help you gain practical experience and build a foundation for a career in Customer Success.
  • Showcase Results: During interviews, be prepared to discuss specific instances where you've successfully managed customer relationships or resolved issues. Demonstrating tangible results will strengthen your candidacy.

Certifications
Certifications can enhance your credibility and skill set as a customer success manager. While not mandatory, they demonstrate your commitment to the field and can make you stand out to potential employers. Here are some relevant certifications:

  • Customer Success Manager Certification (CSMC): Offered by various organizations, including the Customer Success Association, this certification is designed to validate your knowledge and skills in customer success management.
  • Customer Success Association's Customer Success Management Professional (CSMP): This certification program covers key areas of customer success, including strategy, planning, and execution. It is suitable for both aspiring and experienced customer success professionals.
  • HubSpot Customer Success Certification: HubSpot offers a certification program focused on customer success. It covers topics such as customer onboarding, support, and retention strategies within the HubSpot platform.
  • Gainsight's Customer Success University: Gainsight, a prominent player in the customer success software industry, provides training and certification through its Customer Success University. The programs cover various aspects of customer success.
  • Pragmatic Institute's Customer Success Certification: Pragmatic Institute offers a certification program that covers the essentials of customer success, including customer segmentation, engagement strategies, and measuring success.
  • Salesforce Certified Success Cloud Consultant: Salesforce, a widely used CRM platform, offers a certification specifically for Customer Success Managers. It focuses on implementing and optimizing Salesforce solutions for customer success.
  • Coursera - Wharton Customer Centricity Certification: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania offers a Customer Centricity certification on Coursera. While not specific to customer success, it covers key concepts in understanding and meeting customer needs.
  • Skilljar's Customer Education Certification: Skilljar provides a certification program focused on customer education, an integral part of customer success. It covers creating effective training programs to enhance customer product knowledge.