The CSM Role: More Than Customer Support
Customer Success is proactive; Customer Support is reactive. A CSM doesn't wait for problems—they prevent them.
Great CSMs: - Onboard customers effectively so they see value quickly - Monitor health signals and intervene before churn happens - Identify expansion opportunities within accounts - Serve as the voice of the customer internally - Build relationships that survive contact changes
They're relationship builders with commercial awareness.
Skills That Matter Most
Look for this combination of soft and hard skills:
- Empathy - Can they truly understand customer perspectives?
- Communication - Clear, professional, patient
- Organization - Managing many accounts requires systems
- Product knowledge - Quickly learns complex products
- Business acumen - Understands customer's business goals
- Resilience - Can handle frustrated customers gracefully
Interview Scenarios That Work
Role-play scenario:
"I'm a customer who's frustrated because the feature I need keeps getting delayed. We're considering cancelling. Go."
Watch for: - Do they listen first or jump to solutions? - Can they acknowledge frustration without being defensive? - Do they ask questions to understand the underlying need? - Can they buy time while offering value?
Past experience question:
"Tell me about a customer you saved from churning. What signals did you notice, and what did you do?"
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