CSM Flashcards
Vision
To live and work in a community where learning never ends.
Mission
To educate and mentor young people to reach their full potential.
Customer Service vs Customer Success
Customer Service is reactive while Customer Success proactive. It’s long-term. A CSM supports the software that their company developed. A CSM wants to ensure that their customer reaches their business goals.
As an example: Your company developed software to be used by gym owners. These owners use it to communicate to their customers for things like class sign-ups, announcements, invoicing, payment collection, staffing, etc. The more the gym owner uses the software to integrate and automate their business, the more time they can spend doing other things.
SAR #1 - Solve By Sundown
Here’s an example. At Pepsi, I led a new initiative called Solve By Sundown. If a customer called with a product issue by 5pm, we would solve it to their satisfaction by the end of the day.
It was my job to make sure that sales, operations, and finance were aligned, and I wrote the processes which we all followed.
In our first year, we touched well over 2500 customers and I’m happy to say that I led our team to reach our goal of 100% SbS issues and that we were able to generate and additional $100,000 per year in add-on sales as a result of this initiative.
SAR #2 - AIM CSM - What I was tasked with
Let me give you an example: When I was hired at my previous company, I was tasked with reducing the customer churn rate, which hovered around 10%. We developed software specifically for companies to use with job postings. It because clear to me very quickly that the customers were intimidated and overwhelmed using the program—especially with the pieces that would do the most good.
By first understanding their goals and then giving them real-time, hands-on training, I was able to relieve some of that intimidation factor and show them how they would get a return on their investment.
During my first year, my churn rate was 7%, and I dropped it to 5.5% the following year.
SAR #3 - Increase Revenue
I led a team of six people across three states with revenue of $20MM, and I was in charge of our largest customer.
They didn’t have anyone specifically assigned to their account and they were feeling neglected. When I came on board, I took the time to thorougly learn their business, what their challenges were and what they felt was missing.
After reengaging them and gaining their trust, I was able to take them from $1.9MM in annual revenue to $2.2MM, a 16% increase.
SAR #4 - Pick Up Vending Machines
The board of directors authorized each market across the country to pick up under-performing vending machines and not penalize them. We had three months to complete this project. I led our team in this effort which covered three states.
I was tasked with identifying 2000+ machines throughout our region. This required me to work closely with our customers and multiple teams from within to schedule, monitor, and track the work as I went along. By picking up the machines and redeploying them, I saved the company half a million dollars that year and I was presented the President’s Circle of Excellence Award for my work.
Customer Success Manager - 30 Second Intro
I’m a customer success wizard. I ensure my customers achieve their desired outcome by using the software that my company developed.
I love working on customer problems and am able to gain their trust and ask deep, probing questions to find out what their goals are and what’s getting in the way of reaching them. When I do that, then we can work together and get where they want to go.
Strengths Finder
Arranger - I can simplify complex projects. I have the ability to take the lead on a project and I’m flexible enough to rearrange my tactics without getting flustered as new circumstances pop up.
Developer - I love to share information on what’s worked—and what hasn’t—with others, so we can all succeed.
Input - I’m inquisitive and like to learn. I ask questions so I can understand someone better or in order to make clear what’s expected of me.
Learner - If there’s an opportunity to learn a new technology in the office, I’ll gladly be that person and present it to others when it’s time to roll it out.
Responsibility - Rock-solid. Dedicated. Dependable. True to my word.
Words & Phrases to know
Able to adjust priorities in real-time and stay focused
Test & Learn. Pivot, but stay on track
As a customer is looking for return on investment and value from their investment, why is that important to you?
It’s important to me because if my customer achieves their return, they’ll be happy, they’ll have more trust in me as a partner.
I hadacustomer that was looking to hire an entire team from the ground up. They purchased our product and through my interactions withthe client, I was able to conduct a successfulonboardingand training experience thatled tothe decision to use our services exclusively, saving her company $1000s of dollars over time.
Can you share when you have coached a customer to explore new ideas or innovation? Share what happened next.
While at Pepsi,I had a sit-down pizza chain I was calling on and they were trying to expand their takeout business. Fountain soft drinks are one of the most profitable items any restaurant sells, but customers don’t like fountain drinks as a carry-out option. They were reluctant to lose the margin and consider trying a different package, but I convinced them to try selling2 litersin one location for three months as a test.
After about a month and a half, they saw enough of an increase in sales at their one location that they rolled it out to their other six locations, and I increased my2-litersales by about 2000 cases per year and they saw and addition $20k in revenue per year.
Why customer success?
I’ve spent my career in customer-facing roles.I love technology and I get a real kick out of helping people learn how to make the most out of the product. (I’m one of the people who actually reads the iPhone manual so I can get the most out of it.)
I build positive relationships,gain the trust of my customers,and take satisfaction from seeing them become product champions.
Tell me about a time when you had a difficult conversation with a customer and how you handled it.
I had a customer who was frustrated by the amount of time they were spending sorting through applicants. Through discussion, I realized that she wasn’t using the ATS portion of the software because she felt it was too time-consuming. I didn’t train this particular person on the software—she was the department manager—but I did train her team. Once I showed her what I had shown the others she understood how she could use our product in a much more efficient manner.
We had such a positive encounter that she recommended us to her sister-in-law who was an HRM at another business.
How do you typically de-escalate a situation with an angry customer?
Listen first and validate their concern with empathy.
Take responsibility to resolve without any excuses regardless of “whose job it is.”
