Demand for Customer Success Managers is rapidly increasing, thanks to the emergence of SaaS and the subscription-based economy. Customer Success Managers are essential for retaining customers and harnessing recurring revenue, upsells, and referrals. At the same time, for candidates, the Customer Success career offers plenty of avenues for career growth. In these webinar slides, Paul Reeves, the VP of Customer Success at TokBox, will provide useful tips on how to ace the interview for a Customer Success role. Paul has many years of experience as a Customer Success executive, and during this time, he has interviewed numerous candidates. He will share the insights he has gained from doing these interviews so you can be successful as a candidate. From these slides, you’ll glean important aspects of Customer Success interviews, such as: – Understanding the needs of your customer (Potential Employer) – Building a relationship while educating and onboarding about your amazing product or service (You!) – Working collaboratively with all stakeholders to realize value (Hire you!) Check out the full webinar here: https://strikedeck.com/nextgen-csm-signup-how-to-ace-your-customer-success-interview/

1. NextGen CSM - A Webinar Series
How to Ace the Customer Success Manager Interview
Customer Success at Scale

2. and

3. Presenters
Paul Reeves
VP of Customer Success,
TokBox
paulr@tokbox.com
Jeff Lowenstein
Enterprise Sales,
Strikedeck
jeff@strikedeck.com

4. The Interview Process IS the Test
It’s what a CSM does every day:
1. Understand customer needs/values
(Understand potential employer)
2. Customize and execute a success
plan (To ace the interview)
3. Build a relationship
(Know you)
4. Help stakeholders realize value (Hire
you!)
Thus, interviewers justifiably have high expectations

5. 3 Major Steps
1. Preparing 2. Engaging 3. Following up

6. 1. Preparing

7. Prepare to Impress for Interviews
Bulk of your time is spent preparing so you can interview confidently and
effectively
Lack of preparation isn’t just disrespectful, it suggests laziness, immaturity, or
at worst, stupidity because it’s hard to fake preparedness

8. When Does the Interview Start?
Yesterday!
Prospective employers are trying to fill open positions today
Searching LinkedIn profiles Networking with people who may
know you

9. A Winning Plan
Prepare enough so you can be confident and comfortable
Understand
product/company/
market/competitors
Work with recruiter to
understand role, job description,
and the interview process
Know and research
interviewers
Anticipate
questions
Practice answers
alone and with a
“friend”
CSMs are paragons of proactivity - preparation pays dividends

10. Understand the Company and its Business
Be able to say the elevator pitch
Know the milestones of its history (founded, investment, key launch)
Know its top competitors
Be familiar with latest news (press releases & other)
Sign up and download any relevant info
Try and know the product/service
Glassdoor?

11. Know Your Interviewers
Review the LinkedIn profile of every interviewer
Have they published? Mutual connections? What is their role and why do you think they’re interviewing you?
Have a few thoughtful questions prepared for each interviewer:
When did you join the company?
I noticed you joined the company in 2017. Do you think the company’s focus has
changed?
Demonstrate you did your homework but don’t brag

12. Prepare Thoughtful Questions
So, do you have any questions?
“Not really. I couldn’t be bothered to anticipate this question and prepare some
thoughtful lines of enquiry.”
“How will a successful (CSM) affect your work? “
“Can you share a case where an effective CSM worked with you to help a
customer?”

13. Maintain Your LinkedIn Profile
You may customize individual resumes for each opportunity, your LI Profile is your
professional billboard
Use a professional headshot
(not your FB avatar)
Get proofreading help to
avoid silly mistakes in
grammar/punctuation
Get critical feedback on
content/communication style
The job interview is the Super Bowl and
your LinkedIn profile is a 15-second
commercial. Budget appropriately.

14. “I made TPS reports.”
“I prepared and presented usage reports for customers to demonstrate solution
adoption growth per team during onboarding phase”
Demonstrate You Understand Value
CSMs are pros at positive communication
Your LI profile should demonstrate positive communication and business savvy
Avoid listing tactical responsibilities in your experience:

15. Earn and Showcase Recommendations
If you’ve been effective in previous roles, you should have earned LinkedIn
Recommendations
These are your professional testimonials
As a CSM, your job is about relationships. If your co-workers don’t care enough to
give you a recommendation, will a customer care enough to return your email/call?
Make it a professional habit to give and ask for accurate recommendations that
showcase strengths/accomplishments

16. Build Your Network
Always be networking
CSMs network as part of their job
Your chances of scoring the interview are much higher if you have mutual
connections with hiring company staff/hiring manager
Most companies have employee referral bonuses so your CSM friends want to
submit you for an open position

17. Avoid These Opportunity Killers
Keep in mind these mistakes and avoid them:
Believe the interview starts when the
interviewer starts talking
Fail to prepare to impress
Behave unprofessionally

18. 2. Engaging

19. Make an Ally of the Recruiting Team
A key ally is the recruiter/sourcing person
Hiring Managers generally trust/respect their sourcing partners and they’ll ask,
“What was your opinion?”
They’re not asking about the resume only, but how is it to work with the candidate
Experienced, successful sourcing people are good at reading people
Every interaction with the recruiter is part of the interview process

20. Winning the Interview
As a CSM, you’ll shine in the actual interviews:
You are confident/comfortable
because you prepared
You can establish rapport by
asking questions and listening

21. Professionalism During the Interview Process
Remember: Interviewers may know nothing about you and are looking for any clue
that you are amazing...or not
Dress like you’re
going to meet a
customer
Positive, interested,
gracious, not
obsequious
Be an effective
communicator in writing
and when speaking
Turn off your
phone
Early is on time; on time is late, late is
unacceptable
If you do run late, communicate in advance.
Apologize when you do arrive but don’t dwell on
it. Stuff happens so handle it like a pro

22. Onsite Meeting Tips
If you have to present using your own computer:
Have dongles/
connectors/power
Have printed copies
of materials
(handouts, resumes)
Bring a hotspot
Do you really want to install it DURING the interview??
Ask about meeting solutions in advance
Do you have the latest version of the software?

23. 3. Following Up

24. Show Your Appreciation
Within 24 hours, send short, personalized thank you emails to recruiter and
interviewers
Include a short insight or learning the interviewer provided
Don’t expect responses, and don’t continue to reach out

25. Assessing the Company & Team
Good companies understand strong candidates are evaluating them and manage
the process professionally
Are interviewers
prepared?
Are they
courteous?
Is the experience
well organized?
As a CSM, you’ll notice the level of the service quality and will get good insight into Culture, Team
harmony. Were you impressed?

26. Q & A
Paul Reeves
VP of Customer Success,
TokBox
paulr@tokbox.com
Jeff Lowenstein
Enterprise Sales,
Strikedeck
jeff@strikedeck.com