Setting yourself up for Success

Shakira Morgan

For those of you who have made a career transition into CSM from another field/industry, what did you do to make sure you set yourself up for success? I have joined this community to learn and grow, have established relationships with a couple of CSMs who I look to as mentors AND I am currently reading The Customer Success Professional's Handbook?  Any other advice that you can give will be much welcomed. I start my new role on Monday and wan to make sure I am doing everything possible to succeed in my new journey!

Thanks in advance!

Matthew Ferguson

Hi Shakira,

If you've landed a job in Customer Success, have joined this group and have already contacted CSM to learn from, I'd say you're well on the way to being successful in CS.

I didn't really join from another field, Customer Success was just called something different when I started.

There are more qualified people on here than me to offer advice, but as you mentioned reading, there are a few books I have found useful, which I've listed below. They aren't necessarily specific to Customer Success, but I've got value out of them when doing a CS role.

The other thing I can say I have found useful, and always have to remind myself to do, is to put the customer / client / partner first and top of mind. That would include putting Joint Success Plans together ahead of the more traditional Account Plans, ensuring the clients' goals and objectives are understood and the primary focus of a Business Review, and making every effort to improve and expand our relationships at each client.

Books that have helped me:

• People Styles at Work - Bolton
• Radical Candor - Scott
• Extreme Ownership - Willink

Best of luck with your new role!

Fergie

Shakira Morgan

Thank you @Matthew Ferguson! Definitely adding these books to my reading list!