What is a Customer Success Manager (CSM)? The Complete Guide for 2025

A customer success manager (CSM) is a professional who helps customers achieve maximum value from a company's products or services. CSMs focus on customer adoption, retention, and building long-term relationships that drive business growth.

What is Customer Success?

Definition of Customer Success

Customer success is a proactive, strategic approach that ensures customers achieve their desired outcomes while using a product or service. Unlike traditional customer service, which is typically reactive and focused on resolving problems, customer success prioritizes long-term value creation by fostering strong relationships and maximizing customer satisfaction.

A well-defined customer success strategy includes:

• Proactive engagement to understand customer goals.

• Tailored support and guidance throughout the customer journey.

• Ongoing communication to drive product adoption and retention.

Businesses that prioritize customer success experience higher retention rates, increased revenue, and stronger brand loyalty. By ensuring that customers continuously derive value from a product, companies can reduce churn, improve Net Revenue Retention (NRR), and enhance overall customer satisfaction (CSAT).

Why is Customer Success Important for Businesses?

In today’s customer-centric market, customer success management is a key driver of business growth. Companies that implement strong customer success strategies benefit from:

• Higher Customer Retention – Engaged customers are more likely to renew subscriptions and continue using a product.

• Increased Revenue & Expansion – Happy customers are more likely to upgrade plans, make additional purchases, or refer new clients.

• Reduced Customer Churn – Proactively addressing customer pain points prevents dissatisfaction and keeps customers engaged.

• Stronger Customer Relationships – Personalized support fosters trust and turns customers into brand advocates.

• Enhanced Product Adoption – Customer success teams help users fully leverage product features, maximizing their return on investment (ROI).

A customer success platform, like Gainsight, Totango, or HubSpot, can streamline these efforts by tracking engagement metrics, monitoring customer health scores, and automating outreach strategies. Companies that leverage data-driven customer success strategies are more likely to achieve sustainable business growth and outperform competitors.

Customer Success vs. Customer Service: Key Differences

Although customer success and customer service both focus on customer satisfaction, they have distinct objectives:

Why Businesses Should Prioritize Customer Success Over Just Customer Service

A company that focuses solely on customer service is only fixing problems as they arise. In contrast, customer success teams actively prevent issues before they occur, ensuring a seamless customer experience. This proactive engagementleads to:

• Increased customer lifetime value (CLV)

• Higher customer satisfaction scores (CSAT)

• Stronger brand loyalty and advocacy

By investing in customer success management, businesses can build long-term relationships, foster customer loyalty, and unlock significant growth opportunities.

What Does a Customer Success Manager Do?

According to McKinsey’s 2024 B2B Customer Experience Report, companies with effective CSMs see 34% higher retention rates and 27% increased revenue growth. Utilizing customer success software can further enhance these outcomes.

Core CSM responsibilities include:

1. Customer Onboarding and Implementation

• Creating personalized onboarding plans
• Ensuring smooth product adoption
• Setting clear success milestones
• Most customer success managers maintain ongoing relationships with customers to effectively address their evolving needs.

1. Relationship Management

• Regular check-ins and reviews
• Proactive issue resolution
• Strategic account planning

1. Value Realization

• Tracking success metrics
• Identifying ROI opportunities
• Showcasing product value

1. Churn Prevention

• Monitoring customer health
• Early risk identification
• Implementing retention strategies

The customer success manager works to ensure customers receive the necessary tools and support to meet their goals. The customer success role requires self-motivation, domain expertise, and a commitment to continuous learning.

Responsibilities of a Customer Success Manager

A customer success manager (CSM) plays a pivotal role in ensuring customers achieve their desired outcomes. Here are some key responsibilities of a CSM:

Onboarding New Customers

Onboarding is a critical phase in the customer journey, and a good customer success manager ensures a smooth and positive experience. This involves working closely with new customers to help them understand how to use the product or service effectively through a well-structured customer success plan. A CSM provides necessary training, answers questions, and addresses any initial concerns. Additionally, they develop personalized plans tailored to the customer’s goals and objectives, identifying potential roadblocks and offering best practice recommendations. By delivering a positive onboarding experience, a CSM builds trust and sets the foundation for a long-term, successful relationship.

Characteristics of a Good Customer Success Manager

A good customer success manager possesses a unique blend of skills, traits, and qualities that enable them to excel in their role. Here are some of the essential characteristics of a good customer success manager:

Essential Qualities

1. Strong Communication Skills: Good customer success managers are excellent communicators who can articulate complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. They listen actively, ask the right questions, and provide timely and relevant feedback. This ensures that customers feel heard and understood, fostering a positive relationship.
2. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and empathizing with customers’ needs, concerns, and emotions is crucial. Customer success managers with high emotional intelligence can build trust and rapport, making customers feel valued and supported throughout their journey.
3. Strategic Thinker: Good customer success managers are strategic thinkers who can analyze complex data, identify patterns, and develop effective solutions to drive customer success. They think critically and make informed decisions that align with the company’s goals and objectives, ensuring long-term success.
4. Collaborative Mindset: Working closely with cross-functional teams, including sales, marketing, and product development, is essential. Customer success managers must collaborate effectively, build strong relationships, and facilitate open communication to drive customer success.
5. Adaptability and Flexibility: The ability to adapt quickly to changing customer needs, market trends, and company priorities is vital. Customer success managers must be flexible and able to pivot when necessary to ensure customer success, demonstrating resilience in the face of challenges.
6. Results-Oriented: Good customer success managers are results-driven and focused on achieving specific goals and objectives. They measure and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure customer success and drive business growth, always striving for continuous improvement.
7. Continuous Learner: Commitment to ongoing learning and professional development is a hallmark of a successful customer success manager. Staying up-to-date with industry trends, best practices, and new technologies helps them drive customer success and stay ahead of the competition.

Customer Success Manager Salary Guide

Glassdoor's 2024 Salary Report reveals the following salary ranges:

Essential CSM Skills and Qualifications

LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends identifies these critical skills for client success managers. A solid understanding of customer success methodology is also crucial for excelling in this role:

Technical Skills:

• Product expertise
• Data analysis
• CRM proficiency
• Project management
• Video communication mastery
• These skills can pave the way for career advancement to high-level positions such as chief customer officer.

Soft Skills:

• Strategic communication
• Empathy
• Problem-solving
• Leadership
• Change management
• These skills are essential for a successful customer success career.

Education and Training

While there is no specific degree required to become a customer success manager, having a degree in a related field such as business, marketing, or communications can be beneficial. Additionally, many customer success managers hold certifications in customer success, sales, or marketing.

Relevant Degrees and Certifications

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, or Communications: A degree in a related field provides a strong foundation in business principles, marketing strategies, and communication techniques. This knowledge is crucial for understanding customer needs and developing effective success strategies.
2. Customer Success Certification: Certifications such as the Customer Success Certification (CSC) or the Certified Customer Success Manager (CCSM) demonstrate expertise and knowledge in customer success principles and best practices. These certifications can enhance credibility and career prospects.
3. Sales or Marketing Certification: Certifications such as the Certified Sales Professional (CSP) or the Certified Marketing Professional (CMP) provide additional skills and knowledge in sales and marketing. These certifications can be valuable for customer success managers who work closely with sales and marketing teams.

Online Courses and Resources

There are many online courses and resources available to help customer success managers develop their skills and knowledge. Some popular options include:

1. Customer Success University: An online training platform that offers courses and certifications in customer success. It provides comprehensive training on customer success strategies, tools, and best practices.
2. HubSpot Academy: An online training platform that offers courses and certifications in inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. It provides valuable insights and practical skills that can enhance a customer success manager’s effectiveness.
3. Coursera: An online learning platform that offers courses and certifications in business, marketing, and communications. It provides access to a wide range of courses from top universities and institutions, allowing customer success managers to expand their knowledge and skills.
4. Customer Success Blogs and Podcasts: There are many blogs and podcasts available that provide insights, tips, and best practices in customer success. These resources can help customer success managers stay informed about industry trends and learn from the experiences of other professionals.

By pursuing relevant education and training, customer success managers can enhance their skills, stay current with industry trends, and drive customer success more effectively.

How Video Technology is Transforming Customer Success

Recent data from SnapCall's analysis of 10,000+ customer interactions shows dramatic improvements with video support:

• 46% faster resolution times
• 90% customer satisfaction scores
• 35% reduction in follow-up queries
• 15% increase in first-contact resolution

Case Study: Devialet Transforms Customer Support

Leading audio company Devialet achieved:

• 46% quicker ticket resolution
• 90% CSAT score
• Significant reduction in support costs

Key CSM Metrics and KPIs for Customer Retention

According to Gainsight’s Customer Success Benchmark Report:

1. Customer Health Metrics

• Product adoption rate
• Feature usage
• Customer engagement score
• Customer product expiration dates

2. Business Impact Metrics

• Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
• Expansion revenue

3. Operational Metrics

• Time to first value
• Resolution time
• Customer effort score

Best Practices for Customer Success

TSIA’s 2024 Customer Success Research recommends customer success best practices:

1. Establish Clear Success Metrics

• Define KPIs aligned with customer goals
• Track progress systematically
• Regular reporting and adjustments

1. Leverage Visual Communication

• Use video for complex problem-solving
• Record product demonstrations
• Enable face-to-face interactions
• Engage customer success professionals to enhance communication and build strong client relationships

1. Implement Proactive Engagement

• Regular health checks
• Strategic business reviews
• Early warning systems
• Collaborate with the customer support team to address specific inquiries and technical issues effectively

Future of Customer Success Management

Gartner's Future of Customer Success Report predicts:

• 75% of CSMs will use AI-powered tools by 2025
• 60% of customer interactions will involve visual elements
• 40% of customer success activities will be automated

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications do you need to be a customer success manager?

Most Customer Success Manager (CSM) roles require a bachelor’s degree in business, communications, or a related field. Additionally, 3-5 years of experience in customer service, sales, account management, or a relevant industry is often preferred. Key qualifications include:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

• Problem-solving and analytical abilities

• Experience with CRM tools and customer success platforms

• A deep understanding of customer journey mapping and retention strategies

Q: What is the difference between customer success and customer support?

While both are customer-facing roles, they have distinct objectives:

• Customer Success is proactive—focused on ensuring long-term customer value, retention, and product adoption. CSMs work closely with clients to achieve their goals and prevent churn.

• Customer Support is reactive—primarily assisting customers with troubleshooting, resolving technical issues, and answering product-related queries.

How do you measure customer success?

Customer success is evaluated using several key performance indicators (KPIs), including:

• Net Revenue Retention (NRR): Measures revenue growth from existing customers.

• Customer Health Score: Assesses product usage, engagement, and satisfaction.

• Product Adoption Rate: Tracks how effectively customers are using key product features.

• Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): Measures short-term customer happiness.

• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Estimates the total revenue a company can expect from a customer over time.

What are the key responsibilities of a customer success manager?

A CSM is responsible for:

• Onboarding new customers and ensuring a smooth transition.

• Building strong relationships with clients to drive engagement.

• Monitoring customer health and proactively addressing concerns.

• Collaborating with internal teams (sales, product, and support) to enhance customer experience.

• Driving renewals and expansions by identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

What industries hire customer success managers?

CSMs are in high demand across various industries, including:

• SaaS (Software-as-a-Service)

• E-commerce

• Fintech and Banking

• Healthcare Tech

• EdTech (Educational Technology)

• B2B and Enterprise Solutions

How can I become a customer success manager with no experience?

If you’re new to the field, here’s how you can break in:

• Gain customer service or account management experience.

• Learn customer success tools like Gainsight, ChurnZero, or HubSpot.

• Develop soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and empathy.

• Earn relevant certifications, such as the Customer Success Manager Certification (CSMC).

• Network with industry professionals and consider entry-level customer success roles

Transform Your Customer Success Strategy

Want to see how video technology can revolutionize your customer success program? SnapCall helps customer success teams:

• Resolve issues 46% faster
• Achieve 90% CSAT scores
• Reduce follow-up queries by 35%