AMA: Zendesk Director, Customer Success, Oliver Nono on Customer Success Skills

The best Customer Success candidates demonstrate a genuine interest in the industry they are supporting, whether it’s a passion for enhancing the customer experience, like at Zendesk, or a strong enthusiasm for technology. They excel in communication and problem-solving, building lasting relationships while thoroughly understanding customer needs. A proactive, solution-focused mindset is essential, along with the ability to navigate complex situations with empathy and clarity. Top candidates als ...Read More

Based on my experience, here are the most important soft and hard skills CSMs can build to be successful: Soft Skills Empathy: Building trust through understanding of customer challenges. Communication: Clearly articulating solutions and guiding customers. Problem-Solving: Proactively addressing issues and driving positive outcomes. Adaptability: Thriving in dynamic environments and adjusting to customer needs. Hard Skills Technical Literacy: Understanding product functionality to better support ...Read More

In my experience, in order to retain good Customer Success talent, here are things that you must offer: Clear career growth opportunities Invest in ongoing training and development Foster a positive, inclusive team culture where achievements are recognized and employees feel valued Encourage work-life balance by offering flexibility and supporting initiatives Provide competitive compensation and benefits to ensure employees feel financially supported, which I feel we do a great job of at Zendesk ...Read More

Breaking into the Customer Success straight from college is possible but there are things that you should focus on if you would like to go this route. My advice is to focus on developing transferable skills and building a strong foundation of knowledge for any industry or company that you’d like to work for. Even if you don’t have direct experience, emphasize internships, academic projects, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate teamwork, empathy, and a customer-centric mindset. Start wo ...Read More

In my mind, I believe that it’s generally more beneficial to have the right soft skills when joining a new team, as I’ve seen it is often harder to teach than hard skills. Soft skills like communication, empathy, active listening, problem-solving, and adaptability are key to building relationships with customers and typically things that I try to get a good understanding of during interviews. Then once you have a solid foundation of soft skills, you can more easily learn the necessary hard skill ...Read More

Yes, it is absolutely possible for someone from a different field to transition into Customer Success. I have typically seen success from former Sales and Solution Consultants moving into Customer Success as well as former Support Reps being great in the role as well. The key when interviewing is to highlight experiences and abilities that align with the core responsibilities of Customer Success, such as communication, problem-solving, relationship management, and a customer-focused mindset. If ...Read More