Mock Interview for Customer Success Managers!

Summary

In this video, Alisa conducts a mock customer success interview with her husband, Sam, a seasoned customer success lead. They discuss the importance of de-escalation, relationship building, investigative skills, and empathy in customer success roles. Sam shares his career journey, including his transition from insurance to tech, and offers valuable insights into handling tough situations, leading projects, and managing customer expectations. The video also touches on the process of handling feature requests and fostering growth opportunities with clients, all while promoting a note-taking tool called Scrl. It's a must-watch for anyone interested in customer success or improving interview skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 Alisa's YouTube channel covers topics related to product tech, career, and life, with additional offerings like one-on-one calls for interview prep and career coaching.
• 😀 The most common search term leading viewers to Alisa's channel is 'customer success,' prompting her to conduct a mock interview on the topic.
• 😀 Alisa is not a customer success expert, but her husband, Sam, is a customer success lead with significant experience in the field, making him a great fit for the mock interview.
• 😀 The interview format includes behavioral questions, which follow the Nugget + SAR method (Situation, Action, Result), and situational questions that use the Raa framework (Repeat, Assumptions, Actions).
• 😀 Sam, the candidate in the mock interview, shares that he's been in customer success for 6 years and looks for de-escalation skills, relationship-building ability, investigative skills, and empathy in candidates.
• 😀 Sam describes his journey from insurance to customer success and highlights the importance of relationship building and adapting sales skills for the role.
• 😀 Sam talks about a situation where he had to deliver bad news to a customer about a delayed feature release, and how he handled it by being transparent, involving the product team, and managing the customer's expectations effectively.
• 😀 In response to a question about leading projects, Sam explains how he led the rollout of a new internal CRM tool for the customer success team, ensuring high engagement and successful implementation.
• 😀 Sam explains how he would manage a situation with a customer who has 30 feature requests by prioritizing the most important requests, communicating with the product team, and setting clear expectations with the customer.
• 😀 Sam values relationship-building and being consultative in customer success roles, as it allows him to help customers grow, identify opportunities, and support their long-term success with the product.

Q & A

Why is Alisa conducting a customer success interview despite not being a customer success expert?

Alisa is conducting the interview because her YouTube analytics show that 'customer success' is the top search term leading people to her channel. Although she is not an expert in customer success, she has a connection to someone with extensive experience in the field, her husband Sam, who is a customer success lead.

What is the Nugget plus SAR methodology mentioned in the video?

The Nugget plus SAR methodology is a way to answer behavioral questions in interviews. The candidate first provides a 'nugget' of information, which is a brief overview of the situation they are about to describe. Then, they explain the Situation, Action, and Result to provide a structured response.

What is the Raa framework, and how does it apply to situational questions?

The Raa framework is used to answer situational (hypothetical) questions in interviews. It involves the candidate repeating the scenario to ensure understanding, listing out assumptions, and then discussing the actions they would take in that situation.

How does Alisa promote Scrl in her video?

Alisa promotes Scrl, a visual note-taking app, by explaining its features and how it has helped her plan content for her channel. She demonstrates how she uses it for organizing tasks, brainstorming, and tracking her video ideas. Alisa also shares a discount code for viewers to use if they decide to check out Scrl.

What are some of the key traits Sam looks for in customer success candidates during interviews?

Sam looks for four key traits in customer success candidates: de-escalation skills for handling unhappy customers, relationship-building skills in customer-facing roles, investigative skills to understand if customers are at risk, and empathy for customers.

Can Sam provide an example of a time he had to deliver bad news to a customer?

Sam shares an example where he had to inform a customer that a key feature they were promised would be delayed. He handled it by arranging a call with the customer, including key decision-makers, and providing a clear explanation of the situation, actions being taken, and the new expected delivery date. His approach helped maintain the relationship and keep the customer satisfied.

How did Sam manage an internal CRM tool rollout for his customer success team?

Sam led the rollout of a new internal CRM tool for the customer success team by researching the tool, scheduling a demo and training session, offering ongoing support, and implementing metrics to track utilization. This project helped the team adopt the tool successfully and improve their operations.

What steps would Sam take if a customer had 30 feature requests?

Sam would first schedule a call with the customer to prioritize the top 10 most important feature requests. He would work with the product team to address these features and communicate clear expectations with the customer. The aim would be to keep the client happy by focusing on the most critical needs while maintaining transparency.

What does Sam enjoy most about his role as a customer success manager?

Sam enjoys building long-term relationships with customers and providing consultative support. He finds satisfaction in helping customers grow and succeed, especially by identifying opportunities for expansion or additional features. He values the continuous connection with clients and the role of advisor rather than just a salesperson.

Why is empathy important for a customer success manager, according to Sam?

Empathy is crucial for a customer success manager because it helps maintain strong customer relationships, especially when issues arise. Understanding customer concerns and showing care for their needs is key to keeping clients satisfied and ensuring they stay engaged with the product or service.