What can a company do to ensure its customers get the most out of its products and services?
This is a question John Luongo thought long and hard about in the late 1990s, during which time he held the position of CEO at a customer relationship management company called Vantive Corporation. Upon discovering that one of his company’s customers was leveraging their product in a unique way, he wanted to ensure other customers knew how to do the same.
So, he founded the first team of customer success managers, giving rise to a department that is now a mainstay at many organizations worldwide. For more than two decades, companies have relied on CSMs to ensure clients are set up for success throughout the entire customer journey.
CSMs are a vital component of a business’s operational engine, which is why many professionals have decided to pursue a career in this field. This includes Chloe Bowman, a senior CSM at Mission Cloud.
From the very beginning, Bowman knew she would make an impact as a CSM at the company. She recalled how, during the interview process, she could see how much the company valued its people and the insights they have to offer.
Since then, this appreciation has never faded. Bowman said it’s reflected in the support she and her teammates offer each other every day and the encouragement they receive from leaders to own their work — and evolve in the process.
Below, Bowman shares more about her decision to join Mission Cloud, the empowering culture on her team and the advice she’d give to CS leaders eager to strengthen their own teams.
Mission Cloud is guided by the aim to “reinvent the world through cloud services.” The company offers end-to-end cloud services, AI solutions and software for AWS customers, specializing in areas such as cloud governance, machine learning operations and AWS migration.
How id you decide to join your current team, and what stood out to you the most during the interview process?
I was referred by a former colleague whom I worked with at a customer relationship management SaaS startup. The interview process was rigorous and thorough. What stood out the most was that within each of the four phases of the process, I not only met different department resources with various titles, from individual contributor to C-level executive, but I was also able to present my skills and discuss the company’s values. It felt like every single person took their interviewer role seriously. They leaned in on the skills and experience I had referenced in my resume, and I could feel that they valued the company, my qualities and my time. I collaborate closely with them to this day.
What keeps you on your current team? Do you have any favorite aspects of your team culture?
We have a high standard for success and genuinely want the best for our customers. The willingness to support each other within the department and across other departments is a quality and feeling that I have never experienced at any company. We lean on individuals’ skills to constantly improve the team and our work. Additionally, our CS leadership team leads by design; they encourage self-autonomy, learning, collaboration and professional growth to improve the company, but most importantly, our careers.
“The willingness to support each other within the department and across other departments is a quality and feeling that I have never experienced at any company.”
What advice would you give to CS leaders eager to strengthen their own teams?
Lead and teach your teams — don’t manage them. The structure and direction of CS should be well-defined. This opens the opportunity to personalize your one-on-ones with your CS resources. Give them the tools to learn on their own and gain the confidence to grow on their own.
