The role has changed significantly over time, with expectations increasing year after year. One of the main requirements is completing 80 connected customer calls per month. These can be repeat conversations with the same customers or different ones, but the emphasis is on hitting the number.
From a customer perspective, this approach can feel excessive. Many customers are not looking to engage this frequently, even though leadership suggests otherwise. There is a strong focus on benchmarking against other companies of similar size, rather than setting a clear standard based on customer needs. Many of these decisions appear to come from senior leadership that is removed from day to day customer interactions.
Customers are often concerned about cost and do not always see the value in the platform. At the same time, CSMs are not positioned as deep product experts. While training is provided, it is not always sufficient, and in some cases customers are more familiar with the tools than the person supporting them.
The role has also shifted toward promoting new monetization initiatives, such as credits and AI features. Many customers are still trying to get basic functionality in place, yet are being introduced to more advanced tools that they may not fully understand. This can create a disconnect between what customers need and what they are being encouraged to adopt.
There is also an increasing focus on group calls and volume-based metrics, which can take away from providing tailored, high quality support. Compensation is average, and some benefits have been reduced over time.
Promotion opportunities can also be difficult to attain and are heavily tied to short-term performance metrics, particularly monthly renewal targets. Missing a single month within a review window can make you ineligible for promotion, even if you consistently perform well across all other areas. This creates a situation where factors outside of your control, such as a last-minute customer churn, can significantly impact your career progression. As a result, even strong and reliable performers may face long and uncertain timelines for advancement, with limited visibility into when or if they will be considered.
Morale appears lower than in previous years, despite a group of long-tenured employees who remain very positive about leadership decisions. There have also been concerns about leadership effectiveness, particularly within the Customer Success organization, and how those decisions have impacted culture.
The environment can feel siloed, with limited influence from middle management. Combined with demanding KPIs, it can be difficult to take time off. While the company states that performance is measured over a rolling period, in practice this often means making up missed activity, which can increase workload before or after vacation.
Overall, burnout is a real concern. If work life balance is a priority, this may not be the right fit. Recent reviews reflect similar themes across multiple teams.
