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Choosing a Customer Success vs. an Account Management Role for Your Business

Two roles at the forefront of client interactions are customer success managers and account managers. Each role is highly specialized and client-focused.

Gaining a clear view of customer success vs. account management—and where they overlap—can help you choose a job title and write a more accurate job description.

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What does a customer success manager do?

A customer success manager (CSM) helps empower clients to achieve their goals with your product or service. From onboarding to ongoing support, CSMs help clients gain the most value and build a foundation of trust that strengthens long-term loyalty.

Customer success typically involves:

  • Guiding clients through onboarding: CSMs introduce clients to your product, guide them through setup and share best practices.
  • Providing regular assistance: Through frequent check-ins and updates, CSMs keep clients informed about features, enhancements and ways to maximize their experience.
  • Building relationships: By learning about each client’s objectives, CSMs offer solutions tailored to specific needs.
  • Tracking client satisfaction: Monitoring usage patterns and gathering feedback gives CSMs insight into client satisfaction and allows them to resolve potential challenges proactively.
  • Reducing churn: Consistent high-touch support can build loyalty.
  • Identifying upsell opportunities: By understanding client needs and satisfaction, CSMs recognize when clients may benefit from additional features or services.
  • Customizing training and resources: Developing specific materials tailored to client needs can enhance user experience and promote efficient product adoption.
  • Providing data-driven insights: Analyzing user data helps CSMs guide clients toward optimal strategies that align with their goals.

Read more: Customer Success Manager Duties, Skills & Responsibilities: A Guide for Employers

What does an account manager do?

An account manager typically manages high-value business relationships, overseeing renewals, negotiating contracts and identifying growth opportunities. They act as the primary contact for business needs, giving clients access to solutions and services that evolve with their goals.

Account managers are generally responsible for the following:

  • Maintaining business relationships: Account managers regularly engage clients, creating a reliable point of contact and building strong connections over time.
  • Identifying growth opportunities: Account managers suggest new products, services, or upgrades based on their deep understanding of client goals.
  • Managing contracts and renewals: Handling contract updates and renewals directly streamlines the process and strengthens client trust.
  • Supporting business needs: Swift responses to inquiries and requests help reinforce the reliability and value that clients experience.
  • Developing customized growth plans: Account managers craft growth strategies tailored to each client, balancing their goals with company objectives.
  • Gathering client feedback: Regularly collecting client insights can inform product development and strategic adjustments.
  • Presenting new service options: Offering clients personalized solutions can enhance value and strengthen their commitment to your brand.
  • Providing detailed reporting: Account managers share data and reports to keep clients updated on account performance and progress.

Account managers aim to build a business-focused relationship and identify ways to support the client’s journey while driving growth.

Read more: Account Manager Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

How are account managers and customer success managers different?

Although customer success managers and account managers are dedicated to maximizing client satisfaction, each brings different value.

Focus and goals

Each role takes a distinct approach to fulfilling client needs:

  • Customer success manager: CSMs focus on empowering clients to reach optimal outcomes through consistent engagement and value-driven support.
  • Account manager: Account managers prioritize the business relationship, identifying opportunities for growth and maintaining the relationship as client needs evolve.

How they engage with clients

Each role engages clients uniquely based on their focus areas:

  • Customer success manager: CSMs stay actively involved, providing proactive support and insights to enhance the client experience.
  • Account Manager: Account managers work with clients primarily on business needs, guiding them through services and supporting their broader relationship with your company.

Measuring success

Each role is measured differently, reflecting its unique contributions. Customer success managers typically track success metrics such as client satisfaction ratings, product engagement, retention rates and feature utilization.

Metrics for account managers may include revenue growth, client retention, upsell success and client lifetime value, reflecting their impact on business expansion.

Skills needed

The skill sets required for customer success vs. account management are mostly different:

Customer success managers typically:

  • Explain product features and troubleshoot effectively so clients feel supported and informed
  • Analyze usage and client feedback to proactively resolve challenges
  • Tailor solutions to each client
  • Have familiarity with the product to provide targeted insights
  • Stay ahead of client needs

Account managers may:

  • Handle renewals, upgrades and pricing discussions to align with goals
  • Craft growth strategies that serve client and company objectives
  • Maintain reliability in business interactions
  • Manage multiple accounts, requiring effective prioritization and time management
  • Adjust to evolving client needs

Though both roles require strong interpersonal skills, CSMs focus on building loyalty, while account managers focus on driving growth.

When to hire a customer success manager

Hiring a CSM may be a great choice if the following reasons apply to your company.

  • You offer a complex product.
  • Long-term engagement is a priority.
  • Feedback is essential.
  • Clients need tailored training.
  • Proactive support is necessary.
  • Continual improvement is valued.

When to hire an account manager

Consider hiring an account manager for these scenarios:

  • Revenue growth is a key focus.
  • You serve high-value clients.
  • Contract management is necessary.
  • Sales opportunities are available.
  • Client retention is essential.
  • Feedback integration is a priority.

Interview tips for hiring candidates who build strong client relationships

When interviewing account manager or customer success candidates, consider the qualities that support long-term relationship-building. Here are tips to help you select candidates:

  • Assess communication skills: Look for candidates who clearly articulate ideas, listen actively and respond thoughtfully.
  • Evaluate problem-solving ability: Ask about past situations where they tackled challenges creatively and effectively.
  • Gauge empathy and client focus: Inquire about how they would prioritize client satisfaction.
  • Review relationship-building skills: Ask for examples of how they’ve built lasting client relationships in previous roles.
  • Look for proactivity: Ask about their approach to anticipating client needs and addressing issues before they arise.
  • Check for sales and negotiation skills: For account managers, ask about experiences with renewals, upsells or complex negotiations.
  • Assess organization and time management: Explore their methods for managing multiple client relationships.
  • Determine culture add: Choose candidates whose values align with your company culture, supporting team cohesion and client satisfaction.

Account manager vs. customer success manager: Making the best choice for your business

Choosing between a customer success manager and an account manager depends on your company’s priorities. If client engagement and satisfaction are top priorities, a CSM may be the right fit.

If your focus is on revenue growth and managing high-value accounts, an account manager may be a better choice. Aligning your hiring strategy with these goals can help you build a team that strengthens client relationships and supports business growth.

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