Continuing Training for Employees: How to Upskill for the Future

Customer Success is a career that requires a diverse set of skills, and Customer Success Managers join the field from a wide variety of different backgrounds. That’s because, as we’ve previously discussed, Customer Success is still a relatively new field, and the career progression is not one-size-fits-all. There are plenty of background skills and roles which can put you at an advantageous position to become a Customer Success Manager, but what about after you land the role? Continuing training for employees is a crucial part of excelling as a Customer Success Manager, and upskilling for the future can help you achieve management roles in Customer Success, and even prepare you for future executive roles.

This article will discuss:

• The different methods of upskilling for the future
• Areas you should consider continuing training

The Different Methods of Upskilling for the Future

If you’re looking to grow and advance your skill set as a Customer Success Manager, there are several different ways you can go about this. First, there is formal on-the-job continuing training for employees. Your employer may offer internal in-house training, or external training with a third-party organization. Your employer will likely only offer continuing training opportunities if they think they can help you excel in your role as a Customer Success Manager, and if they do offer training opportunities, take advantage of them.

The second way to upskill and continue your training as a Customer Success Manager is informal on-the-job training. This might look like you shadowing a peer or manager, and having them walk you through specific tools, programs, or scenarios. Despite this training being “informal,” it can still be very valuable. There are likely co-workers around you who are excellent in areas where you could benefit from some growth, and they might be happy to walk you through what they know. In order to do this, identify specific co-workers or managers, who you know are skillful in an area where you wish to develop your skills. You can reach out to see if they’re open to setting up a time to meet, to go over that specific skill. During the training, respect their time as you would any formal training: take diligent notes, ask questions, and listen actively, to make the most of everyone’s time.

The third way to upskill and continue your training as a Customer Success Manager is to seek your own training and certifications. This can be useful if you’re looking to close a skills gap, learn and demonstrate the foundations of Customer Success, or increase your job opportunities by establishing your commitment to professional development. This method is also an excellent option once you’ve exhausted any in-house formal and informal training opportunities. It may feel like a difficult decision to invest in your own training and certifications, but it is actually a very valuable investment in your own success. With the proper formal training and certifications, you’re setting yourself up to maximize your potential.

Areas You Should Consider Continuing Training

While there are many desirable skills for a Customer Success Manager to have, here are some key skills and concepts you might want to consider for continuing training, whether it’s training provided by your employer, informal training, or your own training.

• Communication skills: This is a broad swath of skills that will help you excel as a Customer Success Manager. Communication skills, styles, and habits may not be a technical skill, but they are still integral to Customer Success work. While these are inherent skills to some people, they are also certainly learned skills, and you can grow or develop your communication skill set. Communication skills are vital for Customer Success in specific instances, such as re-engaging disengaged customers, navigating escalations, and handling tricky customers.
• Domain expertise and product knowledge: This is your knowledge and understanding of your customers’ industries and their unique business challenges. Having deep domain expertise, plus strong knowledge of your own product can help you uncover value for your customers, and develop credibility and trust. Having domain expertise and product knowledge also demonstrates your competency to your managers.
• Technical tools and programs: As a Customer Success Manager, it’s likely you use certain internal technical tools and programs for your role. You want to make sure you have an expert-level understanding of how to use these tools. While some of them may change from organization to organization, many others are universal, such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, and having proficiency in them will make your job much easier.
• Universal Customer Success metrics: Customer Success metrics measure your own work along with the work of your team, and also help decision-makers determine next-steps for your organization. They’re pretty weighty numbers, and it’s likely that understanding them isn’t exactly in your job description. But if you want to excel in your current Customer Success role, and stand out as a candidate for future roles, developing an understanding of Customer Success metrics could go a long way.

Ready to upskill for the future? If you’re looking for a formal continuing training opportunity, our accredited Customer Success Development Programs cover key concepts such as Customer Success foundations, communication skills, Customer Success metrics, and much more. We have different level training programs, and virtual bootcamps to help you build a strong Customer Success foundation, stand out as a candidate, expand your core knowledge, and grow those skills.

Do’s & Don’ts of Continuing Training

• DO seek out different methods of continuing training: employer-provided, informal training, and external training and certificates. There are lots of options available, all with different benefits.
• DON’T think that investing in your own training is a waste of time or resources; with the right training, you will see a good return on your investment, both financially and with your improved abilities to do your job.
• DO consider training in key areas such as communication skills, product knowledge and domain expertise, technical tools and programs, and universal Customer Success metrics to round out your knowledge.

Originally published at https://successcoaching.co on November 10, 2020.