Customer success teams have a unique challenge. Unlike most departments, they have to learn not only their jobs but their customers’ jobs as well.
In order to solve customer problems, the best customer success professionals are always learning, which requires supportive team cultures that champion continuous upskilling. Creating workplaces that make space for learning and development is beneficial for tech companies, too. Gallup researchers found that organizations that make investments in employee development are 11 percent more profitable and twice as likely to retain employees.
Built In spoke with two Austin customer success professionals about the culture of continuous learning that make their teams great places for CS professionals to grow.
Grocery TV is an in-store retail media platform.
What core skills do you rely on most in your customer success role?
Clear communication is a big part of my role. For example, when planning Grocery TV installations, I make sure retailers know exactly what information we need and what the process will look like. This ensures everything runs smoothly on their end, avoids surprises and helps strengthen our partnership.
How does your team, manager or employer provide opportunities for you to hone your skills or develop new skills?
My team really encourages continuous learning. They support us in exploring new skills through external courses, training and they’re always open to suggestions on what might help us grow. I appreciate that it’s not just about checking a box for professional development — it’s about giving us the freedom to explore areas that spark our interest and could benefit our work. That openness makes it easier to strengthen the skills I use every day, while also branching into new areas that keep me engaged and challenged. It’s motivating to know that my growth is seen as a priority and that I have the flexibility to bring back fresh ideas that can help both me and the team succeed.
What advice would you give to a CS professional looking to standout from the pack and join your team?
My advice would be to be yourself. Our team is made up of unique individuals and we value collaboration. Don’t be afraid to own your mistakes and remember that what matters most is being willing to learn, grow and support the team along the way.
Wise wants to make money without borders the new norm. The fintech company helps people send and manage money across borders.
What core skills do you rely on most in your customer success role?
Over the years, I’ve found that effective customer success managers need three core skills at Wise.
Tenacity. This role requires persistent follow-through and creative problem-solving when facing roadblocks. We’re constantly solving complex problems without easy answers. I’ve seen CSMs recommend key initiatives directly to senior product leaders because they understood how payment delays impacted their client’s customers.
Empathy. You need to genuinely care about customers’ needs and understand their challenges. Often clients aren’t fully aware of their problem’s scope, but we have the context to help unpack it together and show the same level of concern.
Prioritization. We must determine what will have the biggest impact on client success and help customers move money efficiently. I knew a CSM who worked with our product team to prioritize an enterprise partner’s backlog, ensuring necessary improvements were tackled first.
Customer success has a strong voice at Wise. That’s why we advocate for initiatives using a data-driven approach.
How does your team, manager or employer provide opportunities for you to hone your skills or develop new skills?
The CSM role is versatile — I’ve had opportunities to develop skills in areas I’m passionate about. At Wise, employees get professional development budgets plus encouragement to grow through stretch assignments and learning from colleagues.
Here are examples.
Those wanting project management skills can work on projects and even achieve PMP certification to share learning with broader teams.
We benefit from colleagues’ knowledge, too. A team member excelling at data analysis ran workshops helping the entire CSM team strengthen analytical capabilities. I worked with someone incredible at process improvement — she became our go-to for efficiency.
Those wanting to lean into sales can access training through LinkedIn Learning or their development budget.
Since we’re in international payments, there are always new areas to explore — compliance requirements, product features or better ways to help clients integrate with Wise’s infrastructure. Wise offers extensive growth opportunities.
What advice would you give to a CS professional looking to stand out from the pack and join your team?
Be eager to learn! International payments is a complex and ever-changing space and the most successful CSMs come ready to learn everything they can. At Wise, we want someone who enjoys change and contributes through a solution-oriented approach.
A positive attitude will take you far. We solve tough challenges every day, often with no clear path for resolution. Sometimes clients have high expectations and tight timelines, but someone who chooses to lean into these situations will thrive.
