Head of Customer Success
Complete with job descriptions, skill profiles, and interview templates. Use this Head of Customer Success hiring guide to help you make the right decisions, fast.
HOW TO HIRE A Head of Customer Success
What does a Head of Customer Success do?
The Head of Customer Success leads the team responsible for ensuring the company’s customers are satisfied with the products and services offered. This person represents the team in executive meetings and is the voice of the customer to the company.
Day to day tasks of a Head of Customer Success
- Oversee the daily operations of Customer Success Managers.
- Develop healthy relationships with customers.
- Identify needs for improvement on handling customers.
- Assess the needs of customers.
- Onboarding of new clients.
- Create processes and procedures for the Customer Success Team
- Monitor performance and expansions of customers
- Encourage existing customers to upgrade or refer new clients.
Head of Customer Success definition
A Head of Customer Success’ primary responsibility is to ensure that customers have a satisfactory experience with the company’s products and services and help expand accounts. This person maintains a harmonious relationship with customers, making certain that they get the maximum value of the product and services, and therefore, avoiding any customer attrition.
HIRING PROCESS
Head of Customer Success Hiring Process
Build the ideal candidate profile
Skills needed for a Head of Customer Success
A Head of Customer Success will build and lead the Customer Success team. To be able to do so, this person must have excellent customer service orientation, and at the same time, be very effective in communicating with the internal team. Aside from being knowledgeable in maintaining a relationship with customers, the Head of Customer Success must also be proficient in doing coaching, training, and presentations.
- Leadership
- Strategy
- Problem Solving
Pro Tip
For management roles, it is important to look at the tenure in their previous workplaces and the nature of the company they worked for. Having worked in similar industries gives them an advantage in terms of adapting to new processes or cultures. It is also important to highlight the difference your company will provide to keep them challenged.
WRITE A JOB DESCRIPTION BASED ON SKILLS
How to write a Head of Customer Success job description
Once you’ve determined the skills required for the role, you can write the job description to advertise for your position. Here’s what to include in your Head of Customer Success job description:
Job Title: What position are you hiring for?
Summary: What makes your company unique? What would it be like to work for you?
Responsibilities: An overview of the role’s day-to-day activities, and how the position contributes to the organization
Requirements: Skills a candidate must have to perform the job successfully
Benefits: Details of compensation, benefits, and any perks on offer
Pro Tip
In building your candidate profile, remember you’ve already identified what skills are needed to succeed in the role. Here’s where to list your “must-have” skills and maybe a couple of “nice-to-have” skills. For example, a Head of Customer Success must have adequate experience with account management and customer service, and it would also be nice to have some CRM experience.
SELECTING THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sample skill tests for a Head of Customer Success
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Question 1
Problem Solving
Question Type: Audio
Tell me about a time you faced a problem at work that impacted your team that you had to solve. Explain what the issue was and how you went about resolving it.
Question 2
Leadership
Question Type: Video
One of your CSMs is underperforming and is set to not meet their KPIs for the quarter.
Explain how you would talk to them and what would you recommend to help set them back on course for success?
Question 3
Strategy
Question Type: Text
You’ve just joined the organisation as the Head of Global Customer Success and learned that the customer success teams in the three different regions all operate differently. You want to establish a consistent standard globally.
What does your initial strategy plan look like?
INTERVIEW TOP PERFORMERS
How to interview a Head of Customer Success
Once your Vervoe skills assessment has surfaced the most qualified people for your open role, you can focus on interviewing these candidates. The interview should focus on any skills that require development that were highlighted from the skills assessment.
Now you know that candidates can do the job, the interview becomes more of a relationship building exercise where you can get to know the candidate on a more personal level, understand their motivations, and how they would fit in with the team.
Making An Offer
How much does it cost to hire a Head of Customer Success?
The US average for a Head of Customer Success is $115,790 according to Glassdoor.com, while Salary.com reports it at $203,583. The lowest paid is at around $100,000 while the highest can reach $256,000.
Head of Customer Success Salary United States
The salary of a Head of Customer Success in the United States ranges from $100,000 to $256,000. The figure depends on the years of experience, educational background, nature of the business, and the location.
Source: Glassdoor.com, Salary.com
Head of Customer Success Salary United Kingdom
The salary of a Head of Customer Success in the United Kingdom ranges from £52,500 – £80,000 (GBP). This depends on the education, additional skills, certifications, and years of experience.
Source: Talent.com, Glassdoor.com
Head of Customer Success Salary Australia
The salary of a Head of Customer Success in Australia ranges from $100,000 (AUD) to $301,208 (AUD). This number takes into consideration several factors such as location, years of experience in the same profession, certifications, and additional skills.
Source: Glassdoor.com , Salary.com
