CSM Game Day

My alma-matter college team is the Virginia Tech Hokies but they just got embarrassed by Old Dominion last weekend. I’m shifting attention from the Hokies and will attend the Penn State vs. Ohio State “white-out” game this weekend to cheer on a family friend who plays for Penn State.

When I think about success in college football, I can’t help but draw correlations to the way successful customers follow and execute a game plan to maximize their value from software solutions such as Qlik. Customer Success roles have a big influence in helping to make this happen. It’s exciting to be part of a company that is transforming the approach and investments around Customer Success. Check out some of the open Customer Success Manager (CSM) positions for one example of that commitment.

Customer Success isn’t new at Qlik and there are many folks who have been focused in this area for a long time. One great example is Jeff Jordan who is a Senior CSM within our growing organization. I recently interviewed him to learn a bit more about his role and what makes him tick as a CSM at Qlik:

MIKE: Let’s start with a challenging question: who is your college team and why do you root for them?

JEFF: The Wisconsin Badgers!I was born, raised and I live in Wisconsin now, so rooting for any other team just wouldn’t feel right.

MIKE: How did you get into the CSM role and what was your prior background?

JEFF: Before coming to Qlik, I worked at CA Technologies for 10 years, the first five in sales and the last five as a CSM. A few years back, I was looking for a new adventure with a Customer Success Team that was early in their journey and where my experience in the field would be of value to the team. Qlik was the perfect fit!

MIKE: What is your primary focus and responsibility as a CSM?

JEFF: It all comes down to ensuring that my customers are maximizing the value they get out of their investment in Qlik technology.

MIKE: Can you share an example or experience which you are particularly proud of?

JEFF: One of our customers was really pushing the boundaries of our product and they were struggling a bit with the performance of a huge application. Two months of “quarterbacking” daily calls (often twice a day) that included Qlik R&D, Consulting, Support, Sales, and Presales and we achieved a successful outcome. The customer was extremely appreciative of our efforts and how we “went into battle WITH them”.They are now one of our strongest advocates!

MIKE: What do you recommend for anyone interested in getting into the Customer Success field or CSM role?

JEFF: If you are passionate about helping customers, a good problem solver, know how to leverage your resources, and don’t mind a few bumps and bruises along the way, this is the job for you.

MIKE: Any parting words of advice or best practices to share?

JEFF: It’s a very exciting time to be a CSM at Qlik. I’m really looking forward to being part of the role this amazing team has on the overall success of the organization.

MIKE: Thanks to Jeff Jordan for the excellent insights. Keep an eye on Qlik’s transformation in the Customer Success area. And for all the college football fans out there, go Penn State Nittany Lions this weekend!