It’s no secret that the tech industry is booming.
In fact, hiring in the computer and information technology fields has a faster projected growth between 2020 and 2030 than all other fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That means greater innovation, burgeoning user bases and stronger demand for new tech talent than ever.
A lesser known fact? Many people working in the tech industry didn’t actually start there.
While it may seem counterintuitive that tech startups and major corporations are hiring individuals from other industries, it’s also those unique backgrounds and diversified skill sets that can drive a new approach to stagnant existing processes. Customer success is also essential to almost every industry, and oftentimes those previously acquired skills — while stemming from different experiences — transition into tech roles with ease.
“Upon starting in tech sales, I was able to instantly see the similarities to coaching,” said Apty Customer Success Manager Tyler Cassett, who previously started his career as a college basketball coach. “Just like coaching, you’re looking out for someone’s best interest — you want to help them explore new ways to grow their business.”
Built In Austin caught up with Cassett and Jacquelyn DeBonville Styles, acting global head of customer success at Enboarder, to learn more about how they transitioned into the tech industry to forge new career paths in customer success — and their advice for anyone looking to do the same.
Enboarder is the onboarding software that provides a personalized, engaging experience.
Why did you decide to make the move into the tech industry?
I started my career buying TV and radio ad space at GroupM, where I had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s biggest brands. I joined right before the 2008 recession, and things got lean very quickly. GroupM taught me how to be resourceful, efficient and productive during incredibly high-stress times.
A few years later, I pivoted into account management at The Business Journals (TBJ). There, I built and scaled the digital customer success team. TBJ taught me the true value of internal and external relationship building.
When I left TBJ I was feeling a bit uninspired, so I took a moment to think about what I wanted and needed from wherever I landed next to make the biggest impact. At a minimum, I wanted to believe in what I was doing. To do this, I needed three things: product integrity, culture and leadership transparency. In addition to my non-negotiable holy trinity, I was looking to work with smart, forward-thinking people and the opportunity to get my hands in and across as much as I could. Ultimately, the move came down to the tech industry providing endless opportunities.
After three and a half years at Enboarder, they continue to tick off everything I was looking for.
How is the tech industry — and the skill set it demands of customer success managers — different from other industries you’ve worked in?
The biggest difference across industries is that customer success managers wear all of the hats. The tech industry and CSMs’ skill sets can be summed up into one phrase: “Don’t say no. Ask how.” Or, perhaps more succinctly, “never settle.”
The best CSMs I’ve worked with understand their customers’ businesses inside and out, advocate for the customer while also advocating for the company they work for, build personal relationships with their customers, make their day-to-day contacts look like superheroes, anticipate customer needs and navigate challenging internal and external conversations gracefully.
At the end of the day, the most impactful CSMs are seen by their customers as an extension of their team.
Follow what you love and be curious — if you do that, you can’t lose.”
What advice would you give to other customer success and consulting experts thinking about moving into the tech industry? What do you wish you’d known before you made the leap?
Every job description describes organizations as “fast-paced.” The only difference is that it’s actually true in the tech industry, so be coachable, agile and focused. Regardless of industry or role, I would say follow what you love and be curious. If you do that, you can’t lose.
Apty helps companies and their employees adopt and optimize new enterprise software systems.
Why did you decide to make the move into the tech industry?
Prior to tech, I was striving for a career in coaching college basketball. While I enjoyed what I was doing, it was not providing me as promising of a future as I was hoping. I initially struggled with what the next step would be, as I had developed a certain skill set coaching that I wanted to continue to utilize. I wanted to find a career that would offer growth, monetary gain and would be a continuously growing field.
After talking to family and friends, a career in technology kept being tossed around. I had heard of the similarities to the competitive nature of sports that tech sales had to offer and I took a chance. Upon starting in tech sales, I was able to instantly see the similarities to coaching. This led to my desire for customer success. Just like coaching, you’re looking out for someone’s best interest. You want to help them utilize your offering to its fullest and explore new ways to grow their business.
How is the tech industry — and the skill set it demands of customer success managers — different from other industries you’ve worked in?
This job is completely different from anything I’ve done before, because I feel like every job in the past has been combined into this role. There are some similarities but nothing that pulls at every skill. Whether it is because of the ever-changing nature of the industry or the ability to be able to work so closely with Fortune 500 companies, there is nothing in the past that can compare.
The ability to expand my network with the innovators of our future is a unique circumstance that I did not envision early on in my career. You become the face of the company as you lead clients through their journey with us, so you have to continually enhance your knowledge and understanding of the customer’s landscape to become a strategic asset and member of their team. With the technology industry rapidly changing, staying up to date on current trends and topics is critical to position yourself — and the company — in a way that makes you indispensable.
You have to continually enhance your knowledge and understanding of the customer’s landscape to become a strategic asset.”
What advice would you give to other customer success and consulting experts thinking about moving into the tech industry? What do you wish you’d known before you made the leap?
Customer success is a unique job because every role is different depending on the company. Trust your instincts and be true to yourself. This is a role where the customer needs to feel wanted, appreciated and taken care of. At the end of the day, you are trying to get the customers to maximize ROI and look for ways to help gain more from the partnership. If you are not engaged, then this will be a tough role.
Natural curiosity will serve you extremely well, so don’t be so quick to deliver on requests — you have to know what customers are trying to accomplish and why they want to do it before you can provide your support. Being able to utilize all prior skills, and mesh those with current company objectives and vision, can lead to a very successful time in the customer success role because it is something natural.
