Hello, I’m S.S. from the CX Promotion Department.
Today, I’d like to introduce a rapidly growing and increasingly vital role in the IT industry: the Customer Success Manager (CSM).
You may have come across the term “Customer Success.”
It represents a new approach to value delivery—one that goes beyond simply providing products or services. Instead, it focuses on helping customers fully leverage those offerings to achieve meaningful business outcomes. At the center of this approach is the CSM.
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What Is a Customer Success Manager?
With the rise of subscription-based IT services, the Customer Success Manager (CSM) role has become increasingly important. CSMs work with existing customers to promote effective use of their company’s products and services, enhance satisfaction, and contribute to sustainable revenue growth.
Unlike traditional, reactive customer support, CSMs proactively collaborate with customers to solve challenges and drive results. As IT products—especially in networking, security, and collaboration—shift to cloud and subscription models, the value of successful implementation has become increasingly important. CSMs are emerging as key players in shaping the future for both companies and their customers.
Why Is the CSM Role in High Demand?
This growing demand is driven by changes in service revenue models. In SaaS, for example, monthly subscription contracts are now the norm, and whether a customer chooses to renew directly impacts revenue. As a result, improving retention and preventing churn has become a top business priority.
CSMs are essential in addressing this challenge. In Japan, the acceleration of digital transformation (DX) has led to a sharp increase in demand for CSMs who manage the entire customer journey—from onboarding to upselling. By pursuing business success alongside customers and building long-term trust, CSMs help drive stable revenue growth and strengthen customer loyalty.
The Rewards of Working in Customer Success
CSMs play a highly impactful role for both companies and customers, making the work deeply rewarding. There’s a unique joy in witnessing customers master a product and achieve tangible business results.
One CS leader shared, “When we improve a customer’s workflow and they’re genuinely happy, I feel so thrilled I could throw a party at home.” Working with the same passion as the customer brings a sense of accomplishment that’s hard to put into words. Knowing that your proposals directly contribute to customer success—and hearing their appreciation—can be a powerful motivator.
Ideal Traits and Career Backgrounds for CSMs
Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for CSMs. People who enjoy engaging with others and excel at building trust with customers are well-suited for the role. Since CSMs often face complex situations involving customer requests and internal coordination, a proactive mindset and persistence are also important.
Additionally, logical and data-driven thinking is crucial for analyzing customer feedback and making optimal proposals. Many successful CSMs come from backgrounds in sales, technical support, or pre-sales within the IT industry, leveraging their product knowledge and customer-centric perspective.
Conclusion: A Career That Builds the Future with Customers
CSMs serve as a bridge between companies and customers, supporting stable growth while helping client businesses succeed. The sense of fulfillment from solving challenges together and pursuing mutual benefit is immense, and demand for this role is expected to continue rising.
In the IT industry—especially in areas like networking, security, and collaboration—CSMs are becoming increasingly vital amid digital transformation and evolving work styles. Listening to customer voices, delivering impactful proposals, and building trust are experiences that add great value to long-term career development.
In today’s world, pursuing a career as a CSM is a compelling choice that offers both skill enhancement and personal growth.
