Hello, I’m S.S. from the CX Promotion Department.
In this article, I’d like to introduce a rapidly emerging role in the IT industry: the Customer Success Manager (CSM).
Customer Success (CS) is a role increasingly in demand among IT companies offering SaaS and subscription-based services. After a sales team secures a contract, CS professionals take over to support onboarding, encourage product adoption, and prevent churn—ultimately driving long-term customer satisfaction and sustained revenue growth.
CSMs create tailored success plans to help customers achieve their business goals, conduct regular progress reviews, analyze usage data, and propose ways to maximize product value. This role requires both technical product knowledge and strong customer engagement skills.
CSMs must deeply understand the technical capabilities of their products while solving customer challenges effectively.
Contents
The Expanding SaaS Market and the Rising Importance of CSMs
The SaaS market is expanding rapidly. In Japan, the domestic SaaS market is projected to reach approximately ¥1.46 trillion by 2025—nearly double its size in 2020.
Tools for web conferencing and remote collaboration are also driving growth, with the global web conferencing market expected to reach $33 billion by 2024 and $60.1 billion by 2032.
For companies offering these products, successful customer onboarding and retention are critical to business success. As a result, the role of the Customer Success Manager is becoming increasingly vital.
Career Growth and Future Potential
Recent surveys show that in Japan, job postings for CSMs and inside sales roles have increased nearly 12-fold over the past three years.
In the U.S., LinkedIn’s “Emerging Jobs” report ranked CSMs among the top 10 (6th in 2020, 7th in Japan’s 2023 edition), with job listings up 34% compared to 2018.
While the traditional focus of CS was on customer retention, today’s CSMs are also expected to drive revenue growth through upselling and cross-selling.
Many companies now view CS as a profit center, and CSMs are expected to not only solve problems but also proactively propose new solutions.
With this expanded scope, experienced CSMs are highly valued and in steady demand across industries.
CSMs in Networking, Security, and Collaboration
In companies offering network equipment, security solutions, and collaboration tools, technical expertise is especially important.
Products like Cisco Webex, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams are closely tied to corporate infrastructure and work styles, requiring CSMs to understand network architecture, security requirements, and cloud service integration.
CSMs support customers through post-implementation setup, internal training, and troubleshooting to ensure maximum benefit.
Job descriptions often list familiarity with collaboration tools like Webex, Zoom, and Teams as a requirement.
In these fields, CSMs provide highly specialized value to customers.
Ideal Candidates and Career Paths
Successful CSMs combine technical expertise with strong communication skills.
They understand product features and industry trends while empathizing with customer needs and proposing effective solutions.
Project management, data analysis, and attention to detail are also key skills.
Commonly required competencies include onboarding, communication, problem-solving, and customer engagement.
Many CSMs come from backgrounds in sales, marketing, customer support, or pre-sales.
In the U.S., CSM roles often require 4–6 years of experience in related fields.
For professionals with IT industry experience, transitioning into a CSM role is a natural step that leverages both interpersonal and technical skills.
Conclusion: The Rewards and Future of a CSM Career
CSMs play a deeply rewarding role by helping customers overcome challenges and achieve success.
They contribute directly to client productivity and business growth while building long-term trust.
Seeing customers continue and expand their use of services provides a strong sense of purpose and impact.
Many companies are investing heavily in CS. For example, IBM has announced plans to significantly increase its CSM workforce, recognizing the role’s importance in accelerating customer satisfaction and business growth.
Customer Success also offers strong career development potential.
According to Gainsight, “CSMs have the qualities to become CEOs,” thanks to their customer-centric mindset and cross-functional coordination skills.
With experience, CSMs can advance into senior roles such as CS leadership, account sales, or product management.
In summary, Customer Success roles—especially in networking, security, and collaboration—are increasingly in demand and offer a promising, fulfilling career path.
For IT professionals, becoming a CSM is a great opportunity to build a meaningful and impactful career.
