Interview Guide for

Strategic Customer Success Manager

This comprehensive interview guide is designed to help you effectively evaluate candidates for the Strategic Customer Success Manager role at your organization. It provides a structured approach to assessing candidates' skills, experience, and fit for the position through multiple interview stages, including a work sample exercise focused on strategic account planning.

How to Use This Guide

To make the most of this interview guide and improve your hiring decisions:

Familiarize yourself with the job description and ideal candidate profile before conducting interviews. This will help you better assess candidate fit and potential for success in the role.
Customize the guide to align with your company's specific needs and industry focus. You can edit questions or add new ones using Yardstick, ensuring the interview process remains relevant and effective for your strategic customer success environment.
Use the same questions and scorecards for each interview stage to ensure consistency across candidates. This standardized approach allows for more accurate comparisons and data-driven decision-making.
Take detailed notes during interviews to support your evaluations. Yardstick's AI-powered note-taking feature can help capture key insights without distracting you from the conversation, especially during the strategic account planning work sample.
Complete the scorecard immediately after each interview while your impressions are fresh. This helps maintain accuracy and facilitates easier comparisons between candidates, particularly when evaluating complex competencies like strategic thinking and consultative selling skills.
Pay close attention to candidates' past performance metrics and their ability to articulate complex customer success strategies. The hiring manager interview section is particularly useful for diving deep into these areas.
Use the behavioral competency interview to assess adaptability, problem-solving skills, and cross-functional collaboration abilities, which are crucial for success in dynamic customer success environments.
Leverage the executive interview to evaluate candidates' ability to contribute to the strategic direction of the customer success function and engage with high-level stakeholders.
Conduct thorough reference checks to verify the candidate's claims about their customer success performance and relationship-building abilities.
Use Yardstick's analytics to track the effectiveness of each element of the interview guide over time, allowing you to refine and improve your hiring process for strategic customer success roles continuously.

Remember that this guide is a tool to support your decision-making process. Use your judgment and expertise to evaluate candidates holistically, considering both their qualifications and potential cultural fit within your organization's customer success team.

For more interview question ideas specific to this role, visit: Strategic Customer Success Manager Interview Questions.

Job Description

🌟 Strategic Customer Success Manager

🚀 About [Company]

[Company] is a leading provider of innovative [Industry] solutions, leveraging cutting-edge technology to help businesses personalize customer engagement and drive revenue growth. Our AI-powered platform enables marketers to create tailored journeys for every subscriber, maximizing campaign performance and ROI.

💼 The Role

As a Strategic Customer Success Manager at [Company], you'll be at the forefront of managing relationships with our most valuable clients. You'll play a crucial role in ensuring customer satisfaction, driving revenue growth, and fostering long-term partnerships through consultative and data-driven program management.

🎯 Key Responsibilities

Own and nurture relationships with strategic customers throughout their entire lifecycle
Develop and implement strategic account plans to drive value delivery and account growth
Conduct regular client meetings and presentations, both virtually and in-person
Analyze customer usage data to form accurate forecasts and manage renewal pipelines
Identify and pursue opportunities for new product adoption and account expansion
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate customer feedback into product requirements
Represent [Company] at industry events, happy hours, and client functions

🧠 What We're Looking For

Proven track record of success in customer success or account management roles
Strong understanding of growth and retention strategies in the [Industry] space
Experience working closely with product and engineering teams to implement solutions
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage C-level executives
Analytical mindset with proficiency in CRM tools and customer service software
Adaptability and comfort with learning new technologies and processes
Passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving business outcomes

💫 Why Join [Company]?

Be part of a dynamic team shaping the future of [Industry]
Competitive compensation package including base salary, bonus/commission, and equity
Comprehensive benefits including health & wellness programs
Continuous learning and development opportunities
Collaborative and innovative work environment

Hiring Process

We've designed our hiring process to be thorough and give you multiple opportunities to showcase your skills and experience. Here's what you can expect:

Screening Interview

‍An initial conversation with our recruiting team to discuss your background and experience in customer success.

Work Sample: Strategic Account Planning Session

‍An opportunity to demonstrate your strategic thinking and account management skills through a practical exercise.

Hiring Manager Interview

‍An in-depth discussion about your work history, achievements, and approach to customer success with the hiring manager.

Behavioral Competency Interview

‍A focused conversation about your past experiences and how they relate to key competencies for this role.

Executive Interview

‍A final interview with a senior leader to discuss your strategic thinking and leadership in customer success.

We aim to provide feedback promptly after each stage and encourage you to ask questions throughout the process. We're excited to get to know you and learn how you can contribute to our team's success!

[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Strategic Customer Success Manager will be responsible for managing and growing relationships with our highest-value accounts. This role requires a blend of strategic thinking, relationship management, and technical acumen to drive customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue growth.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Strategic Thinking: Ability to analyze complex business situations, identify opportunities, and develop long-term account strategies that align with both client needs and company objectives.
Relationship Building: Capacity to establish and nurture strong, trust-based relationships with multiple stakeholders at various levels within client organizations.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Skill in leveraging customer usage data and market insights to inform account strategies, forecasts, and recommendations.
Consultative Approach: Ability to understand client pain points, translate product features into business benefits, and propose tailored solutions that deliver measurable value.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proficiency in working effectively with various internal teams (e.g., Sales, Product, Engineering) to ensure client success and drive product improvements.

Desired Outcomes

Example Goals for Role:

Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.
Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.
Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.
Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.
Contribute to product development by providing quarterly reports on customer feedback and feature requests, resulting in at least two implemented improvements per year.

Ideal Candidate Profile

5+ years of experience in customer success or account management, preferably in the [Industry] sector
Proven track record of managing and growing strategic accounts with annual contract values of $500k+
Strong understanding of [Industry] trends, challenges, and best practices
Experience working with enterprise-level clients and engaging with C-suite executives
Excellent analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and customer success platforms (e.g., Gainsight, Totango)
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA or relevant advanced degree a plus
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to diverse audiences
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and thrive in a fast-paced environment
[Location]-based or willing to travel up to 25% of the time to meet client needs

📞 Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview is crucial for quickly assessing if a candidate should move forward in the Strategic Customer Success Manager hiring process. Focus on past performance, relevant experience, and key competencies outlined in the job description. Getting detailed information on past account management performance early is essential.

Ask all candidates the same questions to ensure fair comparisons. Take detailed notes during the interview to support your evaluations. Complete the scorecard immediately after the interview while your impressions are fresh.

Remember that this is just the first step in the process, so focus on gathering key information rather than making a final decision. The goal is to determine if the candidate has the potential to excel in this role and should continue to the next stage of the interview process.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you some initial questions about your background and experience to determine fit for our Strategic Customer Success Manager role. Please provide concise but thorough answers, focusing on specific examples and results where possible. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Interview Questions

Tell me about your most successful year in customer success or account management. What were your key achievements and how did you compare to your peers?

Areas to Cover:

Specific metrics (retention rate, upsell/cross-sell revenue, NPS scores)
Ranking or performance compared to team
Strategies or approaches that led to success
Types of customers and solutions managed

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was your target for account growth that year and by what percentage did you exceed it?
How did you achieve such strong results compared to your peers?
What was your average account size and contract value?

Walk me through your approach to developing and implementing a strategic account plan for a high-value client.

Areas to Cover:

Steps in strategic account planning process
Methods for identifying growth opportunities
Strategies for engaging multiple stakeholders
Approach to aligning customer goals with company objectives

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you prioritize initiatives within the account plan?
What challenges did you face during implementation and how did you overcome them?
How do you measure the success of your account plans?

Describe a situation where you had to use data to make a strategic decision about an account. What was the outcome?

Areas to Cover:

Types of data analyzed
Tools or methods used for analysis
Process for translating data into actionable insights
Results of data-driven decision

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you present your findings to the client?
What obstacles did you encounter in gathering or analyzing the data?
How has this experience informed your approach to data-driven decision making?

How do you build and maintain relationships with C-level executives throughout the customer lifecycle?

Areas to Cover:

Strategies for gaining access to executives
Methods for adding value and building trust
Approach to ongoing relationship management
Examples of long-term executive relationships

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you share a specific example of how you've turned an executive relationship into increased business value?
How do you prepare for meetings with C-level executives?
How do you stay top-of-mind with executives between renewal cycles?

Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve a complex customer issue. What was your role and what was the result?

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the customer issue
Teams involved in the collaboration
Your specific role and contributions
Outcome and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you manage conflicting priorities between teams?
What communication strategies did you use to keep everyone aligned?
How has this experience influenced your approach to cross-functional collaboration?

How do you stay current on industry trends and continuously improve your customer success skills?

Areas to Cover:

Specific learning methods and resources used
Frequency of skill development activities
Application of new knowledge to customer strategies
Passion for continuous improvement

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What's the most impactful thing you've learned recently and how have you applied it?
How do you balance ongoing learning with meeting your performance targets?
Are there any emerging trends you're particularly excited about in our industry?

Are you legally authorized to work in [Location] without sponsorship?

Areas to Cover:

Current work authorization status
Any restrictions or limitations on employment
Timeline of work eligibility if applicable

Possible Follow-up Questions:

When does your current work authorization expire?
Are there any travel restrictions we should be aware of?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Customer Success Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Less than 3 years of strategic account management experience
2: 3-4 years of strategic account management experience
3: 5-7 years of successful strategic account management experience
4: 8+ years of exceptional strategic account management experience

Performance History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperforms on key metrics
2: Occasionally meets performance targets
3: Consistently meets or exceeds performance targets
4: Consistently ranks in top 10% of customer success team

Strategic Account Planning Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of strategic account planning
2: Basic application of account planning techniques
3: Strong account planning skills with clear examples
4: Expert in strategic account planning, drives significant account growth

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform decisions
2: Basic use of data in decision making
3: Regularly leverages data for strategic decisions
4: Exceptional at turning complex data into actionable insights

Executive Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with C-level relationships
2: Some success building relationships with executives
3: Strong track record of executive relationship building
4: Exceptional at cultivating long-term executive partnerships

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to work effectively across teams
2: Can collaborate with guidance
3: Collaborates well with various teams
4: Excels at leading cross-functional initiatives

Continuous Learning and Improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Little evidence of ongoing skill development
2: Some effort towards continuous learning
3: Consistent focus on learning and skill improvement
4: Passionate self-learner, applies new knowledge effectively

Work Authorization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Requires sponsorship with significant restrictions
2: Requires sponsorship with minor restrictions
3: Authorized to work with time limitation
4: Fully authorized to work without restrictions

Goal: Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve 110% net revenue retention
2: Likely to achieve 100-109% net revenue retention
3: Likely to achieve 110-119% net revenue retention
4: Likely to exceed 120% net revenue retention

Goal: Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to introduce new features to 50% of accounts
2: Likely to introduce new features to 50-74% of accounts
3: Likely to introduce new features to 75-89% of accounts
4: Likely to introduce new features to 90%+ of accounts

Goal: Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain CSAT above 80%
2: Likely to maintain CSAT between 80-89%
3: Likely to maintain CSAT between 90-94%
4: Likely to maintain CSAT of 95% or higher

Goal: Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to generate 15% of new business through existing accounts
2: Likely to generate 15-24% of new business through existing accounts
3: Likely to generate 25-34% of new business through existing accounts
4: Likely to generate 35%+ of new business through existing accounts

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🎭 Work Sample: Strategic Account Planning Session

Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assesses the candidate's ability to develop and present a strategic account plan for a high-value client. It evaluates their strategic thinking, data analysis, communication skills, and ability to articulate value propositions aligned with client needs.

Best practices:

Provide the candidate with background materials 24 hours before the exercise
Limit the role-play to 30 minutes
Take detailed notes on specific behaviors and statements
Provide a brief opportunity for the candidate to self-reflect after the exercise
Offer both positive and constructive feedback on their execution
If time allows, discuss how the candidate would implement and measure the success of their proposed plan

Directions to Share with Candidate

"For this exercise, you'll conduct a strategic account planning session for a fictional high-value client. You'll receive background information on the client, including their current product usage, business challenges, and growth opportunities. Your task is to prepare a high-level strategic account plan and present it in a 30-minute role-play session where I'll play the role of the client's Chief Revenue Officer. Focus on identifying growth opportunities, addressing potential challenges, and articulating the value of our solutions. You'll have 24 hours to prepare. Do you have any questions?"

Provide the candidate with:

Detailed profile of the fictional client company
Current product usage and contract information
Industry trends and challenges relevant to the client
Your company's product/service portfolio
Any other relevant background information

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Presents generic plan without strategic insights
2: Develops basic plan with some strategic elements
3: Creates comprehensive plan with clear strategic direction
4: Delivers innovative, forward-thinking plan that exceeds expectations

Data Analysis and Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Minimal use of data to support recommendations
2: Basic data analysis with limited insights
3: Thorough data analysis with valuable insights
4: Exceptional data analysis revealing hidden opportunities

Value Articulation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unable to clearly articulate value propositions
2: Communicates generic value propositions
3: Articulates tailored value propositions aligned with client needs
4: Compellingly communicates unique value, tying solutions directly to client's strategic objectives

Communication and Presentation Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor communication, unclear or disorganized
2: Adequate communication with some clarity
3: Clear, concise communication with good organization
4: Exceptional communication, articulate and persuasive

Client Needs Understanding

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of client's business and challenges
2: Basic understanding of client needs
3: Thorough understanding of client's business and strategic priorities
4: Deep insight into client's industry, challenges, and growth opportunities

Growth Opportunity Identification

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Fails to identify significant growth opportunities
2: Identifies obvious growth opportunities
3: Uncovers multiple viable growth opportunities
4: Discovers innovative, high-impact growth opportunities

Goal: Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Proposed plan unlikely to achieve 110% net revenue retention
2: Proposed plan likely to achieve 100-109% net revenue retention
3: Proposed plan likely to achieve 110-119% net revenue retention
4: Proposed plan likely to exceed 120% net revenue retention

Goal: Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Plan unlikely to drive new feature adoption in 50% of accounts
2: Plan likely to drive new feature adoption in 50-74% of accounts
3: Plan likely to drive new feature adoption in 75-89% of accounts
4: Plan likely to drive new feature adoption in 90%+ of accounts

Goal: Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Proposed strategies unlikely to maintain CSAT above 80%
2: Proposed strategies likely to maintain CSAT between 80-89%
3: Proposed strategies likely to maintain CSAT between 90-94%
4: Proposed strategies likely to maintain CSAT of 95% or higher

Goal: Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Plan unlikely to generate 15% of new business through existing accounts
2: Plan likely to generate 15-24% of new business through existing accounts
3: Plan likely to generate 25-34% of new business through existing accounts
4: Plan likely to generate 35%+ of new business through existing accounts

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👔 Hiring Manager Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on the candidate's relevant work history and performance in strategic customer success management. Ask the following questions for each relevant previous role, adapting as needed for time and the number of relevant roles. Ask all questions on the most recent or most relevant role. Probe for specific examples and quantifiable results. Pay attention to the progression of responsibilities and achievements across roles, especially in relation to strategic account management, customer retention, and revenue growth.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'd like to discuss your relevant work experience in customer success and account management in more detail. We'll go through each of your previous roles, focusing on your responsibilities, achievements, and lessons learned. Please provide specific examples and metrics where possible, especially related to strategic account planning, customer retention, and revenue growth."

Interview Questions

Of all the jobs you've held in customer success or account management, which was your favorite and why?

Areas to Cover:

Motivations and preferences in customer success roles
Alignment with current Strategic Customer Success Manager role
Self-awareness and understanding of strengths in account management

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What aspects of that role do you hope to find in this position?
How did that experience shape your approach to strategic account management?
What did you learn about yourself as a customer success professional in that role?

Tell me about your role at [company]. What attracted you to this strategic customer success opportunity?

Areas to Cover:

Company background and product/service overview
Target strategic customer profile
Customer success process and methodology used
Approach to managing high-value accounts
Data analysis and forecasting methods

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Who was your ideal strategic customer, and how did you identify them?
Walk me through your typical process for developing a strategic account plan.
How did you use data to inform your account growth strategies?
What was the typical lifecycle for different types of strategic accounts?
How did your approach differ for retention vs. growth accounts?

Tell me about your portfolio and targets when you started. How did that change over time?

Areas to Cover:

Strategic account portfolio definition
Target customer profile for high-value accounts
Key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets
Team structure and support for strategic accounts
Evolution of role and responsibilities over time

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What were your annual targets for retention and growth?
How was your strategic account portfolio defined and allocated?
How did you prioritize accounts within your portfolio?
Walk me through your typical account values and growth targets.
What resources did you have available to support your strategic account efforts?

What were your key achievements in this strategic customer success role?

Areas to Cover:

Customer retention rates for strategic accounts
Revenue growth metrics for existing accounts
New product adoption rates
Customer satisfaction or Net Promoter Scores
Recognition or awards for performance
Impactful strategic account plans or initiatives

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was your year-over-year retention rate for strategic accounts?
Can you break down the components of your largest account growth success?
How did you measure and improve customer satisfaction among your key accounts?
What was your average revenue growth per strategic account compared to the team average?
Can you describe a strategic initiative that significantly impacted multiple accounts?

What were the most significant challenges you faced in managing strategic accounts and how did you handle them?

Areas to Cover:

Major obstacles overcome in complex account management
Strategies for mitigating churn risk in high-value accounts
Problem-solving approach for strategic customer issues
Internal barriers to implementing account strategies
Competitive situations in retaining or growing key accounts

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was the specific situation that created this challenge in your strategic account?
Walk me through your thought process in addressing it.
What resources or support did you leverage to overcome the challenge?
What was the quantifiable impact of your solution on the account's retention or growth?
What would you do differently if faced with the same situation in strategic account management today?

Describe your relationship with your leadership and cross-functional teams in your strategic customer success role.

Areas to Cover:

Management style preferences in customer success environment
Collaboration with product and engineering teams
Interaction with sales for account growth opportunities
Cross-functional project leadership for strategic initiatives
Performance review process for strategic account managers

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was the most valuable coaching you received for managing strategic accounts?
How did you work with product teams to drive adoption of new features in key accounts?
Tell me about a time you led a cross-functional initiative to improve customer experience.
What aspects of the company culture drove your success in strategic account management?
How was your performance evaluated beyond retention and growth metrics?

Which job that you've had in the past does this Strategic Customer Success Manager role remind you of the most?

Areas to Cover:

Customer success process and strategic account similarities
Team structure comparisons in complex account management environments
Product complexity and adoption strategy alignment
Required skills overlap for strategic customer success
Success metrics alignment for retention and growth

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What specific aspects of strategic account management feel similar to you?
What challenges from that role might you anticipate here?
What skills from that experience would transfer well to this Strategic Customer Success Manager position?
What would you do differently in this role based on that strategic account management experience?
How would you adapt your approach given the similarities in customer success practices?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Strategic Account Management Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic account management experience
2: Some strategic account experience but gaps in key areas
3: Strong strategic account management experience aligned with role requirements
4: Extensive highly relevant strategic account experience exceeding role requirements

Strategic Account Performance History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperformed on retention and growth targets
2: Occasionally met retention and growth targets with inconsistent performance
3: Consistently met or exceeded retention and growth targets for strategic accounts
4: Consistently top performer, significantly exceeding retention and growth expectations

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited use of data in strategic account management
2: Basic use of data for account planning and forecasting
3: Effective use of data to drive strategic decisions and account growth
4: Advanced data analysis skills, consistently leveraging insights for exceptional results

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to work effectively with other teams
2: Adequate collaboration with some cross-functional teams
3: Strong track record of effective cross-functional collaboration
4: Exceptional at leading cross-functional initiatives for strategic account success

Goal: Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Revenue Retention Goal

Goal: Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Product Adoption Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Product Adoption Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Product Adoption Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Product Adoption Goal

Goal: Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Customer Satisfaction Goal

Goal: Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Upsell/Cross-sell Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🧠 Behavioral Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies critical for success in the Strategic Customer Success Manager role. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences, particularly those related to strategic account management, customer retention, and revenue growth.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this Strategic Customer Success Manager role. Please provide detailed examples from your experience, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you developed and implemented a strategic account plan that significantly improved customer retention and growth. What was your approach, and what were the results? (Strategic Thinking, Data-Driven Decision Making)

Areas to Cover:

Analysis of customer's business and needs
Development of long-term account strategy
Use of data to inform decision-making
Execution of plan and stakeholder management
Measurable outcomes and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you prioritize initiatives within your strategic account plan?
What data sources did you use to inform your strategy?
How did you adapt your strategy as the customer's needs evolved?
Can you quantify the impact on retention and revenue growth?
How did you align your strategy with the customer's long-term business objectives?

Describe a situation where you had to navigate a complex, multi-stakeholder environment to drive product adoption or expansion within a strategic account. How did you approach this? (Relationship Building, Consultative Approach)

Areas to Cover:

Identification of key stakeholders and their interests
Strategies for engaging different personas in the organization
Approach to understanding and addressing diverse needs
Techniques for building consensus and driving decisions
Long-term impact on the account relationship and business outcomes

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you tailor your communication style for different stakeholders?
What challenges did you face in aligning diverse stakeholder interests?
How did you demonstrate the value of new products or features to different groups?
Can you give an example of how you turned a skeptical stakeholder into an advocate?
How have you maintained these relationships over time to support ongoing growth?

Give me an example of a time when you collaborated with cross-functional teams to solve a critical issue for a strategic customer. What was your role, and how did you ensure success? (Cross-Functional Collaboration, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the customer issue and its potential impact
Identification and engagement of relevant internal teams
Leadership and coordination of cross-functional efforts
Strategies for overcoming internal obstacles or misalignments
Resolution of the customer issue and long-term outcomes

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you initially identify the need for cross-functional collaboration?
What challenges did you face in aligning different teams around the customer's needs?
How did you leverage each team's expertise to contribute to the solution?
Can you describe how you managed communication between the customer and internal teams?
What processes or best practices did you implement as a result of this experience?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to develop comprehensive account strategies
2: Creates basic account plans with limited long-term vision
3: Develops effective, data-driven strategic account plans
4: Crafts innovative, high-impact strategies that drive exceptional results

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform account strategies
2: Uses basic data analysis in decision-making
3: Effectively leverages data to drive strategic account decisions
4: Demonstrates advanced data analysis skills, consistently uncovering valuable insights

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty forming strong relationships with customers
2: Builds adequate relationships with some customer stakeholders
3: Consistently develops strong, multi-level customer relationships
4: Masterfully cultivates deep, lasting partnerships across customer organizations

Consultative Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses on product features rather than customer needs
2: Shows basic understanding of customer needs
3: Effectively uncovers and addresses complex customer needs
4: Demonstrates exceptional ability to align solutions with strategic business objectives

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to work effectively with other teams
2: Collaborates adequately with some internal teams
3: Successfully leads cross-functional initiatives for customer success
4: Excels at driving complex, high-impact cross-functional projects

Goal: Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Revenue Retention Goal

Goal: Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Product Adoption Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Product Adoption Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Product Adoption Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Product Adoption Goal

Goal: Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Customer Satisfaction Goal

Goal: Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Upsell/Cross-sell Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👨‍💼 Executive Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview further assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies from an executive perspective, focusing on high-level strategic thinking and leadership in customer success. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences that demonstrate the candidate's ability to operate at a strategic level in complex customer success environments.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this Strategic Customer Success Manager role, with a focus on strategic thinking and leadership in complex customer environments. Please provide detailed examples, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you identified a significant opportunity for innovation or improvement in your customer success processes or strategies. How did you approach implementing this change, and what was the impact? (Strategic Thinking, Data-Driven Decision Making)

Areas to Cover:

Identification of improvement opportunity in customer success processes
Use of data and insights to support the proposed innovation
Development of implementation strategy
Change management within the organization and with customers
Measurable impact on team performance and customer outcomes

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you identify this opportunity for innovation?
What data or metrics did you use to support your proposed changes?
How did you gain buy-in from leadership and team members for your proposed innovation?
What challenges did you encounter during implementation and how did you overcome them?
Can you quantify the impact of these improvements on customer retention or growth?

Describe a situation where you had to manage a strategic account through a significant challenge or crisis. How did you approach this, and what were the long-term results? (Relationship Building, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the challenge or crisis and its potential impact
Initial response and stakeholder management
Strategies for mitigating risk and rebuilding trust
Cross-functional collaboration to address the issue
Long-term impact on the account relationship and business outcomes

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you initially assess the severity of the situation?
What steps did you take to communicate with and reassure the customer?
How did you coordinate internal resources to address the challenge?
Can you describe any proactive measures you implemented to prevent similar issues in the future?
How did this experience shape your approach to risk management in strategic accounts?

Give me an example of how you've contributed to the strategic direction of your company's customer success function. What insights or initiatives did you bring forward, and how did you drive their adoption? (Strategic Thinking, Cross-Functional Collaboration)

Areas to Cover:

Identification of strategic opportunities for the customer success function
Development of data-driven insights or proposals
Presentation and championing of ideas to leadership
Collaboration with other departments to implement changes
Impact on overall customer success strategy and business results

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you identify this strategic opportunity for the customer success function?
What data or market trends informed your thinking?
How did you build support for your ideas across different levels of the organization?
What challenges did you face in implementing your initiative, and how did you overcome them?
How have you measured the long-term impact of your contribution to the customer success strategy?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses primarily on short-term, tactical execution
2: Demonstrates some ability to think strategically about customer success
3: Develops comprehensive strategies aligned with business goals
4: Creates innovative, market-leading strategic approaches for customer success

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform strategic decisions
2: Uses basic data analysis in strategic planning
3: Effectively leverages data to drive high-level strategic decisions
4: Demonstrates exceptional ability to derive actionable insights from complex data

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to manage relationships during challenging situations
2: Maintains adequate relationships through most challenges
3: Successfully navigates complex relationship challenges
4: Excels at strengthening relationships through crisis management

Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to address complex customer challenges effectively
2: Solves basic customer issues with some guidance
3: Effectively resolves complex customer challenges
4: Demonstrates exceptional problem-solving skills in high-stakes situations

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty working effectively across departments
2: Collaborates adequately with some departments
3: Successfully leads cross-functional strategic initiatives
4: Excels at driving complex, high-impact cross-functional projects

Goal: Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Revenue Retention Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Revenue Retention Goal

Goal: Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Product Adoption Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Product Adoption Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Product Adoption Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Product Adoption Goal

Goal: Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Customer Satisfaction Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Customer Satisfaction Goal

Goal: Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Upsell/Cross-sell Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Upsell/Cross-sell Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the Strategic Customer Success Manager role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.

The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or the leadership's opinions.

Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.

Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

Based on the candidate's past performance and interview responses, how likely are they to achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for their strategic account portfolio?

Guidance: Discuss specific examples from the candidate's past performance that indicate their ability to meet or exceed this goal. Consider their track record in similar roles and their strategies for account growth and retention.

How well-equipped is the candidate to increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year?

Guidance: Consider the candidate's demonstrated skills in product knowledge, consultative selling, and their past success in driving product adoption among strategic accounts.

Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

When conducting reference checks, aim to speak with former managers and colleagues who have directly worked with the candidate in a customer success or account management capacity. Explain that their feedback will be kept confidential and used to help make a hiring decision. Ask the same core questions to each reference for consistency, but feel free to ask follow-up questions based on their responses.

Questions for Reference Checks

In what capacity did you work with [Candidate Name], and for how long?

Guidance:

Establish the context of the professional relationship
Determine the reference's ability to speak to the candidate's strategic customer success skills

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How closely did you work together on strategic accounts?
Were you directly involved in overseeing their performance?

Can you describe [Candidate Name]'s primary responsibilities in their customer success role?

Guidance:

Verify the candidate's claims about their previous role
Understand the scope and complexity of their strategic account management experience

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was the typical account value and contract length?
How many strategic accounts were they responsible for managing?

How would you rate [Candidate Name]'s performance in terms of customer retention and revenue growth compared to their peers?

Guidance:

Get specific metrics or rankings if possible
Understand their net revenue retention rate and ranking within the team

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was their average net revenue retention rate?
How did they rank in terms of upselling and cross-selling performance?

Can you give an example of a particularly complex or challenging strategic account that [Candidate Name] successfully grew or retained?

Guidance:

Assess the candidate's ability to navigate complex customer relationships
Understand their strategic approach to account management

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did they handle multiple stakeholders in this account?
What strategies did they use to overcome challenges and drive growth?

How would you describe [Candidate Name]'s approach to driving product adoption and introducing new features or solutions to their accounts?

Guidance:

Evaluate the candidate's ability to increase product adoption
Understand their skills in consultative selling and value articulation

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you provide an example of how they successfully introduced a new product or feature to a strategic account?
How did they overcome resistance to new product adoption?

What initiatives or strategies did [Candidate Name] implement to improve customer success processes or outcomes?

Guidance:

Assess the candidate's ability to innovate and drive improvements
Understand their contribution to the overall customer success organization

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did these initiatives impact the team's overall performance?
Were any of their strategies adopted by other team members or departments?

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate Name] again if you had an appropriate strategic customer success role available? Why?

Guidance:

Get a clear, quantifiable measure of the reference's overall impression
Understand the reasoning behind their rating

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What would make you rate them higher?
In what type of customer success environment do you think they would thrive most?

Reference Check Scorecard

Verification of Role and Responsibilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant discrepancies with candidate's claims
2: Some minor discrepancies
3: Mostly aligns with candidate's claims
4: Fully verifies and expands on candidate's claims

Strategic Account Management Performance

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperformed on retention and growth metrics
2: Occasionally met retention and growth targets
3: Consistently met or exceeded retention and growth targets
4: Top performer, significantly exceeding retention and growth expectations

Complexity of Accounts Handled

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily handled simple, transactional accounts
2: Some experience with moderately complex accounts
3: Regularly handled complex strategic accounts
4: Excelled at managing highly strategic, enterprise-wide relationships

Product Adoption and Value Articulation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to drive product adoption or articulate value
2: Basic ability to introduce new features and communicate value
3: Consistently successful in driving product adoption and articulating value
4: Exceptional at driving adoption of new products/features and demonstrating ROI

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely collaborated effectively with other teams
2: Worked adequately with some cross-functional teams
3: Consistently collaborated well with various internal teams
4: Exceptional at leading cross-functional initiatives for customer success

Innovation and Process Improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely contributed to process improvements
2: Occasionally suggested minor improvements
3: Regularly implemented effective process improvements
4: Consistently drove significant innovations in customer success strategies

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely used data to inform account strategies
2: Basic use of data in decision-making
3: Effectively leveraged data to drive strategic account decisions
4: Advanced data analysis skills, consistently uncovering valuable insights

Overall Recommendation from Reference

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Would not rehire (1-3 on scale)
2: Might rehire (4-6 on scale)
3: Would likely rehire (7-8 on scale)
4: Would definitely rehire (9-10 on scale)

Goal: Achieve a net revenue retention rate of 110% or higher for the strategic account portfolio.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Increase product adoption by successfully introducing at least one new feature or solution to 75% of accounts within the fiscal year.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Maintain a customer satisfaction score (CSAT) of 90% or higher across all strategic accounts.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate at least 25% of new business revenue through upsells and cross-sells within the existing account base.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I assess a candidate's strategic thinking skills?

Look for candidates who can articulate long-term account strategies, analyze complex business situations, and align solutions with client objectives. Use questions that probe their ability to develop and execute strategic account plans. The strategic account planning exercise is particularly useful for this assessment. Our article on how to identify top sales leaders in the interview process provides additional insights on assessing strategic thinking.

What's the best way to evaluate relationship building abilities?

Ask for specific examples of how they've built and maintained relationships with key stakeholders, particularly at the executive level. Look for evidence of their ability to communicate value propositions effectively, build trust, and navigate complex organizational structures. Pay attention to how they describe their approach to managing multi-stakeholder environments in their past experiences.

How do I gauge a candidate's data analysis capabilities?

Focus on their ability to interpret customer usage data, form accurate forecasts, and translate data into actionable insights. Ask for examples of how they've used data to drive strategic decisions in their previous roles. The data-driven decision making interview questions can be particularly helpful in assessing this competency.

What strategies can I use to assess consultative selling skills?

Look for candidates who demonstrate a deep understanding of customer needs, can articulate complex solutions in business terms, and show a track record of driving value for their clients. Ask about specific situations where they've helped customers achieve their business objectives through your products or services. Our guide on interviewing sellers for emotional intelligence can help you assess their ability to understand and respond to client needs.

How can I determine if a candidate can drive revenue growth?

Review their past performance metrics carefully, asking for specific examples of how they've achieved or exceeded revenue targets in previous roles. Look for evidence of their ability to identify and capitalize on upsell and cross-sell opportunities. The article on asking the right questions to understand the truth about a sales candidate's past performance can guide you in this assessment.

What's the most effective way to conduct the strategic account planning exercise?

Provide clear instructions and background information to the candidate in advance. During the exercise, pay attention to their strategic thinking, data analysis, and communication skills. Use the scorecard to evaluate their performance objectively. Our guide on mastering role-playing interviews offers additional tips for conducting effective simulations.

How should I evaluate a candidate's industry knowledge?

Ask about recent industry trends and how they've applied this knowledge in their customer success approach. Look for evidence of continuous learning and a proactive approach to professional development. Candidates should be able to discuss how emerging technologies or market shifts are impacting their clients and how they adapt their strategies accordingly.

What red flags should I look out for during the interview process?

Be cautious of candidates who can't provide specific examples of past successes, struggle to articulate their strategic approach, or show a lack of preparation for the interview. Also, watch for signs of inflexibility, poor listening skills, or an inability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

How can I use this guide to compare candidates consistently?

Use the scorecards provided for each interview stage to evaluate all candidates against the same criteria. Take detailed notes and complete the scorecards immediately after each interview. During the debrief meeting, focus on comparing candidates' scores and specific examples rather than general impressions. Our blog post on why you should use structured interviews when hiring explains the benefits of this approach.

What if a candidate doesn't have direct strategic customer success experience?

Focus on transferable skills such as relationship building, strategic thinking, and data analysis. Look for evidence of success in complex B2B environments and the ability to learn quickly. Consider their potential for growth and how their unique background might bring fresh perspectives to the role. Our article on how to raise the talent bar in your organization includes valuable insights on hiring for potential.