30 customer success interview questions for manager candidates

Impressive answer: Your product is a premier budgeting software that enables everyday individuals to easily create a budget and track their spending in real time without needing advanced financial knowledge. You offer multiple plans, including a free option with limited features and a premium option enhanced with AI technology that can help make intelligent budgeting suggestions based on a person’s income, expenses, and savings goals.

Unimpressive answer: Your product is an app that people can use to help save money and learn what budgeting is.

Impressive answer: Yes, I have been using your budgeting software for three years, and I love it. Although, I did find it difficult to import financial data from my company’s 401(k) plan. I checked your help center and looked online for instructions, but everything I found was for connecting credit and debit cards. I think it would be a great benefit to your customers to expand your tutorial library and create instructions to help customers import financial data from a wider range of places, including retirement funds.

Unimpressive answer: I haven’t personally, but I see commercials for your product on YouTube all the time. Because your product seems so popular, I don’t have any suggestions for improvements.

Impressive answer: Adding a CSM to your team can bridge the gap between sales and customer support. In my experience, it helps provide customers with a faster time to value. When this happens, you are more likely to build customer loyalty and reduce customer churn. As your CSM, my top priority will be to ensure we do everything we can to retain customers and provide a positive customer experience, whether they are engaging with me, the support team, the sales team, or all three.

Unimpressive answer: I think that businesses can benefit from hiring a CSM because it adds another person to their support team. When you have more people, you can get more done, which is good for your business.

Impressive answer: As someone interested in personal finance and fintech, I make a point to stay informed through blogs and podcasts centered around the fintech industry. I’ve also always been interested in personal finance, so I try to stay up to date with the best finance apps on the market, whether that be investment or budgeting apps.

Unimpressive answer: I follow your company on X, so I am always seeing whenever you release new updates or offer promotional deals on your website. I also know that fintech is rapidly changing, so it’s hard to keep up with the trends at any given moment.

Impressive answer: My most recent professional development investment was enrolling in an online customer success certification program focusing specifically on fintech industry CSM roles. This comprehensive program equipped me with the latest customer engagement, retention, and satisfaction strategies in fintech.

Unimpressive answer: My most recent professional development investment was a standing desk for my home office. When using my standing desk, I am much more alert throughout the day. This helps me be better at my job.

Impressive answer: I aspire to enhance my communication and relationship-building skills in this position to better understand and address customer needs. Additionally, I aim to improve my problem-solving abilities by collaborating with your cross-functional teams to create a seamless customer experience and contribute to the company’s overall success.

Unimpressive answer: In this role, I hope to gain good communication skills. I also hope to learn more about how good customer service can improve a business.

Impressive answer: My success strategy for a recurring revenue model would prioritize long-term customer value through proactive engagement and continuous support. I would concentrate on building strong relationships, understanding evolving customer needs, and delivering excellent support to ensure customer retention and sustainable growth in recurring revenue.

Unimpressive answer: For a recurring revenue model, my success strategy would be to focus on providing good customer service so we don’t lose any customers over time.

Impressive answer: Once, a customer faced a unique issue and reached out for assistance. After I sent the instructions on how to fix the problem, they said they didn’t understand. I immediately noticed the resolution would be more straightforward to solve over the phone and asked if they’d be up for a call. The customer was very thankful and said they’d prefer a phone call. By actively listening and adapting swiftly, I successfully resolved the issue and strengthened the customer’s relationship with our company.

Unimpressive answer: Once, a customer faced a complex issue and contacted me for help. After telling them how to fix the problem, the customer said it didn’t work. I forwarded them to another CSM because they didn’t understand my initial instructions.

Impressive answer: I first prioritize critical deadlines and milestones when managing multiple projects. Then, I prioritize the remaining projects based on urgency, collaboration efforts, and customer impact to deliver high-quality outcomes on all of them.

Unimpressive answer: Whenever I have a lot of projects that need to be completed, I always do my favorite ones first and then save the harder ones for later.

Impressive answer: In my previous position as a CSM at a SaaS company, many customers experienced login issues after a software update. I took a proactive approach by immediately communicating the issues with the affected customers and updating them regularly as our software team investigated and fixed them.

Unimpressive answer: At my last job, many customers had trouble accessing our online store. I noticed this issue was coming up frequently, so I told them that it was a common issue and that our team would probably fix it in a few days.

Impressive answer: Recently, I encountered a tough customer experience in which the customer wasn’t satisfied with the performance of our product. I resolved the issue by actively listening, empathizing with the customer’s problems, and collaboratively finding a solution that solved their problem and exceeded their expectations.

Unimpressive answer: Once, I was meeting with a customer, and they were very unhappy with our product. I felt their complaints were unreasonable, so I told them they should have done more research before purchasing our product.

Impressive answer: With a limited budget, I would leverage customer service and success solutions that enable your business to help more customers without hiring additional agents. For example, implementing a chatbot and self-service resources like a knowledge base or FAQ page can help customers find the information they need while a CSM handles more pressing issues.

Unimpressive answer: With a limited budget, I would feel as if I don’t have the resources I need to do my job. Because of this, I’d try to ask for more money and let the company know that without a higher budget, they can expect dissatisfied customers.

Impressive answer: I approach upsells and cross-sells in customer success by first deeply understanding the customer’s needs and then proactively suggesting relevant upsell opportunities that align with their goals. In my experience, this creates upsell opportunities and helps build a strong relationship while increasing customer satisfaction.

Unimpressive answer: In my previous role, I received a commission every time a customer upgraded their account. Because of this, I tried to push every client to upgrade their account no matter what we were talking about. I figured the worst they could say is “No.”

Impressive answer: I believe the key to developing long-term relationships is fostering trust and consistently providing a positive customer experience. To achieve this, I regularly check in with customers so they are familiar with me and know they can come to me with whatever they need help with.

Unimpressive answer: I think the key to building long-term relationships is to always answer customers when they reach out for help. If you don’t respond, they might go somewhere else.

Impressive answer: The frequency of customer check-ins can vary depending on the customer’s lifecycle, preference, and unique needs. Initially, more frequent communication is needed to establish a strong customer relationship. It’s important to meet a strategic balance as the relationship develops, using timely check-ins to address evolving needs and increase long-term satisfaction. Of course, check-in schedules should also consider your customer’s preference and availability.

Unimpressive answer: In my experience, checking in on a monthly basis is usually the easiest for CSMs and customers.

Impressive answer: Once, I inherited a very angry customer due to a misunderstanding in product expectations. To help turn things around, I acknowledged their concerns, provided immediate solutions, and scheduled consistent follow-ups. After a few weeks, customer satisfaction levels improved, and a strong long-term relationship developed.

Unimpressive answer: I inherited an unhappy customer last year after my coworker left for another job. It was a struggle, but I knew that dealing with them was something I had to do. I tried to be as nice as possible to save the relationship, but it was clear it wasn’t working. I looped in my manager to solve the problem and they moved the customer to another CSM.

Impressive answer: The top three ways a customer success rep can help minimize customer churn are to adopt a customer-first mindset, quickly identify at-risk customers, and provide excellent support wherever possible.

Unimpressive answer: The top three ways a customer success professional can help minimize churn are to answer emails on time, be friendly to customers, and check in now and then.

Impressive answer: My relationship skills stand out because I am an excellent listener, empathetic, and deeply committed to understanding each customer’s unique needs. Poor listening skills are often a common issue and can lead to misalignment between customers and reps, resulting in high churn.

Unimpressive answer: I think my relationship skills are better than other customer service reps’ because I like talking to people. Because of this, it’s easy for me to build relationships.

Impressive answer: Yes, I consider myself a people person, which is part of why I am pursuing a customer success role. I’ve always loved helping others and meeting new people—both on the job and in my free time. I regularly spend my weekends volunteering at my local recreation center because I love coaching youth sports.

Unimpressive answer: I’ve always thought of myself as a people person because I have a lot of friends. I feel like people who don’t have people skills are usually more closed off, and I’m really outgoing.

Impressive answer: Once, I faced an issue with a coworker due to differing opinions. To overcome this, I initiated an open and honest conversation, understanding their concerns and collaborating on a compromise. Once the conversation was over, we both walked away with a stronger, healthier relationship.

Unimpressive answer: At my old job, I had to sit next to a coworker I didn’t get along with. Over time, this became frustrating and impacted the quality of my work. To solve the issue, I asked my manager if I could move to a different desk.

Impressive answer: In my positive team experience, I led a team that communicated openly and effectively with one another. This collaborative team experience allowed us to achieve our goals and hit new milestones. Positive attitudes, effective communication, and selfless leadership can make all the difference when trying to accomplish a team goal. Alternatively, while I was a member of a less collaborative team, we consistently struggled with communication and missed critical deadlines.

Unimpressive answer: Once, I was on a team with some of my favorite coworkers. It was a positive experience, and we all got along. And I was once on a team with some coworkers that I didn’t like. I found it hard to focus on our goals because we disagreed on so many things.

Impressive answer: In a previous leadership role, I led a team through a challenging project. I emphasized clear communication and delegated tasks to team members based on their unique skills to achieve our goals. One key lesson I learned was the importance of adapting leadership styles to individual team members to maximize productivity and efficiency.

Unimpressive answer: At a past job, I once led a team through a tough project. During the experience, I learned that some team members were much more challenging to keep on task than others. Luckily, a few of my team members were really good at their jobs and picked up the slack.

Impressive answer: In teammates, I look for excellent communication skills, adaptability, and a solid commitment to individual and team goals. In my experience, teams with these shared characteristics are motivated to achieve their goals and deliver a positive CX.

Unimpressive answer: When looking for good teammates, I ask myself: Do I like communicating with this person? If I do, they would likely be a good teammate. If I don’t, they might not be the right fit.

Impressive answer: In previous roles, I’ve collaborated with multiple departments, including our marketing, sales, and support teams, to streamline processes and work toward a shared goal of improving the customer experience. It was a positive experience as collaboration between teams allowed for unique perspectives that empowered our team to holistically improve our approach to customer success.

Unimpressive answer: The more teams involved in a project, the harder it is to get things done. Because of this, I avoid getting too many teams involved and work with my core team members whenever possible.

Impressive answer: If a server outage impacted multiple customers, I would immediately collaborate with our communications team to release a statement acknowledging the issue. Then, I’d work with our support team to provide transparent updates on the outage and the steps our team is taking to resolve it. Simultaneously, I’d work closely with our technical team to help expedite the resolution process and ensure a quick response to minimize customer impact and maintain strong customer relationships.

Unimpressive answer: If a server went down, I’d ensure the support team knew as soon as I found out. I’d also tell them to ensure that all customers know that we are aware of the issue and will fix it as fast as they can.

Impressive answer: If a teammate gave a client incorrect information, I’d quickly address the issue with the customer and acknowledge the mistake. From there, I’d provide the client with the correct information and then discuss the situation privately with the teammate, creating a plan to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Unimpressive answer: If one of my coworkers made a mistake and gave a client incorrect information, I’d tell the client that it wasn’t my fault and that I would make sure the coworker knew they messed up. I would then ask the coworker who made the mistake to stop interacting with that client.

Impressive answer: If a customer asked me a question I didn’t know the answer to, I’d answer the customer honestly. I’d let them know that I don’t have the information at the moment but will work promptly to find it and follow up with a timely response to ensure they feel satisfied.

Unimpressive answer: If I didn’t know the answer to a customer question, I’d tell them that I don’t know how to help and that they should contact my manager or our support team instead.

Impressive answer: If a customer asked for a solution beyond our policy, I’d empathetically acknowledge their concerns and express why we can’t meet their demands. Then, I’d actively seek other ways to address their needs and work with the customer to reach an alternative solution. Throughout this process, I’d maintain clear, honest communication to foster trust and emphasize our commitment to customer satisfaction.

Unimpressive answer: If a customer asks for something we can’t provide, I’d tell them that we are very sorry that we can’t help them and that they should take their business elsewhere.

Impressive answer: As a CSM, I’d contribute to hitting our sales goals by collaborating with our sales team and identifying upsell opportunities within the existing customer base. By understanding our customers’ unique needs, providing value-driven solutions, and fostering strong relationships, I aim to drive customer success, contribute to revenue growth, and exceed sales quotas.

Unimpressive answer: As a CSM, I’d push our sales team to make as many sales as possible to hit our goals. I’d also encourage everyone to try getting their clients to upgrade their accounts, no matter their current plan.

Impressive answer: TikTok is a social media platform where users can easily create, share, and discover short-form video content. TikTok also fosters a sense of community amongst users through viral trends, challenges, dances, and more.

Unimpressive answer: I would describe TikTok as a social media app that is kind of like YouTube but with shorter videos.