Customer Success Manager vs. Account Manager: What's the Difference?

CSM vs. AM: Why do I need both? What’s the difference? Which path is right for me? It's a question that's often asked for a good reason. After all, both Customer Success and Account Managers are customer-facing roles. And both are responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.

They both want to keep the customers happy and the revenue coming in. But, these two fields have strict lines separating them.

Customer Success Managers focus on helping customers get the most value out of a product. Account Managers focus on maintaining and growing relationships with existing customers. CSMs often have a background in sales, customer support, or product training. AMs tend to come from sales or marketing backgrounds.

But that's not all when distinguishing the role of a CSM vs. AM. If you're wondering which would be a better fit for your skillset, read on to learn more. Let's review the key differences between these two roles.

What is a Customer Success Manager (CSM)?

Customer data shows the trend for personalized onboarding and support for software implementation is growing. In response, companies are hiring individuals with excellent interpersonal skills. These individuals are there to support customers throughout their lives and hold the title of Customer Success Manager (CSM).

CSMs guide clients through the post-sale and onboarding process. Your goal as a CSM is to foster better relationships with existing customers. This encourages clients to continue their usage, upsell to new productions, and promote your product online.

A CSM’s role requires the knowledge that a customer’s interaction with a company doesn’t end after the sale. There should be someone to help this customer become an active user and help them see the product’s value firsthand. It's easy to avoid a tool you don't know how to use. It's hard to avoid a tool you know can help you.

CSMs use their experience and knowledge to help customers get the most value out of a product. They also work with customers to identify areas where they need help and offer solutions.

After the sale process, a CSM reaches out to the client to ensure the product is working. In this role, you’ll be responsible for explaining to customers some new ways in which they can use a product. A close relationship with customers will help you identify pain points. You'll help mitigate them before they become major issues.

What is an Account Manager?

An Account Manager is the main point of contact for expanding business between a company and different types of clients. They are responsible for maintaining and growing relationships with existing customers through net new sales and upsells to existing deals. And AM will use their understanding of a company to find opportunities for clients to up their usage.

For example, if a customer is using the basic version of a software product, the AM will offer an upgrade to Premium. Or, if a customer is only using one of the company’s products, the AM will try to sell them on the company’s other product lines.

As an AM you’ll also take on extra roles, such as coordinating the activities of the account team. You’ll also prepare presentations and proposals and hold meetings with clients.

Account Managers often have a background in sales or marketing. You identify customer needs and sell them the products that will address those. You will work with clients to meet their needs, so you need to understand their business.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

Are you still trying to figure out how a CSM and an AM differ? An overview of key tasks and responsibilities will help you understand the distinction.

Main Differentiating Factors in a CSM vs. AM. Position

Purposes

Both CSMs and AMs aim to ensure customer satisfaction and generate more revenue. Yet, their purposes are different.

On the one hand, an Account Manager’s purpose is to be available when customers need them. They intend to get more upsells, cross-sales, and renewals.

On the other hand, a CSM focuses on ensuring that clients meet their goals. They ensure that a company’s product is helping customers meet their goals and get the most value from it.

Perspectives

CSM vs. AM? Two different perspectives.

An AM looks at the short-term because their goal is to increase sales in the current quarter or year. An AM may focus more on meeting quotas and hitting sales targets. They will dedicate their efforts to making more sales instead of delivering value.

CSMs take a longer-term view. Their goal is to nurture customers and build relationships. They want to keep customers so they can continue doing business with the company for years to come.

CSMs focus on ensuring customer retention and satisfaction. They believe that customers will renew if they feel satisfied.

The Customer Lifecycle

CSMs are more involved in the customer lifecycle than AMs. CSMs interact with customers from the beginning. Then again during the onboarding process. And they continue providing support and guidance even after the sale. They ensure that customers are using the product correctly. They offer help if they encounter any problems.

AMs are less involved in the duration of a customer's life from a product POV - but they do play a big role. They are introduced to customers after a sale is made and are a part of the journey from there. While maintaining relationships is important for Account Managers, they will often have less 1-1 bandwidth with core users over time as the account grows, and new contacts are made.

Product Knowledge

CSMs need to have a deep understanding of the product they are selling. They need to know how the product works, what it can do, and how to troubleshoot any problems. The value a client goes on to get from a product is often the result of a CSMs onboarding. CSMs also need to keep up with any changes or updates to the product.

AMs don’t need to have as much core product knowledge, though it may be helpful to them as well. They need to know enough about the product to be able to answer general questions during a sale. They don’t need to know the ins and outs like CSMs do for problem-solving as their role is to delegate and escalate.

CSM vs. AM: What’s Best for Your Career?

Now that you have the details, it's time to decide which role fits you best. The real CSM vs. AM debate is a completely personal one. Are you looking for a challenging role requiring product knowledge? A CSM role may be the right choice.Interested in a sales-focused role with less customer interaction? Account Management could be a better option. Learn more today:

• Customer Success Management Course
• Account Management Course

The decision comes down to your skill set and interests. If you want to build a fulfilling career in either of these roles, Uvaro can help you get started. Our career programming and course curriculum help you on the road to Career Success!

Download our Career Success Catalog to learn more about our approach. How can we help you succeed?