As economic shifts reshape the SaaS landscape, the role of the Customer Success Manager (CSM) is evolving with emerging career paths. Once focused solely on customer retention and satisfaction, CSMs are now stepping into new, specialized roles that reflect the growing complexity of customer relationships.

For CSMs with diverse skill sets and interests, these emerging roles present exciting opportunities for growth and impact. Whether you thrive on connecting with customers, empowering your peers, or shaping company strategy, there’s a career path tailored to your strengths.

Let’s dive into three emerging roles for CSMs and why you’re uniquely positioned to excel in each.

 

1. Customer Marketing

Do you love building content, engaging with customers, and turning them into raving fans? Then a transition into Customer Marketing might be your next career move.

Customer Marketers focus on creating resources and programs that amplify customer success stories, foster community, and drive advocacy. As a former or current CSM, you bring a deep understanding of customer use cases and pain points, making you uniquely qualified to craft compelling content that resonates.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leverage Your Use-Case Knowledge: You’ve spent time in the trenches with customers. Use that experience to create case studies, webinars, and guides that highlight how others can achieve similar success.
• Create Customer-Focused Content: Build educational content like blogs, whitepapers, or newsletters that help customers solve problems and maximize their ROI.
• Own Advocacy Programs: Identify and nurture customer champions to lead testimonial campaigns, participate in advisory boards, or speak at company events.

Why CSMs Are a Perfect Fit:
Your customer-first mindset and experience building relationships make you a natural fit for this role. You understand what motivates customers and how to showcase their success, creating content that not only celebrates them but also strengthens brand loyalty.

Real-World Impact:
Customer Marketing roles drive engagement and build trust, which translates into higher retention rates and increased upsell opportunities. Plus, you’ll get the satisfaction of turning customers into advocates who love your product as much as you do.

 

2. CS Enablement

If you’ve always enjoyed helping fellow CSMs learn, grow, and excel in their roles, a career in Customer Success Enablement could be your calling. CS Enablement professionals are the behind-the-scenes heroes who equip CSM teams with the tools, processes, and playbooks they need to deliver consistent results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Scale Best Practices: Identify what’s working across the team and standardize these approaches to ensure consistent delivery of value across all accounts.
• Build Game-Changing Playbooks: Develop guides and training materials that help CSMs navigate complex customer scenarios, from onboarding to renewal negotiations.
• Help with Critical Change Management: Support the team during transitions, such as implementing new technologies or restructuring processes.

Why CSMs Are a Perfect Fit:
As a CSM, you’ve likely already shared tips with colleagues or mentored newer team members. That hands-on experience makes you an ideal candidate for a role that focuses on scaling knowledge across the team. Your familiarity with customer challenges means you can create resources that are practical, actionable, and impactful.

Real-World Impact:
CS Enablement roles directly improve team performance, which translates into better outcomes for customers. By empowering your peers, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving the success of your entire organization.

 

3. Voice of Customer (VoC)

Do you have a natural curiosity about what customers think and how their feedback can shape company strategy? Then a role in the Voice of Customer (VoC) program could be your ideal fit.

VoC professionals collect, analyze, and communicate customer insights to inform product development, marketing strategies, and overall business decisions. As a CSM, you’ve spent countless hours listening to customers and understanding their needs, giving you a unique edge in this role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive Product Decisions: Collect and prioritize customer feedback to guide feature development and roadmap planning.
• Lead Customer Research: Conduct interviews, surveys, and focus groups to gain deeper insights into customer behavior and expectations.
• Own Feedback Programs: Manage initiatives like Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys, customer advisory boards, and beta testing groups.

 

Why CSMs Are a Perfect Fit:
Your direct experience with customers gives you an intuitive understanding of their needs and challenges. You also know how to package insights in a way that resonates with cross-functional teams, from Product to Marketing to Leadership.

Real-World Impact:
VoC roles ensure that the customer’s voice is at the center of business decisions, driving innovation and improving customer satisfaction. By championing customer feedback, you’ll help shape a product that delivers real value and keeps customers coming back.

 

Why These Emerging Career Paths Are Perfect for Customer Success Managers

Customer Success Managers bring a unique skill set to these emerging roles:

• Deep Customer Insights: No one understands customer pain points, goals, and successes better than a CSM.
• Relationship-Building Skills: Whether you’re engaging with customers or collaborating internally, your ability to build trust sets you apart.
• Outcome-Driven Mindset: CSMs are laser-focused on driving results, making them invaluable in roles that prioritize impact.

These qualities give you a distinct advantage, positioning you to thrive in roles that require empathy, strategy, and customer-centric thinking.

 

The Future of Customer Success

As SaaS companies continue to adapt to economic shifts, the CSM role is expanding beyond traditional responsibilities. These new career paths in Customer Marketing, CS Enablement, and Voice of Customer offer exciting opportunities for CSMs to leverage their skills in fresh and impactful ways.

Whether you’re drawn to creating engaging content, empowering your peers, or shaping product strategy, there’s a growing role that aligns with your passions. The key is to lean into your strengths, embrace continuous learning, and stay open to new possibilities.

The future of Customer Success is here—and it’s full of potential. Which path will you choose?