Colin Flanigan

How Dave, an underpaid CSM secured a remote CSM role in 3 weeks (without networking): Dave was a: • Underpaid CSM • Told there was no $ to get a raise • Fighting fires instead of giving value So he started to look for his next CSM role. But things were tough. He hadn’t interviewed in years His resume was a complete mess He didn’t know the market of 2024 So he reached out and we got to work with the F.I.R.E Framework 🔥: 1. Leveraged my 2 job boards to conserve energy 2. Used an automated apply tool to apply for him 3. New resume written by a tech SaaS recruiter 4. Overhauled his LinkedIn to stand out 5. New cover letter to be concise 6. My 10 task assignments 7. My 20 QBR templates 8. A new mindset It didn’t take long for him to get traction. One of my fastest clients to date. Typically it takes 2-3 months. He did it in 3 weeks! He got what he was looking for. • 95K role • Remote Job • Bonus payout • Growth opportunities • Build out the CSM organization Grateful I was able to help Dave get to where he wanted to go. So if you are a CSM who: • Want to find their next CSM job • Think networking is a waste of time • No growth at your current company • Unable to gain traction in this job market • Want help from an enterprise CSM and Tech SaaS recruiter • Need guidance from someone who’s helped 83 CSM’s find their next role Fill out my application form in my featured section and we’ll see if we’re a fit to work together. Or, you can DM me the word “DAVE” 2/4 spots in September left.

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🎃 A CSM's Halloween Horror Story - be prepared Things that keep Customer Success Managers up at night: 👻 Ghost customers who vanish after onboarding 🧟‍♂️ Zombie accounts with zero product usage 🦇 The dreaded "can we have a quick chat" email from a champion 🕷️ Multiple stakeholders mysteriously leaving at once 🎃 Surprise scope creep crawling into projects 💀 The silence of death after sending "Hope you're doing well" emails 🧙‍♀️ The magic trick of turning red accounts green before QBR season But the scariest thing of all? That moment when your customer says "Actually, we found another solution..." Happy Halloween from your slightly paranoid but always dedicated Director of CS! 👻 #CustomerSuccess #CSM #Halloween #CustomerExperience #TechLife

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Not to toot my own horn here, but I'll be taking y'all on a journey next Thursday. This is the first webinar we're tackling in this way: multiple modules in the LIVE demo, and a holistic view on quality management from TenForce' point of view on top of it. I'm very excited for this, and I hope to see some of you there! #quality #SOPs #digitalization #EHSQ

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31 mistakes every CSM makes: Poor time management.  Ignoring the competition. Not following up regularly. Lack of strategic planning. Skipping onboarding steps.  Being too reactive to issues. Over-relying on automation. Ignoring customer feedback. Avoiding difficult conversations. Not aligning with customer goals. Not leveraging data and analytics. Not seeking continuous improvement. Over-promising and under-delivering. Not keeping up with product updates. Not preparing adequately for meetings. Focusing only on high-touch customers. Not documenting customer interactions. Not setting measurable success metrics. Not listening actively to customer needs. Neglecting to personalise communication. Underestimating the importance of training. Not understanding the customer’s business. Failing to coordinate with other departments. Neglecting to celebrate customer milestones. Not setting clear expectations with customers. Assuming the customer’s definition of success. Not seeking feedback on their own performance. Reacting rather than proactively managing accounts. Ignoring potential upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Failing to advocate for the customer within the company. Not building strong relationships with key stakeholders. Want to avoid them? Sign up for my newsletter. 📥 Join 10k+ CS Professionals who read my newsletter on how to build and scale a CS Team [sign up in the comments section]. #csm #revops #customerexperience #gtm #customersuccess

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How Blaire, an underpaid CSM secured a 85K remote CSM role in 5 weeks (without networking) Blaire was a: • Denver CSM • Newly engaged • Failing to get job interviews • Underpaid, overlooked, and undervalued She was searching by herself before we worked together. 1. No idea how to quickly apply for CSM roles at scale 2. Lacked a strong LinkedIn profile for recruiters 3. Struggled to stand out among applicants. 4. Didn’t feel confident in her talk tracks. 5. Was barely getting any traction. She was losing her mind and her savings quickly. When she couldn't take it any longer, she turned to me for help. We gathered the flint and set the FIRE framework in motion. 🔥 We: • Together, we fine-tuned her talk tracks and built powerful, results-driven stories. • Leveraged our job boards and automated application tool to maximise her time. • Rewrote her resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile; by a 10-year tech SaaS • Communicated regularly on Slack each week to maintain forward momentum. • Partnered on task and QBR assignments using our optimised templates. In this first WEEK, she secured 3 different interviews. We even got to a final round. But the recruiter wasn’t happy with our final presentation. So we pressed on. (that’s the only thing you can do) We went for another SaaS company. We tightened up her talk tracks. We collaborated on her slides to help get them to a better place. She was ready. SHE CRUSHED IT Then we got the offer. The job we were searching for. • Remote Role • $85,000 USD • Opportunity to grow within the company • Ability to travel the world while she worked. Helping transform Blaire's life fills me with immense gratitude—there's nothing more fulfilling. So if you are a CSM who has lost their confidence and: 1. Looking to work with a real CSM and SaaS recruiter 2. Think that networking is as outdated as Joe Biden 3. Want to use my auto-apply tool and 2 job boards 4. Be part of a slack community with other seekers 5. Prefer to work with a proven coach, not a guru. 6. Open to receiving direct feedback DM me “October” and i’ll send you the details; 1 spot left.

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CSM, get out of the hamster wheel before you burn out. ❌ Stop fire-fighting ❌ Stop with check-in calls ❌ Stop reacting to your inbox ❌ Stop taking support queries ❌ Stop ineffective repetitive tasks ❌ Stop solving for this month's number ❌ Stop emailing unresponsive contacts ❌ Stop only prioritising in-month renewals ❌ Stop manually doing what should be automated A ton of hard work. Very little to show for it. You'll never get out of the rat race if you keep working this way. Here's a different and better way of CSM-ing: ✅ Establish your customers' expected outcomes ✅ Build a Success Plan from day one ✅ Ensure they have the right set-up ✅ Hold customers accountable ✅ Report on and share results ✅ Ask if they intend to renew ✅ Monitor leading indicators ✅ Pick up the phone ✅ Multi-thread Proactive, strategic and consultative. 1000x better. If reading this makes you feel ashamed because you don't know where to start or overwhelmed because your current work situation is too chaotic to create the time for this, you're not alone. Thousands of CSMs feel exactly the same way. I know what you're thinking: -> You can't afford to stop right now -> You don't have time to make changes -> You only need to weather the storm and things will get better I've been there too. But these are the excuses that are holding you back. Nobody is coming to save you. You need to save yourself. So here's my advice: 🛑 Stop everything 🛑 Book 2 days "OOO" in your calendar. And do these 3 exercises: 1- Create a Calendar Blueprint: Set up a separate calendar from your current one. You'll use this to design a new calendar blueprint for yourself. You should add every single thing you need to do proactively in this calendar, it's the baseline for you to start changing the make-up of your working day. 📆 I'll link the one I designed for CSMs in the comments. 2- Book of Business Review: Do a full review of your customers and place them into one of the 4 buckets of priority. This way you can decide which customers to pay attention to and which ones to de-prioritise at this time. 🧰 Engagement prioritisation framework linked in the comments. 3- Calendar Planning Book or delete meetings based on customers you need to prioritise over the coming 6-8 weeks. Craft unique messages to send to these customers with compelling reasons why they should attend. 🤖 Use the T.A.V.U method I shared in the newsletter a few weeks ago + ChatGPT can help you be efficient here. Do these 3 things and I promise you that you'll: - get better results - transform your work-life - improve your mental health Create the space. 📥 If you're interested in improving your Customer Success skills, consider joining 10k+ CS Professionals who read my weekly newsletter on how to build and scale a CS Team [sign up in the comments section]. #csm #customersuccess #customerexperience #revops #saas

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Dear AI startups flooding my DMs asking for "quick feedback" on your support tool: Stop expecting free consulting from support leaders. Here's the tough love you need to hear: Our expertise is expensive ↳ We've spent years building high-performing teams ↳ We've already tested what works ↳ You're asking us to hand over that blueprint... for free? Think about it: Would you ask a lawyer for free legal advice? A doctor for free medical consulting? A CFO to review your financials for free? Then why expect support leaders to freely share years of expertise? P.S. Repost if you agree ♻️

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Last month, my CSM client (almost) got job scammed on LinkedIn -3 rounds of interviews -Negotiated her salary -Felt so excited But something was off. They wanted her passport. What employer asks for a passport? The scammers screwed up, thankfully. This is why I tell people to be cautious Use a job board that is vetted with verified roles and companies and updated often. That’s why I created the No BS CSM Job Boards: -Updated Daily -Can search by company -Jobs are directly from company pages -USA, Canada, and UK -Remote, Hybrid, and In-person roles. It costs less than A Big Mac Meal (and it won’t kill you) Get it here: https://lnkd.in/dUYXuMYG

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The time of year is busy for everyone, especially Sales reps as they try to wrap up Q4 and make sure they don't get lost in their prospects' inboxes in the midst of the holiday shuffle. I work with a lot of sales teams who are trying to find faster ways to get to their prospects and contacts faster than their competitors, even asking me how they can reduce the time to a lead down to a few minutes. Part of that conversation is always about how to make a fast follow on a conversation or once someone has shown interest. If you're looking for ways to make sure your emails are seen and your deals keep moving forward, I would highly recommend reading this Calendly blog post: https://lnkd.in/eAAtdVYd

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You think you can be a CSM. But can you? Look, I’m not here to be a Negative Noah. But let’s have a real talk about transitioning into CSM roles. A lot of people think, “I was a bank teller, a teacher, a marketer… I have people skills, so I can be a CSM.” And yes, it’s possible to transition. I’ve helped Account Executives, mortgage specialists, and even a yoga instructor land CSM roles. But the truth? It’s not all rainbows and butterflies. 🌈🦋 You’re competing with people who have done the job. - They’ve managed churn. - They’ve executed renewals. - They’ve upsold products to VPs in high-stakes meetings. These folks have already been in the trenches, and recruiters know it. So when you say, “I think I can be a CSM,” I want you to flip that: - Do you have a plan? - Have you built a resume that screams, ‘I know Customer Success’? - Can you confidently talk about driving value, retaining customers, and growing accounts in an interview? - Because thinking you can do the job and convincing someone to pay you $100K+ to do it are two very different things. I’m not saying this to discourage you. I’m saying it because I’ve seen how hard this climb is for career changers. It’s doable—but it takes a strategy. It takes work. If you’re serious about this, start by closing the gap between where you are and where a seasoned CSM is. I’ll leave you with this: You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be prepared. And I will always tell you the harsh, cold reality, because thats the right thing to do. P.S. I’m sending out another 500 open CSM jobs this week to my email list. Link in comments if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start stacking interviews.

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How Brian, an Underpaid CSM, Landed a 77K role in 6 weeks (without networking) Brian was a: • California native • Passionate Customer Success Manager • Stuck in a role, underpaid, bored and undervalued      Despite his dedication and skill set, he wasn’t where he wanted to be in his career. But: • Struggled to stand out in the final rounds of interviews. • Felt stuck in a job that didn’t challenge or reward him. • Was losing motivation after repeated rejections. When another opportunity slipped through his fingers, Brian knew he needed a change. So he reached out and we got our Bic lighters and began our F.I.R.E framework 🔥 We: • Completely rewrote his resume to showcase his skills and achievements. • Revamped his cover letter to build a strong pipeline of interview opportunities. • Reignited his confidence, showing him that he could land a job with the right tools. • Worked closely on mock presentations to perfect his pitch for the final rounds. • Leveraged our auto-apply tool and two job boards to streamline his applications. Things started moving fast. Brian is a rockstar who takes action quickly. He started landing interviews almost immediately and made it to the final rounds. His confidence came roaring back. It was incredible to witness. 5 Final rounds secured. We put in the work to prepare him: • Perfecting his slides • Sharpening his talk tracks • Providing resources for research • Equipping him to handle any objections Then we did it. The offer. • 77K base • 30K bonus • Full benefits day 1 • 401K match This is the outcome that I live for. And when you work with me: 1. You aren’t just a number (that’s why I only take 5 clients a month) 2. You get up-to-date insights from a CSM who 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 works in the field daily 3. You get my full attention and knowledge customized to your needs 4. Your in a slack group with others, not on your own. So if you are a CSM who: • Cannot land a job offer • Needs to reignite their confidence • Wants to close the deal in the final stages • Is open to being coached by an 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 CSM I’ll work with you to get a remote CSM role. DM me “𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻” and I’ll send you the details or check out my featured profile section and sign up (3 spots left for October) 💘 Ready to LEVEL up ? --> https://lnkd.in/esffe-Y4

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How Casey secured a remote CSM role, in 30 days (without networking) Casey was a: - Mother of 2 - Colorado native - Loved helping customers succeed - Handled a huge portfolio of clients BUT She was laid off in July 2024 (like countless others) 1. Struggling to get any interviews herself 2. Sick of networking coffee chats 3. Seeing her savings running low 4. Tired of manually applying She reached out in September 2024 So we got a sky full of lighters and began the FIRE framework 🔥 We: - Had a recruiter of 9+ years write a new resume and cover letter - Fixed her talk tracks and revenue focused stories - Ensured her mindset was back in a good state - Used my 2 CSM job boards (updated daily) - Checked in weekly on slack - Stopped networking - Applied in volume She made it to the final rounds, which is awesome. But we were getting beat every time. Almost fell for a job scam too. This is the brutality of job hunting. But she kept at it (most people give up but not Casey) Then… She got it: - A CSM role - Fully remote to let her travel again - Health insurance for her and her family - Peace of mind to be back in the work-force We did this in 30 days together. I asked her “what kept you going" and "what was your why" She said 2 things 1) “Talking to you and understanding that it’s a numbers game” 2) “Applying like my life depended on it” This grind for Casey is done now. But it's very real. And anyone who’s job hunting knows it sucks (I’ve done it twice). So… If you are a CSM who wants help getting through your job hunt and you: Need to land interviews Willing to be coached by others Want to get your confidence back Unable to get that final offer in hand Open to investing in yourself to achieve your goals Think that networking is a waste of time and had 0 results Then DM me the word “CASEY” and I'll send you the details. I’ll personally work with you 1:1 to get you that CSM job you need. Only working with 5 people in November, 3 spots left. (No networkers allowed 🥊)

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Most CSM's lose customers because they’re focused on tactics, not trust. Retention isn’t about methods; it’s about mindset. It’s about showing up as someone they trust, respect, and genuinely feel is there for their success. Most CSMs think that retention is just about sending emails, running QBRs, and checking in every so often. But if that’s all you’re bringing to the table—don’t be surprised when clients start looking elsewhere. I treat every client like a partner, not just an account. I’m not here to tick boxes. I’m here as the CEO of my book of business, taking full ownership. Don’t: - Stick to surface-level updates - Wait for issues to arise - Assume check-ins are enough Do: - Invest in real, honest conversations - Build strong ties with decision-makers - Anticipate needs before they’re voiced Retention is about showing up fully—calling out the tough issues, not just going along to keep things pleasant. Clients need to know I’m here to make an impact, not just “be there.” And here’s the deeper truth: - Retention is about treating every client like family. - You’re not just responsible for your book of business—you’re keeping the money in the bank, keeping the lights on for your company. Don’t: - See retention as a checkbox - Think only about renewals - Let clients feel replaceable Do: - Become essential to their success - Be the partner they can’t imagine losing - Constantly add value, build a long-term vision with them When you approach clients this way, they stay—not because they have to, but because they want to.

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💯 In my experience, CSMs who did what the company asked had unhappy customers. The CSMs who did what the customer needed had happy customers. Focusing on real communication and understanding what is important to the customer will drive success. Focusing on getting a customer to say they are happy at this moment is pointless.

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4 things that 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 get you a CSM Job: DM'ing countless people for a "referral" Praying to the networking gods Listening to retired CSM's Thinking ATS is real (it's not) 4 things that 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 get you a CSM Job: A burning desire to apply to 20-50 jobs a day A single resume and cover letter A story telling framework for your career A reality check from people that work the job Combine 1 -> 4 . And you’ll never need the above nonesense. Ever. ↓ p.s. if you want to use my job board to get interview traction, join 3,205 CSM's who use it to get them interviews (it's free, link in comments)

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One of the kindest things you can do when you are transferring an account internally to another CSM? Prepare the agenda for the next meeting. Why is this helpful? 🏃‍♀️ The CSM is coming in blind (even with an internal handoff or system to reference, fully understanding the background context can be hard) 🏃‍♀️ It provides confidence on what to cover (knowing that it is relevant to the customer) 🏃‍♀️ It ensures key projects keep momentum #ValueCSwithEmily #customersuccess #csm #accounttransfers

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Let’s be real—every CSMs has faced a moment when a customer felt undervalued. I’ve been there too, and it’s a tough situation to navigate. But it’s also an opportunity to show the customer how much you truly care. 💡 I once had a client who was silently drifting away i noticed when i got the handover of this account. Their engagement dropped, they missed regular calls, and when I reached out, they admitted they felt overlooked and underappreciated. 😟 Ouch! Few things which helped me 😙 >> Reach Out Immediately 📞 When I noticed something was off, I didn’t wait. I set up a call with the client right away. I acknowledged the gap in communication and asked open-ended questions to understand their challenges. Sometimes, just reaching out with a genuine interest can be a game-changer. >> Own Up to It ✋ There’s no room for defensiveness when your customer feels undervalued. I told them, “I hear you. We should have been more proactive in addressing your concerns earlier, and that’s on us.” Admitting our mistakes built trust instead of excuses. >>Tailored Value 🎯 Instead of focusing on generic solutions, I dove deep into their unique use case and suggested product features they hadn’t tapped into yet. I showed them how Trackier could add more value to their business goals, bringing fresh perspectives to the table. >>Proactive Check-Ins ✅ I set up regular, non-sales check-ins to ensure we stay aligned on their needs. It wasn’t about pushing features but about helping them succeed with the tools they already had. From then on, I made it a point to stay ahead of their concerns. >>Celebrate Their Wins 🎉 We worked together to meet some key milestones, and I made sure to recognize and celebrate those achievements. A simple “Congrats on hitting that milestone!” email or even a handwritten note can remind them they’re not just another client, but a partner in success. What I learned from this? Customers feeling undervalued is not the end—it’s the start of a deeper connection if handled with empathy and proactive efforts. Let’s turn those tough situations into opportunities! 🙌 #CustomerSuccess #CSM #ProactiveCare #CustomerExperience #GrowthTogether #TrackierTrackierTrackier #CX #Valuerealisation #heard

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How to prioritize activities as a CSM.   Use this simple approach to get your best work done.   If you’re like me, I sometimes fail to regularly fit in my proactive activities. I know if I don’t make time, my bottomless inbox won’t make it for me.    ➡ Dump all your tasks into 1 of the 4 quadrants ➡ Decide generally how much time to spend in proactive versus reactive activities ➡ Then be honest about what are priorities and what are not priorities Every CSM’s book of business is different, so you’ll need to tailor your approach and time allocation to your book and your industry. With a little trial and error, you can turn one long list of To Do’s into an intentional CS strategy, helping you keep the priorities, a priority. Hope this helps someone. If nothing else, it’s a good reminder for myself. 😄   ASK: Would love to hear how YOU prioritize your workload. 

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People that care about UX and productivity for sales people: SDR Managers (god bless you wonderful folks). I do find that most direct managers in Sales aren't polling their employees--especially AE's to find out what's not working, what they are putting up with and not complaining about. There are tons of tools that sales folks are buying on their own dime like Scratchpad, Superhuman, etc. We all care about "giving developers the right tools to stay in flow".. but your revenue team? Sure, leaders need our forecasting tools and enablement systems (maybe)--but ask your team "what sucks about this CRM layout, how does thing work on your mobile device, what things are getting in your way, how much time do you spend clicking around poorly designed tooling interfaces---and what would move the needle for you". As an AE-centric leader, i'm working to put things in place that sure--make folks more productive--but that they don't hate using. What say you? whats sucks in your world? what tools do you buy on your own to deal with your day? or even how should the world work for a day-to-day SDR/AE/Account Manager, etc

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