A customer success manager (CSM) is a customer-facing liaison who helps employers maximize the benefits of their partnership with a provider organization, like one that provides human resources (HR) services. CSMs act as a sort of guide, walking the employer onboarding, answering questions, resolving issues, and building a relationship to keep the customer engaged and satisfied.
CSMs aren't salespeople-that's the account manager's job. CSMs focus on what happens after the contract is signed. Keeping the customer happy. Helping them succeed. And if they do it well? The customer sticks around. Which, really, is the whole point.
A CSM's role in an EOR partnership
In the realm of global HR, a CSM manages the partnership between the customer (a business that employs global talent) and an employer of record (EOR) like Pebl.
To ensure a seamless transition from the sales process to product implementation, CSMs are typically assigned to the customer as soon as the sale is made. They guide new customers through every step of onboarding, from setting up the account to demonstrating how the customer can use the product to achieve objectives.
In this role, a CSM coordinates with the internal EOR teams and the customer regarding employee onboarding, payroll and benefits, and compliance with local labor regulations. They also offer proactive support, identifying potential process improvements and ensuring the employer's long-term workforce strategy aligns with the EOR's current and future capabilities.
Core responsibilities of a CSM
As the table below shows, CSMs are charged with managing an organization's relationship with a customer as soon as the sale is final:
| CSM function | Description |
|---|---|
| Onboarding | Guides new customers through the setup process, ensuring seamless integration |
| Relationship management | Maintains regular check-ins to monitor satisfaction and identify needs |
| Compliance support | Informs customers about regulatory changes that impact global teams |
| Issue resolution | Acts as the go-to for escalations and complex questions |
| Strategic planning | Collaborates with customers to align services with long-term hiring or expansion goals |
While the CSM's role covers several functions, the common thread is retaining the customer by providing exceptional service.
CSM vs. account manager
CSMs are occasionally confused with account managers, but their job functions and measures of success differ.
An account manager's day-to-day job involves selling a product or service. Depending on the product, the sales process may be lengthy or complicated, involving multiple stakeholders and sign-offs. Once the sale is completed, a CSM grabs the baton from the account manager. They onboard the customer and help them set up the product to their needs.
An account manager drives revenue for the business through selling to new customers and renewing or upselling to existing ones. Meanwhile, a customer success manager drives revenue through retaining customers over time. A CSM's success is measured by their customers' satisfaction and retention rates.
Retaining existing customers is critical for business success. Research has shown that keeping customers is less expensive than acquiring new ones.
Benefits of a CSM for global employers
Reduced administrative friction
A CSM works to eliminate the complexities of managing talent throughout multiple regulatory environments across the globe. With expertise in international employment laws and compliance requirements, a CSM guides organizations through jurisdiction-specific regulations, payroll obligations, and benefits administration.
They do so using various communication tools to overcome the problems caused by geographic distance and accommodate different schedules and time zones.
Better service
By serving as a dedicated single point of contact, a CSM ensures that urgent payroll issues, compliance questions, and HR challenges are routed directly to the appropriate specialists. This centralized approach eliminates the confusion and delays often caused by dealing with multiple representatives or departments and helps ensure that all inquiries and issues are addressed in a timely manner.
In addition, by developing a deep understanding of each customer's unique needs and business context (and even their preferred communication method), the CSM provides tailored guidance and solves problems for them across payroll, compliance, and other HR processes.
The service recovery paradox suggests that even if a service provider makes a mistake, if a customer success manager or other customer service representative responds swiftly and effectively, then customer satisfaction will grow. Excellent customer service makes a positive difference in good times and bad.
International insight
One of the most valuable benefits CSMs offer global employers is their knowledge of compliance- and culture-related best practices for hiring, managing, and retaining international talent tailored to specific countries. This expertise enables companies to build successful teams in countries that are foreign to them.
FAQs
Do all customers receive a CSM?
Most global HR or EOR platforms assign a dedicated customer success manager to support each customer relationship.
Can the CSM help with compliance questions?
While they are not legal advisors, CSMs coordinate with in-house compliance teams to keep employers informed on relevant requirements.
What happens if a customer's needs evolve over time?
The CSM adjusts the support approach and may connect the employer with other internal experts or tools based on scaling goals.
Can customer success managers help with employee onboarding internationally?
Yes. CSMs assist in coordinating onboarding processes, timelines, and documentation in each country. Contact us to discover how Pebl can help you hire globally with confidence.
Make the most of CSMs with Pebl
So you've signed on with Pebl to hire people around the world. That's when the real work begins-different laws, currencies, and time zones-but it's work that begins for us. Our CSMs aren't selling you anything. They're your guide, helping you onboard talent, stay compliant, solve problems, and actually make this global thing work.
They know the terrain. They see issues before you do. And when something goes wrong, they're the person who fixes it. Because at the end of the day, it's not just about signing the deal. It's about keeping you happy-and sticking with you for the long run.
Disclaimer: This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided "as is," and no representations are made that the content is error-free.
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