phokingcloser

Customer Success Manager

CSM/Account Manager vs Account Executive

Sup sales savages I am currently a Mid-Market CSM that handles finding and closing all up/cross sells and the renewal process.

Considerinng next career moves. Been a csm for a few years throughout different companies. I like the idea of selling to new businesses (I know it's a grind) but getting tired of dealing with the day to day CSM responsibilities of clients bitching and fixing AE fuck ups, but actually like the selling part of it.

Long term I want to do Enterprise AE(or just chill at Enterprise CSM). Looking for advice/opinion on which paths would be better. Two paths I could take, move to mid market AE but will probably result in a fat base pay reduction and then try to move to Enterprise AE. Or become Enterprise CSM and then try to move to Enterprise AE.

Looking for opinions around if you like AE or AM/CSM more. I know Enterprise AE can make hella money.

Thanks y'all!

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17 comments

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bigperm

Good Citizen

5

Account Executive

I made that jump from CS to AE and made a helluva lot more money. You have an advantage because you know the use cases more than any new AE coming on board and probably seasoned AEs. So when you talk to prospects you can empathize and speak their language a bit better.

The thing you may struggle with is the sales culture vs CS. It can get pretty cutthroat.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

good insight here!! Culture can be very different! but i have seen some intense CS orgs but they are not that common from my knowledge.

phokingcloser

Good Citizen

0

Customer Success Manager

I appreciate this so much! Gives me some things to think about! The use cases are huge benefit

Pachacuti

Politicker

4

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

the grass is never greener. And mo'money = mo'problems (sometimes). There are definitely times when I wish only I had to deal with client problems and not try to make an impossible quota or HOPE the company pays me the commission they owe me and doesn't f'up the implementation.

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

hahah yeah we have all been there. when its so bad and your like "i would rather hear clients BITCH at me all day then deal with this shit"

phokingcloser

Good Citizen

1

Customer Success Manager

I appreciate this perspective and gives me things to really consider if I jump

elo

Fire Starter

1

Customer Success Manager

Did you make the jump? Would love to hear about your experience so far!

jefe

Arsonist

4

🍁

It really depends on what you like to do, how driven you are, and if you're willing to grind.

Think long and hard about those.

CSM life is VERY different from AE life.

What are your goals?

phokingcloser

Good Citizen

0

Customer Success Manager

Honestly the current csm role is a lot more cut throat then previous csms roles I’ve been I’m assuming since I am now I responsible for closing cross/sells. In previous csm roles I would just be responsible for finding opps and passing to sales. My goal is to make a lot of money just seeing if ae is a lot more stressful and if that extra stress is worth the money

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

3

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Go for the green. Especially if you think you can do it. You have enough of the skills to identify, it's just the closing part(unless you just left that part out). I say throw your hat in the ring and check it out.

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

yeah I think you could make WAY more money as an AE.

and i think if you were an AE for a year or two and hated it, you could also move back to an AM position. I can see that still being on the table.

Would you like/could you, be an AE at your current company?

phokingcloser

Good Citizen

1

Customer Success Manager

Yeah I thought about that too worse case I come back with more experience from ae perspective which would help me returning as a csm. Yeah I actually like my companies product and believe that it’s competitive in the market, so I could see myself as an ae. To that point, the main reason I was considering ae was my company. Idk if I would make the jump to ae at another company

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

cool. i think you would have a better chance at switching roles at the company you are currently at because they know you, vs trying to convince a new company to give you a chance.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

Hi, AE here. Customer probs follow you in this role too. FYI.

phokingcloser

Good Citizen

0

Customer Success Manager

Are you talking about like after they are implemented?

ChickenDinner

Politicker

1

Account Executive

Money is definitely a thing to consider, on my low months my base pay is weak sauce, but on my high months it feels great, so definitely less stable.

But the team aspect is a big thing to consider. From what I've seen from my CS crew, they really operate as a team. The pods are tight, have to work together, do retreats and stuff. But in sales we have a team but it's more like a group of individual contributors that consult each other when needed.

CS is more of a volleyball team. Sales is more of a track team.

You feeling more like a lone wolf or a team player in this next season?

kermitthefrog

Catalyst

1

Sales Consultant

I'm thinking about doing account management

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