Colleague in the Spotlight: Pim Luiten, our new customer success manager

Now he is taking the next step as customer success manager. From reactively solving problems to standing alongside the customer and thinking ahead. In this interview, Pim talks about who he is, how he sees his role and why he has to guard his own time.

Who is Pim?

 

Who are you, how old are you and where do you live?

I’m Pim Luiten, 29. I live in Rotterdam with my girlfriend. Sadly we don’t have any pets, but I’d really love a dog.

Who is Pim outside of work?

I like cycling and I go bouldering. When there are good waves in the Netherlands, I sometimes go surfing too. I also play pool competitively. I love going to concerts and the cinema, but I can just as happily lie on the sofa with a book.

What a lot of people don’t know about me is that I did gymnastics for years. You can even find me on YouTube as a little kid. I’ve just lost the link…

From customer support to customer success manager

 

What did you do before, and why did you want to become a CSM?

Before this, I worked in the support department. I learned a lot about how customers use the software, and I enjoy thinking along about how things could work differently. As a CSM, I get more chances to do that.

Customer support was very customer-focused, but also reactive. As a customer success manager, I can be just as customer-focused. The difference is that now I really stand alongside the customer. I look at what they need and how we can meet each other there.

What do you bring with you from your previous role?

A lot of in-depth knowledge. I’ve done detective work in many different applications, so I know which actions lead to which results. Now I can turn that into advice that helps processes run more smoothly for customers.

I’ve also already been in touch with a lot of customers. Many people know me, which makes it easier to keep that approachable contact going.

What does a customer success manager actually do?

A customer success manager makes sure that recruitment software really contributes to what an organisation wants to achieve. You can see how that works out for customers in our customer stories. But what does the work look like from the inside?

How would you explain your job to someone outside Carerix?

I see myself as representing both sides. I represent Carerix to the customer, and I make sure the software supports the customer’s plans and day-to-day work. At the same time, I represent the customer within Carerix. I take their feedback back to the organisation.

What does a typical day or week look like?

I start every day with a quick scan of my inbox, to see if anything is urgent. Then we have a stand-up with three departments. We go over the plans for the day, any bottlenecks and important cases.

The rest of the day is all about customer meetings. For one customer, a feature isn’t working quite right, so we look at what we can improve. For another, the implementation has just been completed, so I drop by for a coffee and to get to know each other.

Good customer relationships start with trust
Being a good partner to customers goes beyond answering questions. For Pim, it is mostly about the relationship.

How do you work with customers?

I like to keep contact approachable, with time to talk about other things besides the work itself. I think that’s how you build mutual trust. And that makes it easier to talk about pain points.

What do you enjoy most about your new role, and what’s the challenge?

What I enjoy most is the variety of contact, and discussing the content together. Every customer has different expectations and motivations, and that calls for a different approach. Figuring out the best route for each customer is the part I love most.

The challenge is guarding my time. I like to go the extra mile for everyone. But if I do that all the time, at some point I can’t keep up anymore.

Pim’s ambition for the year ahead

 

What do you want to achieve in the coming year?

The ultimate goal is of course 100% satisfied customers, all up to date with our latest developments. How realistic that is, I’ll find out over the coming months. I also want to build a bond with customers where they feel they can ask me anything.

Anything you’d like to add?

I’m really looking forward to my time as a CSM!

Pim brings together two things that matter a lot when you support customers. He knows the recruitment software inside out, and many customers already know him personally. If you work with Carerix, there’s a good chance you’ll meet him soon. For a coffee, or to look at what your team needs together. Want to read more about smarter ways of working in recruitment? Take a look at our recruitment themes.

Curious about the people behind Carerix? Read more about our team and the way we work on our About us page.