Soft skills of exceptional CSMs

Many of the soft skills that are required of CSMs are those expected in other customer-facing roles, such as sales and, to some extent, support. The reason certain soft skills are generally required in customer-facing roles is that customers have needs and expectations that can vary significantly due to variables such as the type of business or industry they are in, their communication preference, their geographic location, and the culture they live and work in. Having the ability to navigate these variances is a hallmark of an exceptional CSM. Let’s run through these skills now.

Empathy

The most often referenced soft skill associated with CSMs is empathy, the awareness of others’ emotions and placing yourself in someone else’s situation to more fully appreciate their perspective. Being able to exhibit empathy can be a powerful way to strengthen the bond with a customer and to improve the odds of being able to diffuse tense...