Guide to the top 10 Customer Success Companies to Work for in SaaS

As the SaaS industry continues to boom, customer success has become a crucial component for businesses aiming to reduce churn and optimize customer lifetime value. 

For professionals looking to build a career in this field, choosing the right company can make all the difference. In this guide, we'll explore the top 10 customer success companies to work for in SaaS, highlighting what makes each unique and why they're great for customer success roles.

Overview of customer success in SaaS

The SaaS industry has revolutionized how we use software, offering flexible, scalable solutions to businesses of all sizes.

Central to the success of SaaS companies is the role of customer success teams, who ensure customers achieve their desired outcomes using the platform.

The increasing emphasis on customer retention, reducing churn, and lifetime value makes customer success a critical function in SaaS businesses.

Importance of choosing the right company for career growth

Selecting the right company is crucial for career growth in customer success. Factors like company culture, investment in customer success tools, professional development opportunities, and overall employee satisfaction can significantly influence your career trajectory.

Identifying the best customer success companies in SaaS can provide you with a robust platform to build your skills and advance your career.

Criteria for Selection

To compile a list of the top customer success companies, we considered several factors:

• Company Reputation: We looked for companies known for their commitment to customer success and overall employee satisfaction. Think Glassdoor reviews and industry awards.
• Customer Success Tools: Leading companies empower their CS teams with the best customer success software. This means robust platforms for SaaS like Gainsight, ChurnZero, or even in-house solutions designed to optimize customer journeys.
• Employee Satisfaction: Happy employees usually translate to happy customers. We considered factors like work-life balance, benefits, and opportunities for professional development.
• Growth Opportunities: A clear path for advancement is key. Do they promote from within? Are there opportunities to specialize or move into leadership roles?

Top 10 Customer Success Companies in SaaS

1. Salesforce

Salesforce is widely regarded as one of the best customer success companies to work for in the SaaS sector, offering a stellar environment for customer success managers.

As a leader in customer relationship management (CRM) and customer success software, Salesforce leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver unparalleled customer experiences.

This commitment to innovation is evident in their advanced customer success platform, which allows teams to optimize customer interactions, reduce churn, and boost customer lifetime value.

Salesforce also prioritizes employee well-being and diversity. In 2022, it was named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For, ranking #10. The company offers competitive compensation packages, with the average Customer Success Manager salary at Salesforce being 27% above the national average, according to Glassdoor data.

Moreover, Salesforce's market leadership - with a 19.5% share of the global CRM market in 2020 - provides CSMs with exposure to a wide range of industries and complex customer scenarios, fostering rapid professional growth. This positions Salesforce as an excellent launchpad for a successful career in customer success management within the SaaS industry.

2. HubSpot

HubSpot, a recognized leader in inbound marketing and sales automation, offers a highly attractive environment for customer success managers. Their customer-centric philosophy is deeply ingrained in their culture, providing CSMs with the tools and support to excel.

HubSpot empowers its teams with its own best-in-class customer success software and platforms for SaaS, allowing CSMs to effectively manage customer relationships, track key metrics, and proactively address potential churn risks.

HubSpot's commitment to employee satisfaction is evident in its consistent ranking on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list, securing the #4 spot in 2021. This focus on employee well-being translates into lower turnover rates and higher job satisfaction among customer success teams. Its dedication to professional development is exemplified by its free certification programs and extensive training resources, allowing CSMs to continuously upskill and stay ahead of industry trends.

This customer-centric approach, combined with HubSpot's robust B2B SaaS offerings, provides an ideal environment for customer success managers to thrive and make a tangible impact on both the company's and clients' success.

3. Zendesk

Zendesk consistently earns its place on the list of best SaaS companies for customer success managers, and here's why. At its core, Zendesk is a company laser-focused on improving customer experience – a mission that's deeply ingrained in its culture and reflected in its product suite of customer support and engagement solutions.

Zendesk provides strong support networks for its employees, ensuring they have the resources needed to succeed in their roles. This includes access to mentorship programs, regular feedback sessions, and opportunities for professional development. For CSMs, this means having the support to manage complex customer relationships, optimize customer onboarding processes, and focus on increasing customer retention rates through better customer experiences.

The company's dedication to employee satisfaction and professional growth is another factor that makes it an attractive workplace for customer success managers. Zendesk consistently ranks high on various "Best Places to Work" lists, including Glassdoor's Top 100 Best Places to Work in 2021, where it secured the 19th position. This recognition is a testament to the company's focus on creating a positive work environment and investing in employee development.

4. Gainsight

Gainsight isn't just a leader in the customer success software space, it's practically synonymous with the entire discipline. For aspiring and experienced customer success managers, working at Gainsight isn't just a job, it's an immersion into the heart of the industry.

One of the key factors that make Gainsight a top choice is its commitment to digital customer success. According to recent reports, nearly half of SaaS companies now focus on digital customer success, leveraging Gainsight’s platform to automate and streamline customer success processes. This focus on digital transformation is crucial for handling the complexities of the modern SaaS ecosystem, providing customer success managers with the tools they need to succeed.

Gainsight's impact on the SaaS industry is significant. The company's CEO, Nick Mehta, is a respected thought leader in the customer success space, frequently sharing insights on topics such as net revenue retention and the evolving role of customer success in driving sustainable growth. This leadership position means that CSMs working at Gainsight are exposed to cutting-edge strategies and best practices in customer success management.

Gainsight's Pulse+ program is a premier training and certification initiative for CSMs and customer success teams. This program combines eLearning, industry-grade certifications, and exclusive content from thought leaders in the field. The curriculum includes courses on understanding customer churn, defining and developing customer advocates, managing CSM productivity, and segmenting customers for effective engagement. Pulse+ offers certifications at various levels, from Certified Professional CSM Level 1 to Advanced Certified CS Leader Level 3, providing a clear path for career advancement and professional growth.

Gainsight’s advanced customer success platform, emphasis on digital transformation, and commitment to employee growth make it an exemplary workplace for customer success managers. By offering cutting-edge tools, fostering a collaborative culture, and driving sustainable growth, Gainsight sets the benchmark for excellence in the SaaS customer success domain.

5. Intercom

Intercom is a standout in the SaaS sector, particularly for customer success managers, due to its innovative approach to customer communication and support. As a leader in AI-first customer service, Intercom offers a comprehensive customer success platform that seamlessly integrates support features and success metrics, providing a holistic view of the customer journey. This integration ensures that customer success managers can deliver highly tailored and efficient support, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction and reducing churn.

Intercom's focus on measuring and improving key customer success metrics is noteworthy. The platform places significant emphasis on metrics such as Customer Effort Score (CES), which falls within a scale of 0-100 and is calculated by dividing the total number of customers who acknowledged that the company made it easy to handle their issue by the total number of respondents. This attention to detail in measuring customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with the goals of customer success managers.

Its combination of innovative customer success tools, commitment to employee satisfaction, focus on data-driven strategies, and strong market position make it one of the best companies in the SaaS sector for customer success managers. As the importance of customer success continues to grow in the B2B SaaS landscape, Intercom remains at the forefront, offering CSMs an excellent environment to build a successful and fulfilling career in customer success management.

 

6. Slack

Slack stands out as one of the best companies in the SaaS sector for customer success managers, offering a unique blend of innovative technology and collaborative culture. As a leading customer success platform, Slack provides CSMs with powerful tools to optimize customer engagement, reduce churn, and increase customer lifetime value. The company's focus on seamless communication and workflow automation enables customer success teams to efficiently track customer health scores, manage customer feedback, and implement data-driven strategies.

Slack's impressive net dollar retention rate of 143% demonstrates its effectiveness in customer success and growth. This "negative churn" indicates high customer satisfaction and loyalty, creating a rewarding environment for CSMs. The platform's versatility allows for easy integration with other SaaS tools, making it an ideal hub for customer success operations.

CSMs at Slack are well-compensated, with an average base salary of 128K per year, plus additional pay that could include cash bonuses, bringing the total to around 167K annually.

The company also offers opportunities for career growth and professional development, making it an attractive option for those seeking to advance in the field of customer success.

These factors align with best practices in customer success management, such as optimizing customer lifetime value, reducing churn, and ensuring a proactive approach to customer success throughout the entire customer lifecycle.

7. Workday

Recognized for its sophisticated customer success platform, Workday seamlessly integrates human capital management, financial management, and analytics applications into a unified system. This true cloud architecture ensures scalability and continuous innovation, crucial for optimizing customer success strategies.

Workday’s employees enjoy a culture that emphasizes professional growth and well-being. Ranked #7 on Fortune's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For," Workday fosters an inclusive, collaborative environment.

Customer Success Managers at Workday are well-compensated, with an average base salary of 134K per year, plus an additional 79K in potential bonuses and other pay. This, combined with opportunities for career growth and professional development through various training and accreditation resources, makes Workday an attractive option for those in the field of customer success.

This supportive culture, combined with a strong focus on innovation, makes it an ideal setting for customer success managers to thrive and contribute meaningfully to customer engagement and satisfaction.

8. Customer.io

Customer.io stands out as one of the best SaaS companies for customer success managers due to its innovative customer success platform and a strong emphasis on automation. Founded in 2012, Customer.io has rapidly grown to support over 1,200 clients, a testament to its effectiveness and reliability.

The company specializes in making messaging automation easy, allowing customer success managers to focus on strategy and customer engagement rather than manual tasks.

The company fosters an inclusive and supportive environment. With a high employee satisfaction rate, 72% of employees recommend working at Customer.io, reflecting its positive workplace culture.

Customer.io's CEO, Colin Nederkoorn, emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and tailoring messages accordingly. This focus on personalization and data-driven strategies enables customer success managers to create highly effective campaigns that resonate with their audience, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.

It has also receives high ratings from users, with an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on platforms like Capterra. This reflects the platform's efficiency, user-friendliness, and the exceptional support provided by its customer success team.

Customer.io’s innovative customer success software, supportive company culture, and focus on data-driven customer engagement make it a top choice for customer success managers in the SaaS industry.

9. Pendo

Pendo stands out as one of the best companies in the SaaS sector for customer success managers, offering a comprehensive product experience platform that empowers CSMs to drive customer value and growth. As a leading customer success software provider, Pendo enables managers to optimize the entire customer lifecycle, reduce churn, and increase customer lifetime value.

The platform's robust analytics capabilities, powered by AI models informed by 24 trillion user interactions from 10,000 companies, provide CSMs with deep insights into customer behavior and product usage. This data-driven approach allows customer success teams to proactively address customer needs and implement targeted strategies to boost adoption and retention.

Pendo's integrated suite of tools, including in-app guides, NPS surveys, and customer support features, equips CSMs with everything they need to enhance the customer experience. The platform's ability to combine data from other enterprise systems like Salesforce and Zendesk provides a holistic view of the customer journey.

With a strong focus on product-led growth, Pendo helps CSMs align their strategies with overall business objectives. The company's rapid growth and innovative culture offer exciting opportunities for professional development. Pendo's commitment to customer success is evident in its technical account management program, which multiplies the value customers get from the platform.

As a unicorn company making a significant impact in the software industry, Pendo provides CSMs with a dynamic and rewarding work environment, positioning them at the forefront of product experience and digital adoption solutions.

10. Freshdesk (Freshworks)

Freshdesk (Freshworks) stands out as one of the best companies in the SaaS sector for customer success managers, offering a comprehensive customer success platform that empowers CSMs to drive value and growth. As a leading customer success software provider, Freshworks enables managers to optimize the entire customer lifecycle, reduce churn, and increase customer lifetime value.

The platform's AI-powered tools, including Freddy AI, provide CSMs with intelligent insights into customer behavior and product usage. This data-driven approach allows customer success teams to proactively address customer needs and implement targeted strategies to boost adoption and retention.

Freshworks' integrated suite of tools, including ticketing, automation, and analytics, equips CSMs with everything they need to enhance the customer experience. The platform's ability to unify customer data from multiple touchpoints provides a holistic view of the customer journey.

With a strong focus on customer-centricity, Freshworks helps CSMs align their strategies with overall business objectives. The company's rapid growth, evidenced by its successful IPO in 2021, offers exciting opportunities for professional development. Freshworks' commitment to customer success is reflected in its high customer satisfaction ratings and numerous industry awards.

As a global company serving over 50,000 customers worldwide, Freshworks provides CSMs with a dynamic and rewarding work environment. The platform's scalability and flexibility make it suitable for both small SaaS companies and larger enterprises, positioning CSMs at the forefront of customer success innovation across various industries.

How to Choose the Right Customer Success Company for You

When selecting a company to work for as a Customer Success Manager (CSM), several key factors must be carefully considered to ensure the best fit for your career goals and personal satisfaction.

Assessing Company Culture and Values

It is crucial to assess the company's culture and values to ensure they align with your own. A company that prioritizes customer success, innovation, and employee well-being is likely to provide a supportive and motivating work environment. Look for companies that emphasize a customer-centric approach, as this indicates a strong focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences and reducing churn. For instance, companies like Pendo and Freshdesk (Freshworks) are known for their customer-centric cultures, which are essential for driving business growth and customer satisfaction.

Evaluating Career Development Opportunities

Evaluate the company's commitment to career development and growth opportunities. A company that invests in comprehensive training programs, certifications, and continuous learning is more likely to help you advance in your career. Companies like Salesforce and Gainsight offer extensive training and development opportunities, ensuring CSMs are well-equipped to handle complex customer needs and stay updated with the latest technologies and best practices.

Considering Work-Life Balance and Benefits

Consider the work-life balance and benefits offered by the company. A supportive work environment that prioritizes employee well-being, flexible work policies, and competitive compensation packages can significantly impact your job satisfaction. For example, companies like HubSpot and Intercom are recognized for their focus on employee well-being and offer benefits such as flexible work arrangements, health insurance, and holistic well-being programs.

Wrapping Up

If you are ready to take the next step in your customer success career, we invite you to explore the latest job openings on our dedicated job board at https://customersuccessjobz.com/. Here, you will find a curated list of customer success positions from top SaaS companies and other leading organizations. Whether you are looking for a role in a specific location or interested in remote opportunities, our job board is your go-to resource for finding the perfect fit.

Visit https://customersuccessjobz.com/ today to discover the best customer success jobs and start your journey towards a fulfilling and successful career in this dynamic field.