Sharon Klaver

How would you describe your day-to-day role?

I am responsible for the day-to-day management of my teams which includes their career and personal development. I also oversee multiple technology projects, collaborate with leaders of a wide variety of functions & departments and have C-level interactions with highly strategic customers.

What led you to choose a career in this field?

Customer Success is a lot more proactive than tech support, which I love. Showing a customer something they didn’t know they needed. Seeing the end-to-end lifecycle and witnessing development of the customer whether this is growth, expansion, more streamlined processes, or overall success, are very gratifying. I love being able to be part of a customer’s journey. 

What convinced you to apply for your current role?

Mentoring the people and seeing them grow and develop is something I have always been passionate about. Taking on the management role across multiple teams allowed me to diversify and create a new level of synergy internally.

What’s the most exciting part of your role?

There are quite a few exciting parts. Being part of a company that develops cutting edge technology, seeing the team’s growth and development directly impacting revenue and ROI, international collaboration, owning the team strategy, guiding the product team on developing and improving features and lots more!

What’s the most challenging part of your role?
Battling the common misconception as to what CS entails.

We are centered and focused on product adoption, helping them get the most out of the system, adoption, best practices and making sure the product aligns with the customer’s overall strategy (where possible).

Customer Success should be a key player any (SaaS) business.as the costs to acquire a new customer is always greater than retaining existing customers.


How is working where you are now different from previous roles you’ve had?

Previously I worked for a start up with around 40 employees, and I am now part of a company with well over 1000 employees. As you can imagine, there are quite a few differences. Being part of a start up, you get involved in a bit of everything. From office admin to tech support to sales. Being part of a large company, there are departments and teams for everything which means you can focus a lot more on the actual role.

What is your greatest accomplishment since starting out?
Winning awards at the companies I worked for and being part of a very successful acquisition.
 

What hobbies do you have outside of work?
Having recently moved back to the Netherlands, I am really enjoying re-exploring the country. Cycling, walking, jumping on the trains - there is so much to see and do.

I also love anything true crime. Being a first time homeowner, I am also (forced) into DIY.

If you could describe your day in three words, what would they be?

Dynamic

Collaborative

Solutions

What’s the best piece of advice you would offer to future women in their careers?

Be aware of what it is you look to accomplish and where you want to get to. Tell people exactly what you want in your career, be self-confident and stand up for yourself to accomplish it