【Customer Success at amptalk】Balancing Individual Excellence and Team Contribution to Become a Trusted Advisor for Clients.

This time, we had the opportunity to speak with Yusuke Noro, who is currently thriving as a Customer Success (CS) professional. Having previously gained experience as an Inside Sales (IS) Manager, he chose amptalk as his next challenge. We will delve into how he discovered this opportunity and explore the sense of fulfillment he finds in the CS role.

The Excitement of Impacting Others to Grow Through My Involvement

--Question:　Could you tell us about the principles that have guided your career choices so far?

I have built a diverse career in video production, HR services, SaaS, and advertising, primarily focusing on sales. To be honest, during my university years, I didn’t have a specific goal in mind. Many of my friends were heading to large companies, but I happened to meet people from startups at a career event. I found it very appealing that they were living their lives based on their own principles rather than being driven by company-centric goals.
Additionally, I had been told that sales is the foundation of any professional career, and that advice stayed with me. Within the startup ecosystem, I saw an opportunity to build a career in sales with intangible products in a growing market. This became a guiding principle for my career.
In my twenties, I always wanted to seize opportunities in growing markets and explore what interested me. This mindset allowed me to try various roles in video production, HR services, SaaS, and TikTok advertising.
Through these diverse experiences, I came to realize that it’s crucial to have a strong passion and confidence in the products or services you work with. I also wanted to be involved beyond just closing contracts and delivering services; I wanted to see how I could genuinely benefit the customer. This desire led me to develop an interest in Customer Success, which I consider to be a formative experience in my career.

--Question: What motivated you to take on the Customer Success role at amptalk?

When I first received a LinkedIn message from Inose-san, I knew the term "sales enablement" but didn't fully understand its precise definition or meaning.
In my first company, although I struggled as a salesperson, by the third year I found myself in a position where I had subordinates. I organized internal study sessions and shared my know-how, which led to improvements in my team’s performance. I realized that this might have been sales enablement, and I discovered the excitement of seeing others achieve results and grow through my involvement.
Perhaps this sense of fulfillment and my core values resonated with amptalk, as I received an offer for the Customer Success position despite my lack of direct experience. I was genuinely excited and felt that my previous experience as an Inside Sales Manager could be beneficial.
Additionally, my interest in the founder, Inose-san, played a significant role in my decision. I believe that in startups, the growth and culture of the company are heavily influenced by the founder. Before the casual interview, I read Inose-san’s blog detailing his journey of starting the company and, during our conversation, I felt an extraordinary level of passion from him. Though I can’t quite put it into words, it was impressive, and I knew I wanted to work with him.

Customers’ Success is Everything

--Question:　What does your typical workday involve?

Currently, I handle the implementation and support for customers who have decided to use our services as a Customer Success Manager (CSM). The scope of CS support at amptalk is broad, encompassing everything from kick-off to renewals, and covering various phases. My role involves not only guiding how to use our service but also creating content to encourage greater utilization. Recently, I also organized and managed a user group meeting with several dozen participants. Since our organization operates with a high degree of autonomy, I have the freedom to move around and work on creating successful case studies.
Throughout my diverse career experiences, I have found more enjoyment in creating deliverables and outputs with customers, rather than just achieving sales numbers or contributing to profit. The concept of selling and then moving on doesn’t sit well with me. I find the opportunity to build long-term relationships with customers in a CS role very appealing.
With amptalk, I dive deep into understanding the challenges our customers want to solve with our tool, and I am seeing positive results from this approach, though it may be presumptuous to say so. Moving forward, I aim to not only assist in organizing these challenges but also to help customers achieve their underlying goals.

An Organization Where the “Customer” Is the Center of Conversation

 --Question: Where do you feel the unique qualities of amptalk?

I feel that amptalk’s unique qualities lie in the clear direction set for the company, which is shared and embraced by all employees.
We strategize to popularize the concept and practices of sales enablement in Japan, continuously navigating between the concrete and abstract to build our own story and take action. For example, policies such as "Targeting the enterprise market" and "Focusing on communities from marketing/CS perspectives" are reflected in our consistent initiatives and tactics. This alignment ensures that everyone in the company moves in the same direction.
In Customer Success (CS), we strive to lead as many customers to success as possible, aiming for the most widely applicable solutions. My daily efforts are focused on helping as many of our customers as possible succeed with amptalk.
Through this work, I have realized that the significance of CS goes beyond mere hospitality. I believe that if our efforts do not benefit the customer, they are meaningless. Therefore, I focus on delivering value to as many customers as possible and contributing to their success.
This aligns with amptalk’s values, particularly the "ISSUE DRIVEN" value, which emphasizes concentrating on solving people’s problems. In the CS team, we always discuss issues with the “customer” as the focal point.
From my past experiences, I’ve found that my motivation is highest when I am engaged in work that only I can do and when I have a strong sense of mission. I aim to be highly conscious of addressing the "thing" in CS, which essentially links to creating value for the customer.
There is a sense that my personal values align well with the company’s value of "ISSUE DRIVEN."

Our Role Is to Be the “Trusted Advisor” for the Customer

--Question: What kind of Customer Success (CS) organization do you want to build?

I aim to be a "trusted advisor" rather than focusing solely on selling the product.
Being a "trusted advisor" means standing on the same level as the customer, and working together as partners towards their goals.
To achieve this, it’s essential not only to engage in ongoing conversations with customers but also to maintain a substantial reservoir of knowledge and past examples to address their issues. If I feel that my stock of examples is insufficient, I will create opportunities to meet with customers directly and enhance my understanding of their needs. I want to build a team that consistently makes such efforts.
I envision an ideal organization where there is humility, openness, and space for personal growth, where team members show genuine interest in each other, and where we support one another with respect and gratitude.

--Question: What kind of people would you like to work with?

I want to work with people who are oriented towards the customer, capable of identifying and solving their real challenges independently. In this process, it’s important that individual goals align with team goals and that we achieve success in both areas. At amptalk, we have members who are motivated, with their individual achievements contributing to the team’s goals. I hope to work with individuals who approach their work with humility, openness, and a sense of respect and gratitude towards others.

Bonus

This time, we had the opportunity to hear from Yusuke Noro, who is making significant contributions as a Customer Success professional at amptalk. He shared insights about his background for joining amptalk and the fulfillment he finds in his role. Hope you enjoyed it! 
The person who has influenced him the most is Shinji Okazaki, a former Japanese national soccer player. Known for his trademark diving headers and offensive prowess as a forward, Okazaki is also renowned for his defensive skills. Similarly, Noro aims to contribute to his team in various ways as a Customer Success professional. Be sure to keep an eye on Noro as he continues to excel as a versatile player!
Additionally, Noro has written a note detailing his reasons for joining and his thoughts. If you're interested, we encourage you to read it for more details.
If you have developed even a slight interest in amptalk, please feel free to apply for a casual interview. We look forward to hearing from you!

We’re Hiring!

This time, we spoke with Ryota, the FS Director. How did you find it? Ryota is known as 'Pick' within the company. Though he is now known for his calm demeanor, he used to be a sharp, logical type who would corner his team members with reasoning. That's why he got the nickname 'Ice Pick' at his previous workplace. (laughs) If you’re even slightly interested in amptalk, please apply for a casual call. We look forward to meeting you!

Open Position：https://herp.careers/v1/amptalk/PVDmOTCQ8NNf