View the CSM Handbook homepage for additional CSM-related handbook pages.
To learn how GitLab CSMs approach customer engagement and planning conversations, a new team member shadows an established, more senior member of the team in a variety of meetings and actions taken related to those meetings.
Senior members of the team should proactively invite new CSMs for shadowing and include them on any prep or follow up that takes place for the call. New CSMs should also feel empowered to reach out to various members of the global CSM team (not just their regional team) to ask to shadow and learn from them. The goal is to get exposure to different types of calls, relationships, ways of working, topics, etc., without the pressure of owning the accounts.
The cadence call is a core element of the CSM's engagement with a customer. There are several elements involved in a cadence call beyond the call itself.
It's important to prep for any customer calls in advance to ensure everyone is getting full value out of the synchronous time. To shadow pre-call prep, it involves both shadowing internal calls and shadowing CSMs 1:1 while they prepare.
A new team member will shadow cadence calls to learn how we conduct them live.
After a customer call ends, there are a number of follow-up items that the CSM does to ensure any action items or unresolved questions are addressed. The new team member should shadow any internal calls and shadow CSMs 1:1 while they do this work. The established CSM should be sure to copy and/or tag the new CSM on any correspondence they have in email, issues, or Slack to ensure the new CSM sees the full lifecycle.
The cadence call is a core element of the CSM's engagement with a customer. A new team member will shadow cadence calls to learn how we conduct them, and will be involved in the pre-call planning and post-call actions.
CSMs meet regularly with each of their SAL/AE and SA teams to ensure they are in sync on their efforts to turn prospects into customers, and engagemnt with existing customers. A new team member will shadow account team meetings to learn about how they should be conducted.