Winning Mzansi Women: Interview with Rochelle Thompson, Customer Success Manager at Hellopeter Business

Hellopeter is proud to introduce our #WinningMzansiWomen Hellopeter Women in Business interview series. In celebration of Women's Month, we're spotlighting women doing remarkable work in different industries. We'll be posting interviews throughout the month, so keep an eye out for the next ones coming soon.

For our first interview, we chatted to our very own Customer Success Manager at Hellopeter Business, Rochelle Thompson.

Hellopeter: Have you always envisioned working in the Customer Success industry, or how did you get into it?

Rochelle Thompson: No, funny enough, when I first read the term "Customer Success", I needed to do some research. The more I read, the more it made sense, and I knew I would love it! I applied for the position, got the job and moved cities, and this was about five years ago. 

HP: What has been the most eye-opening experience or greatest lesson you've learned working as a Customer Success Manager? 

RT: The job is never done. Organisations' needs, people movement, trends in the market and product roadmaps are continuously changing. As a Customer Success Manager, you need to keep building on the momentum. There's always something to be achieved, which is also the most exciting part for me.

HP: Do you think there has been a shift toward more women stepping into roles within the tech/SaaS industry? 

RT: Absolutely, while the needle may not be moving as quickly as we would like, there are more and more programs and initiatives out there that are encouraging females in the tech space to help address the gender gap. Women in Tech ZA is a great example, as this global movement assists in representing females in this space and helps make it more appealing for future females to consider these career paths.

On a side note, I have to mention that I have some kickass female colleagues who are absolutely dominating their roles and who I cannot imagine working without. Ladies, we've got this! 

HP: What do you hope to see for the future generation of women in business? In particular, in industries like the tech/SaaS industry? 

RT: I feel very hopeful and encouraged that we will see a lot more hype and success around women in the tech space, especially here in Africa. And in our own country, in true South African style, women are not backing down. Take a look here at some of these impressive ladies in the tech space making waves.  

HP: What do you wish businesses would know about online reviews and managing their online reputation? 

RT: With technology continuing to evolve, consumer awareness, consideration and decision-making almost always start with one doing their research online. We all know this. However, many businesses are often unaware that all reviews, good AND bad, hold much value if responded to correctly.

Consumers are forgiving, and if they see a negative review dealt with in a respectful, empathetic and solution-driven manner, they're often willing to see past the initial negative experience and be more encouraged to engage with the business. Ignoring online reviews is a huge mistake.

Many businesses are also surprised to learn that implementing a review collection strategy is a quick win in building your online presence. If a client has had a great experience and is simply prompted to write a review in a manner that's easy for them to do so, you'll very quickly see your online presence grow, from brand awareness and trust to SEO benefits and increase in engagement from clients. 

HP: What are some of the most common mistakes or difficulties you see in Customer Success? 

RT: That the role is misinterpreted as "support". Customer Success is about so much more than just assisting your clients when they need assistance with your product. It's about becoming a part of their team, understanding the ins and outs of their product, team dynamic and ultimate business goals and assisting them in using your product to reach their goals. 

HP: In a nutshell, how would you define Customer Success, and what does it mean to South African businesses? 

RT:  Helping customers achieve their objectives. For South African businesses, this means they can confidently subscribe or purchase a product with confidence, knowing there will be assistance and guidance every step of the way to make that product feel a lot less daunting! 

HP: Any advice for young women considering stepping into your industry or role? 

RT:  It's not always easy, but it's ALWAYS worth it! Take the time to listen to your clients, like really listen! Client feedback is essential in improving your product, and you must always bring any pain point or feature requests to the attention of your product and tech team.

The ultimate satisfaction is felt when you assist a business in achieving goals you had set out together! That, and it's important to keep up with tech trends in the digital space or the space you're working in.

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