Insights from Customer Relations: The Role of the Customer Success Manager Eike Sandmann at oraya

Customer support is an essential part of any successful business. But what is actually behind the role of the Customer Success Manager at oraya? How do our employees succeed not only in satisfying customers, but also in making them work successfully with products in the long term? In today's blog post, we take a close look at the work of a Customer Success Manager at oraya and talk to Eike, our experienced Customer Success Manager, who works closely with our customers and cooperation partners on a daily basis.

As the interface between the company and its customers, Eike has a crucial role at oraya. His job is to ensure that customers not only get the best possible use of oraya's tools and services, but also enjoy long-term success. But what lies behind this demanding task? And what challenges and successes has he experienced along his career path?

In the interview, we will gain insights into how he works and how he collaborates with customers to ensure that they can successfully work with oraya's products and services. But it's not just about his role as Customer Success Manager. We will also get to know Eike personally and learn what made him decide to pursue a career in this field at oraya. 

In addition, we will take a closer look at a specific collaboration with a customer from the retail industry. Eike will tell us how this customer used our market monitoring technology to expand their database and consequently control and optimize their product descriptions on Amazon. What specific results and benefits did the customer achieve through this collaboration?

In this post, we are happy to offer you an exciting insight into the world of customer support at oraya and to share valuable experiences from Eike. Let's now dive deeper into the topic and learn what successful customer care looks like in today's business world.

How would you describe your role as Customer Success Manager at oraya?

Eike Sandmann: As Customer Success Manager at oraya, my role is focused on ensuring that our customers work successfully with our products and services. I act as a liaison between the company and customers and strive to work closely together to ensure optimal use of our tools.

My main duties and responsibilities include managing both existing and new customers, which includes custom projects. I work closely with customers to understand their unique requirements and provide solutions.  This includes, but is not limited to, regular meetings with our clients on issues or current operational topics, as well as Quarterly Business Reviews to map out strategic goals and further develop the collaboration leading to long-term success.

In order to ensure that our customers are successful, I maintain an individual exchange with them that is adapted to their needs. When taking care of new customers, my focus is usually first on bringing them closer to our tools and jointly finding a way to use them in the best possible way.  In addition, I act as an interface for internal and technical concerns and work closely with the Product Development and Sales team to further develop our products according to our customers' needs and to design solutions that optimize our tools. 

What made you decide to pursue a career as a Customer Success Manager?

Eike Sandmann: I was particularly attracted to the role of Customer Success Manager because it provides an exciting connection point between the company and its customers. It allows me to use my skills and interests in different areas and pursue a versatile career.

I have found that the Customer Success Manager plays an important role in ensuring customer satisfaction and long-term success. This position requires both technical understanding and strong interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with customers and understand their needs.

My previous experience in various fields prepared me well for the role of Customer Success Manager. I had the opportunity to work across industries and learn about different aspects within the company. This has helped me in my current role to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of different business areas.

In addition, I have realized that soft skills are of great importance in this position. The ability to communicate effectively, respond to customer needs and build relationships are critical to ensure a successful working relationship.

These aspects also played an important role in my decision to join oraya. The company offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment and collaborate with clients from different industries. The versatility of the job and the chance to develop my skills as a Customer Success Manager made me choose oraya.

What trends or challenges are you observing in customer service in the retail industry in general?

Eike Sandmann: I observe a number of trends and challenges in the retail industry. Especially in the e-commerce sector, the dynamics are high as customers react quickly to availability, prices and other factors. It is important to take this fast-moving nature of online retail into account and constantly monitor changes.

In retail, I am currently seeing an increased focus on their positioning relative to the competition. A key concern is to look at the availability of products or even delivery times in the market to gain valuable insights for their own pricing and offer design. For example, if most competitors no longer have a certain item in stock while I still offer it, I can adjust my prices accordingly and offer added value for my customers. 

Likewise, delivery times play a crucial role. Retailers check how quickly they can deliver their products compared to other suppliers. This allows them to differentiate themselves in terms of customer service and satisfaction.

This approach enables retailers to manage their positioning in the market in a more targeted manner and to adapt their offering to the current needs and preferences of customers. Continuous monitoring of availability and delivery times gives them a valuable competitive advantage to operate successfully in the market and foster long-term customer loyalty.

Can you tell us about working with a customer in the retail industry that you support?

Eike Sandmann: We work with several customers from the retail industry who use our market monitoring technologies for different purposes. One of our cooperation partners, a German retail company with a product range of over 40,000 items, uses customized software to enrich and maintain its own product database. 

Our data enables him to continuously update and complete the product information. Not only does it use internal data, but it also integrates information from manufacturers to ensure comprehensive and accurate product descriptions. By optimizing its product data structure and database, the customer was able to improve the quality of its product information and ensure that it is always up-to-date and complete.

How have you personally developed as a Customer Success Manager at oraya? Are there any particular lessons or insights you've gained in your time at oraya so far that help you in your role?

Eike Sandmann: As Customer Success Manager at oraya, I have developed personally in many ways. In particular, I have expanded my technical knowledge and understanding in the areas of pricing and data management. These skills are critical to help customers get the most out of our products and understand their requirements related to pricing and data extraction.

Furthermore, it is always a challenge to maintain focus even when I am faced with many different tasks and requests from customers as well as internally. Optimal time management is a constant learning process. Personal contact with customers helps me to understand different perspectives and requirements and to offer solutions that meet their individual needs.

In my role as Customer Success Manager, I constantly recognize the importance of building close relationships with key accounts and providing first-class support. This includes long-term strategic collaboration as well as providing first-level support to ensure customers achieve their goals and are successful with our products.

In doing so, I also learned many lessons during my time at oraya and gained valuable insights that have helped me in my role as Customer Success Manager. One important aspect was understanding different industries and their specific requirements. 

Especially in the B2B sector, i.e. the business customer sector, we are seeing an increasing development in e-commerce. B2B companies are increasingly recognizing the benefits and opportunities of online commerce to efficiently market their products and services and interact with their customers. While the basic concepts of e-commerce may be similar between B2B and B2C industries, there are still specific differences and peculiarities that need to be considered in each industry. Understanding the individual requirements of customers from different B2B industries and offering them tailored solutions is a crucial component of our work.

oraya will continue to innovate and help shape the future of the IT industry. This interview is a reflection of our shared experiences and the remarkable journey of the team members. We hope this personal insight into the oraya team has given you a better understanding of our company's values, ambitions and commitment.