Interview questions for Freshworks Customer Success Manager
Hi everyone, this topic is for sharing Preparation guidelines and interview experience for Freshworks Customer Success Manager
The Customer Success Manager at Freshworks involves a multi-stage assessment and interview process, designed to evaluate both technical skills and business proficiency. Below is a summary of the process and key points from the interviews you provided:
Assessment Test Rounds:
Assignment / Case Study Presentation
- Learn one Freshworks product, study existing case studies/success stories, and prepare a similar case study.
- Present to a panel (3 members). Cover: customer CX pain points, reasons for implementing the product, and the 90-day results post-implementation.
- Followed by Q&A.
Interview Rounds:
HR Interview
- Culture fit and motivation. Topics included current role overview, interest in Freshworks, and understanding of Freshworks’ culture, values, and motto.
Technical Interview
- Product/technology concepts relevant to SaaS CS: API, SSO, chatbots; plus experience-based and behavioral questions (expect STAR-format).
One-on-One / Hiring Manager Interview
- Deep dive on resume: current job highlights, customer wins, KPIs, account book composition (customer base managed) and ARR coverage.
Technical / Domain (SaaS, CX, Product)
Explain what an API is and how you have used or supported API-related use cases for customers.
What is Single Sign-On (SSO)? Why is it important for enterprise customers?
How do chatbots fit into a customer support/helpdesk workflow?
How does a typical helpdesk/ticketing tool work? What are its key components and workflows?
Which CRM/CS tools have you worked with (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft tools), and how did you use them in your CSM role?
Account Management, Metrics, and Business Impact
Walk me through your current job highlights and key customer wins.
Describe your current KPIs. Which customer success metrics do you track and why?
What is your customer base composition (number of accounts, segments/tiers, regions)?
What is the ARR of the accounts you manage? What is the size of your book of business?
Product/Company Knowledge
What do you know about Freshworks and its product suite?
Why do you want to join Freshworks?
Experience / CV-based
Walk me through your resume and prior roles relevant to customer success.
Discuss a challenge from your past work experience and how you handled it.
HR / Behavioral / Culture Fit
What is your understanding of Freshworks’ culture, values, and motto? How do you align with them?
Behavioral questions (expect STAR method), e.g., describe a time you managed a difficult customer situation and the outcome.
Situational / Case Study & Presentation
Present a case study on a Freshworks product covering: the customer’s CX pain points, reasons for implementing the product, and the 90-day post-implementation results.
Interview Preparation Tips:
Research Freshworks thoroughly (products, blogs, values, culture) and be ready to articulate “Why Freshworks.”
Know your numbers: prepare specific metrics to quantify impact (ARR covered, adoption, retention, expansion, CSAT/NPS), and your KPIs.
Refresh core SaaS/CX concepts: API, SSO, chatbots; understand how a helpdesk/ticketing system works.
Review your CV end-to-end and prepare concise STAR stories for achievements, challenges, and cross-functional collaboration.
Practice the case study presentation; focus on CX pain points, business justification, implementation approach, and 30/60/90-day outcomes.
Brush up on tools mentioned in the JD (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft suite) and how you used them in real scenarios.
If you have attended the process from your campus, pls share your experiences here; Please follow [guidelines](https://discuss.boardinfinity.com/t/interview-transcript-guidelines/22428?u=abhay-gupta-ebaf4123)
Application Process: I applied via a referral and was interviewed in March 2024.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - HR Round:
Questions Asked:
About your current role and about Freshworks.
Your Approach: I discussed my current responsibilities and expressed my enthusiasm for joining Freshworks.
Outcome: Cleared this round successfully.
Round 2 - One-on-one Round:
Questions Asked:
About your current job, highlights, and customer wins.
Describe your current KPIs.
Customer base managed.
ARR of those accounts.
Your Approach: I highlighted my achievements, KPIs, and the scale of accounts I managed, emphasizing my ability to drive customer success.
Outcome: Provided detailed answers and awaited further feedback.
Preparation Tips:
Prepare well by understanding the role and the company. Focus on your achievements and how they align with the job requirements.
Conclusion:
The interview process was smooth, and I felt confident about my responses. I would advise future candidates to thoroughly research the company and be ready to discuss their experiences in detail.
Application Process: I was approached by the company for this role and interviewed before February 2023.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - HR Round:
Questions Asked:
Tell me about yourself.
Your Approach: I kept my response concise, focusing on my relevant experience, skills, and enthusiasm for the role. I highlighted my interpersonal skills and experience in customer-facing roles.
Outcome: The round went well, and I received positive feedback.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on clearly articulating your background and how it aligns with the role.
Highlight skills like interpersonal communication, management, and customer support.
Be prepared to discuss your understanding of the company and its products.
Conclusion:
The interview process was smooth, and the HR round was conversational. I felt confident about my responses, but I could have researched more about Freshworks’ specific customer success strategies to add depth to my answers. For future candidates, I’d recommend thoroughly understanding the company’s products and how they align with the role of a Customer Success Manager.
Application Process: Applied through an online job portal.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - One-on-One Interview:
Questions Asked:
The interviewer asked questions based on my CV and past work experience.
Your Approach:
I highlighted my relevant experience and skills, focusing on customer success, account management, and problem-solving abilities. I also shared specific examples of how I handled challenges in previous roles.
Outcome:
The round went well, and I received positive feedback on my communication and experience.
Preparation Tips:
Review your CV thoroughly and be ready to discuss every detail.
Prepare examples of past work experiences that demonstrate your skills in customer success, retention, and upselling.
Brush up on tools like Salesforce and Microsoft products if mentioned in the job description.
Conclusion:
The interview was a great learning experience. I felt confident discussing my past work, but I could have prepared more specific metrics to quantify my achievements. My advice to future candidates is to focus on storytelling with data to make your answers more impactful.
Application Process: I applied via a referral and was interviewed before April 2022.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Resume Shortlist Round:
Questions Asked: None specified.
Your Approach: Ensured my resume was concise and focused on relevant skills and experiences.
Outcome: Passed to the next round.
Round 2 - Round with CSM Team:
Questions Asked:
CSM KPIs, networking questions, SSL inspection.
Zscaler features and its competitors.
Your Approach: Prepared by learning the basics of networking and researching Zscaler’s services and competitors.
Outcome: Not specified.
Preparation Tips:
Learn the basics of networking.
Research the company’s services thoroughly.
Conclusion:
The interview process was straightforward, and the questions were focused on technical and role-specific knowledge. Researching the company and its competitors beforehand was very helpful. For future candidates, I recommend focusing on networking basics and understanding the company’s offerings in detail.
Application Process: I applied via an online platform and was interviewed before September 2022.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Resume Shortlist:
Details: My resume was reviewed for alignment and formatting. Properly aligning and formatting text in your resume is crucial, as recruiters may reject poorly aligned resumes.
Outcome: I passed this round.
Round 2 - One-on-One Round:
Questions Asked: Technically equipped questions related to the role.
Your Approach: I focused on demonstrating my technical knowledge and problem-solving skills.
Outcome: I advanced to the next round.
Round 3 - Group Discussion Round:
Details: This was a presentation round where we discussed various aspects relevant to the role.
Your Approach: I actively participated, shared insights, and listened to others to build a collaborative discussion.
Outcome: I successfully moved forward.
Round 4 - Assignment Round:
Details: It was a case study, and based on that, I had to prepare and present my findings.
Your Approach: I analyzed the case thoroughly, prepared a structured presentation, and focused on clear communication.
Outcome: I completed the assignment successfully.
Preparation Tips:
Ensure your resume is well-formatted and aligned.
Brush up on technical aspects relevant to the role.
Practice active participation in group discussions.
Work on case study analysis and presentation skills.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview process was thorough and tested various skills, including technical knowledge, teamwork, and problem-solving. Proper preparation and confidence in presenting your ideas are key. Good luck to future candidates!
Application Process: I applied via the company website and was interviewed before May 2021.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Round:
Questions Asked: Understanding of API, SSO, Chatbots, previous work experience, behavioural questions (use STAR method to answer).
Your Approach: I prepared by brushing up on technical concepts like API, SSO, and chatbots. For behavioural questions, I used the STAR method to structure my answers clearly.
Outcome: Passed the round.
Round 2 - Assignment Round:
Questions Asked: Case study presentation. The task was to learn one of Freshworks’ suite of products, study case studies and success stories, and prepare a similar case study. The presentation had to cover CX pain points, reasons for implementing the product, and 90-day results post-implementation.
Your Approach: I chose a product I was familiar with, researched its case studies, and created a detailed presentation. I also prepared for a Q&A session by anticipating possible questions.
Outcome: Presented to a panel of 3 and successfully answered their questions.
Round 3 - HR Round:
Questions Asked: Culture fitment. The interviewer asked about my understanding of Freshworks’ culture, values, and motto.
Your Approach: I went through Freshworks’ blogs and LinkedIn to understand their culture and values. I aligned my answers to reflect these values.
Outcome: The round went well, and I felt confident about my responses.
Preparation Tips:
For those with a B2B SaaS sales/CSM background, the process should be straightforward.
If you’re new to the field, focus on understanding tech concepts like API, cloud technology, SSO, and authentication types.
Learn how a typical helpdesk (ticketing tool) functions and familiarize yourself with customer success KPIs.
Practice giving presentations to improve your delivery and confidence.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview process was thorough but fair. I felt well-prepared for the technical and assignment rounds, but I could have spent more time understanding Freshworks’ culture beforehand. My advice to future candidates is to research the company deeply and practice presenting case studies effectively.