Vikgnesh Sampath
Customer Success & Account Management
Redmond,WA
Summary
Strategic leader with 13+ years of experience in SaaS/IT services, driving growth and retention through effective management of pre-sales and customer success teams across industries and regions. Skilled in renewal management, stakeholder management, team leadership, adoption/optimization, and creating value-driven frameworks. Proven track record overseeing large portfolios and cultivating long-term relationships with clients and partners. Currently leading the Enterprise Customer Success team at Freshworks, managing $60M ARR and 600 accounts with a team of 14 CSMs in the Americas. Demonstrated expertise in scaling teams, achieving KPIs, managing internal/external stakeholders, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Committed to empowering customers and achieving business outcomes through innovation and collaboration.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Senior Manager – Enterprise Customer Success
Freshworks
Redmond, Washington
02.2021 - Current
- Leading a team of senior Customer Success Managers (CSMs), responsible for a portfolio of $60M ARR with 600 Enterprise customers, before relocating to the US, was heading the NA CS for mid-market accounts, responsible for a portfolio of $35M ARR and a team of 30+ CSMs and 3 Regional Managers.
- Grown the book of business by ~7% Y.o.Y for 3 consecutive years.
- Defined enterprise customer journey and strategic touch-points to help CSMs be proactive in identifying early risks, expediting resolution, increasing adoption, uncovering opportunities, and delivering value.
- Generated close to $1M in pipeline in 2024 by working closely with sales and marketing.
- Continuously driving strategic initiatives to enhance product adoption, improve forecasting accuracy, and increase customer advocacy.
- Collaborate with cross-functional executives to align them with customer goals and continue driving value for partners/customers and mitigate risk.
- Act as the primary escalation point for executive escalations in understanding customer concerns, driving resolution, and customer satisfaction.
- Develop KPIs and data-driven initiatives, achieving significant improvements in retention and engagement metrics.
- Planning and running user networking events across 7 Cities in NA by collaborating with marketing
- Run EWR (Early Warning Response) program with internal executives to educate, align, and resolve customer requests by prioritizing internal resources.
- Increased retention by 15% since 2022.
- Hire, mentor, and coach CSMs on industry trends, and work closely with enablement team to up-skill CSMs to help stay technically relevant.
Lead - Solutions Engineer
Freshworks
Chennai, India
01.2019 - 02.2021
- Increased customer onboarding by 5x, raising demo conversion rates from 45% to 60%..
- Led resource planning, hiring, and forecasting processes for sales engineers.
- Organized technical workshops and represented Freshworks at industry events to boost brand visibility and engagement.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining strict deadlines and adhering to budget constraints.
- Developed effective solutions through close collaboration with cross-functional teams like product, support and customer success
Senior Solutions Engineer - Enterprise Accounts
Freshworks
San Francisco, California
01.2017 - 12.2017
- Provided tailored technical solutions to enterprise clients, enhancing product understanding and adoption.
- Collaborated with product teams to relay customer feedback, shaping the Freshdesk product roadmap.
- Mentored 7 new consultants, ensuring knowledge transfer and capability building while building the NA team
- Conducted product demonstrations, webinars, and technical deep-dives, tailoring content to address customer pain points.
- Managed RFIs/RFPs, resolved product-level issues, and guided implementation to ensure a seamless onboarding experience.
- Delivered online training sessions to improve product adoption and unlock value of the product.
- Achieved the top MRR contributor within the NA team by closing $1.5M ARR in 2017.
Senior Solutions Engineer – Enterprise Accounts
Photon Interactive
Chennai, India
06.2016 - 12.2016
- Developed proposals for RFIs/RFPs from Fortune 500 companies, SMEs, and startups across retail, banking, financial services, and healthcare sectors.
- Collaborated with C-level executives, account managers, and solution architects to create and present customized solutions.
- Played an integral role throughout the sales cycle, from crafting proposals to securing deal closure.
- Managed contracts and provided seamless knowledge transfer to delivery teams, ensuring project alignment and smooth execution.
- Conducted market research, developed case studies, and internal white papers to support strategic initiatives
Mobility Solutions Consultant – Enterprise Accounts
HCL Technologies
Chennai, India
11.2011 - 05.2015
- Managed end-to-end, cloud-based mobility automation projects, ensuring on-time delivery for clients like Lego and GTECH Corporation.
- Among first five members of HCL's Mobility CoE (Center of Excellence), contributing to securing global customers such as World Bank and Agilent Technologies.
- Generated over $844,980 in revenue through targeted solutions and successful client engagement.
- Led requirements gathering, proof-of-concept development, documentation, and product demonstrations, delivering over 30 business and technical presentations.
- Recognized in HCL's prestigious 'Value Portal' initiative and awarded Best Innovation Award (2014) from GTECH Corporation for delivering innovative mobility solutions.
Education
MBA - Business Administration and Management
IAE Bordeaux
France 01.2016 - 12.2016
Business Administration And Management
Great Lakes Institute of Management
India 05.2016 - 12.2016
B.Tech - Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Dr. M G R Educational And Research Institute
India 05.2011 - 12.2011
Skills
Customer Success Strategy & Execution
Certificationsandawards
- Cloud Architecture: Core Concepts
- RPA, AI, and Cognitive Technologies for Leaders
- Agile Development Practices
- HCL Best Innovation Award – 2014
- HCL Runner-Up, Good Practices Conference (GPC-8) – 2015
- Deloitte Maverick Case Study Challenge (Top 2%) – 2015
Timeline
Senior Manager – Enterprise Customer Success
Freshworks
02.2021 - Current
Lead - Solutions Engineer
Freshworks
01.2019 - 02.2021
Senior Solutions Engineer - Enterprise Accounts
Freshworks
01.2017 - 12.2017
Senior Solutions Engineer – Enterprise Accounts
Photon Interactive
06.2016 - 12.2016
Business Administration And Management
Great Lakes Institute of Management
05.2016 - 12.2016
MBA - Business Administration and Management
IAE Bordeaux
01.2016 - 12.2016
Mobility Solutions Consultant – Enterprise Accounts
HCL Technologies
11.2011 - 05.2015
B.Tech - Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Dr. M G R Educational And Research Institute
05.2011 - 12.2011
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