Introduction:
In the world of SaaS, where technology evolves rapidly and customer expectations are ever-growing, the role of Customer Success has emerged as a critical pillar for sustainable growth. At cmercury, one name that has been synonymous with client delight and strategic execution is Mr. Rijo Sam, who currently serves as Director – Customer Success.
With 14 years of experience in client engagement, product training, and leading the SaaS sales function, Rijo brings a rare blend of empathy, insight, and business acumen to the table. In this candid conversation with Mr. Jijo Jose, GM – HR & Admin at cmercury, Rijo opens up about his journey, the evolution of customer success, and the defining moments that shaped his career.
Jijo Jose: Rijo, it’s a pleasure to sit down with you today. Fourteen years is no small feat how has the journey been so far?
Rijo Sam: Thank you, Jijo. It’s been an incredible ride. When I started out, the term “Customer Success” wasn’t even part of everyday vocabulary in SaaS. What we now call customer success was then a mix of support, account management, and client education. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to build, scale, and refine what success means to our clients and to our platform. Each role, whether in training, sales, or customer support, has added a layer of understanding that I bring to my current position.
Jijo Jose: You’ve worn many hats from leading SaaS, building client onboarding, sales, and training frameworks. What were some of the early challenges you faced?
Rijo Sam: Initially, the biggest challenge was perception. Many clients saw email marketing tools as just “send engines.” Helping them understand the strategic value of automation, personalization, and analytics took time. Internally, we also had to break silos between product, sales, and support to ensure a unified experience. Another challenge was building scalable training models, especially when clients had different levels of digital maturity.
Jijo Jose: What’s your take on how customer expectations have evolved over the years?
Rijo Sam: Today’s customers are far more informed and outcome-driven. They’re not just looking for a product, they expect a partnership. They want onboarding to be seamless, support to be proactive, and features to evolve with their needs. Personalization is no longer a luxury, it’s a baseline. The shift from reactive support to proactive success management has been one of the biggest evolutions in this space.
Jijo Jose: Can you share a few defining or “winning” moments that stand out in your career?
Rijo Sam: One that I’ll always remember is helping a leading e-commerce brand recover from a poor campaign ROI phase. We restructured their entire automation funnel, re-trained their marketing team, and introduced a segmentation strategy. Within 6 weeks, their open rates improved by 40% and conversions doubled. That success story became a blueprint for several other clients.
Another proud moment was when our client onboarding framework, which we piloted for just 3 clients, was scaled and standardized across the organization. That initiative cut onboarding time by nearly 20%.
Jijo Jose: Having led SaaS sales too, how do you see the relationship between sales and customer success?
Rijo Sam: They’re two sides of the same coin. Sales brings the client on board, but it’s customer success that ensures they stay and grow. In fact, in SaaS, the real sale begins after the contract is signed. That’s why I’ve always believed in tight alignment between both functions. When sales closes with clarity and success is delivered with consistency, retention becomes organic.
Jijo Jose: As someone who’s built customer success from the ground up at cmercury, what opportunities do you see in the future for this role?
Rijo Sam: Immense potential. As products get more complex, the demand for customer education, onboarding, and strategic consultation will only grow. The role of Customer Success is shifting toward revenue ownership through upselling, cross-selling, and advocacy. Also, AI is going to help CS teams scale insights, predict churn, and personalize outreach at scale. The opportunity lies in blending tech with empathy.
Jijo Jose: For young professionals aspiring to enter customer success, especially in SaaS, what advice would you give?
Rijo Sam: First, be genuinely curious about the client’s business. Success is not about ticking boxes it’s about creating real value. Learn to listen actively, and never underestimate the power of data. Also, invest time in understanding the product deeply because your credibility depends on it. And finally, stay humble. Every client has something to teach you.
From his early days in support, training to leading customer success with vision and clarity, Mr. Rijo Sam’s journey at cmercury is a masterclass in adaptability, client-first thinking, and leadership. His experience underscores the power of building relationships not just systems in the ever-evolving SaaS landscape.
As cmercury continues to grow, it’s leaders like Rijo who ensure that every customer not only sees results but feels heard.
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Jijo Jose - GM – HR & Administration
Jijo Jose is a seasoned HR and administration professional with over 15 years of experience in human resources, organizational development, and operations. Starting nearly 11 years ago as a client servicing executive, he has risen through the ranks to now head the company’s HR function. As General Manager – HR & Administration at cmercury, Jijo leads policy development, employee engagement, and talent management, helping shape the people-first culture that drives the company forward.