Vice President, Customer Support

Apollo.io | Competitive comp not given

Steph's Notes:

Okay, my last run-in with Apollo.io was, uh, rough, so let's see if they've improved since then!

Their recruiting video is just a minute and change of people talking about how the company is growing and the product is growing and people should join to help grow the company and the product. Nothing about culture, professional growth, benefits, you know, silly things about why people should actually *want* to work for the company.

The rest of the Careers page is fine.

This role will drive the transformation of our support organization into a world-class team

That's a helluva dig at the existing team. Phew!

implementing cutting-edge technologies to enhance efficiency and personalization.

Hello AI!

Integrate customer service technologies, including AI and automation, to enhance efficiency and personalization.

LOL.

Implement crisis management protocols for handling escalations and challenging situations.
Ensure swift resolution of escalations with professionalism and transparency.
Identify and address systemic issues to prevent future escalations.

Soooo, things are pretty rough for the Support team over at Apollo right now. This could be due to poor product-customer fit, poor internal collaboration, honest growing pains, or all of the above.

Experience in crisis management and handling escalations effectively.

Really rough.

Besides the great compensation package

Ladies, Gentlemen, Undecided, and Robots, it's the Incredible... Shrinking... Compensation Package! So great that you can't see it! Incredible because it's beyond imagining! Embark with Apollo.io on a fascinating adventure into the unknown!

and culture that thrives in openness and excellence

So open that you have no idea what you'll be paid!

We’re very collaborative at Apollo, so you’ll be able to lean on your teammates, even in adjacent departments, to help you achieve lofty goals.

Wow, you'll have...access to your own co-workers? What a dream!

Well, that is...certainly another job description from Apollo.io.

Original Job Description: Vice President, Customer Support

Apollo.io is the leading go-to-market solution for revenue teams, trusted by over 500,000 companies and millions of users globally, from rapidly growing startups to some of the world's largest enterprises. Apollo.io provides sales and marketing teams with easy access to verified contact data for over 270 million B2B contacts, along with tools to engage and convert these contacts in one unified platform. By helping revenue professionals find the most accurate contact information and automating the outreach process, Apollo.io turns prospects into customers. Apollo raised a series D in 2023 and is backed by top-tier investors, including Sequoia Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, and more, and counts the former President and COO of Hubspot, JD Sherman, among its board members. Apollo.io is growing rapidly, with 900% revenue growth since 2021, and is looking for world-class talent to keep building with us.

Role Overview

The VP of Support at Apollo.io will be a strategic leader responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive customer service strategy that aligns with the company’s goals of delivering exceptional customer experiences. This role will drive the transformation of our support organization into a world-class team by setting clear performance goals, fostering a customer-centric culture, and ensuring cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, and Go-to-Market teams. The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader with a proven track record in scaling global support teams and implementing cutting-edge technologies to enhance efficiency and personalization.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy

• Develop and execute a customer service strategy aligned with Apollo.io’s goals, enhancing response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction.
• Set and manage performance goals and KPIs, ensuring alignment with the company’s vision and values.
• Provide strategic direction, fostering a customer-obsessed culture focused on delivering exceptional experiences.

Team Management

• Lead, coach, and manage a global support team, with oversight of four direct reports.
• Drive continuous improvement through coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations.
• Foster collaboration and communication across global teams, including locations in Latin America and the Philippines.
• Develop succession plans and talent initiatives to ensure a skilled, motivated, and scalable team.

Customer Experience Enhancement

• Identify and implement improvements based on customer feedback, survey data, and best practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address customer pain points and drive improvements.
• Integrate customer service technologies, including AI and automation, to enhance efficiency and personalization.
• Stay ahead of trends and technologies to continuously adapt strategies.

Performance Monitoring and Analysis

• Analyze and optimize key support metrics, including cost per ticket, response times, and customer satisfaction.
• Leverage data-driven insights to drive team performance and customer satisfaction.
• Report to executive leadership on achievements, challenges, and action plans.

Relationship Management

• Cultivate relationships with key customers and stakeholders, addressing concerns and ensuring alignment.
• Collaborate with Sales and Account Management to deliver a seamless customer experience.
• Advocate for customers within the organization, influencing decisions to enhance satisfaction.

Crisis and Escalation Management

• Implement crisis management protocols for handling escalations and challenging situations.
• Ensure swift resolution of escalations with professionalism and transparency.
• Identify and address systemic issues to prevent future escalations.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in customer service, particularly within SaaS and global support teams.
• Expertise in customer service strategies, best practices, and technologies, including chat and AI tools.
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a diverse, global team.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.
• Data-driven with a focus on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Strategic thinker with a customer-first mindset and a passion for delivering exceptional experiences.
• Experience in crisis management and handling escalations effectively.
• Proficiency in customer service software, CRM systems, and relevant tools.

What You’ll Love About Apollo

Besides the great compensation package and culture that thrives in openness and excellence, we invest tremendous effort into developing our remote employees’ careers. The team embraces that we have a sole purpose: to help customers maximize their full revenue potential on the Apollo platform. This mindset opens us up to a lot of creative approaches to making customers successful at scale. You’ll be a significant part of a lean, remote team, empowered to really own your role as a proactive educator. We’re very collaborative at Apollo, so you’ll be able to lean on your teammates, even in adjacent departments, to help you achieve lofty goals. You’ll be supported and encouraged to experiment and take educated risks that lead to big wins. And, you’ll have a whole team remotely by your side to help you do it!