Monday Guest Hotan Zadeh-Y3-W48

Mohammed Alqaq November 25, 2024December 2, 2024

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Get to know Hotan Zadeh

By: Mohammed Alqaq | November 25, 2024 | Year 3 – Week 48/2024

First and foremost, I am a proud father, husband, son, brother, and friend.

Beyond the mentioned titles, which I truly cherish, I’m also a Customer Success and Professional Services professional based in Dubai, with over eleven years of experience working with startups, scale-ups, and larger enterprises across EMEA.

I come from a background that blends tech and business strategy, which lets me approach my role with both a practical and a strategic mindset. I’m a big believer in getting the basics right, from proactive communication to careful problem-solving, as these fundamentals build trust and drive success.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of working as both a hands-on contributor and a leader, and I’m genuinely passionate about helping businesses succeed through effective and sustainable strategies to deliver value to clients.

Being here in the Middle East, I’m excited to connect with and contribute to this growing customer success and professional services community.

We asked Hotan to take us through a journey telling us about his career path, how he spends his workday, what advice he can share with someone starting as a customer success manager, and many other questions.

Enjoy reading this interview

Tell us about your career path?

I began my career with a technical degree in Computer Science and Internet Technology but quickly realized I wanted to be on the front lines, helping people get value from technology rather than staying behind the scenes.

Over time, I eventually found myself in Customer Success, where relationship-building, strategic thinking, and data-driven decision-making all converge.

Working in London’s vibrant tech scene for almost a decade was an incredible experience, and moving back to Dubai has only fueled my passion to make a difference here in the Middle East.

My career path has been all about connecting with customers and implementing strategies that drive measurable outcomes, from seamless onboarding to continued success throughout the client lifecycle.

How did you join Customer Success?

I’ve always been drawn to technology, data, and the commercial side of business, so when I came across Customer Success, it felt like a natural fit. I realized this role would let me leverage all three areas to create meaningful value for both clients and my company.

Seeing the impact that proactive, data-driven engagement can have on customer satisfaction and business growth was incredibly compelling. Customer Success gave me the chance to use strategic thinking, relationship-building, and solution delivery to drive impactful results.

It’s rewarding to make decisions that don’t just respond to client needs but anticipate them, keeping clients—and our business—ahead of the curve.

How would you describe the ideal CSM candidate?

The ideal CSM, or anyone who has been tasked to deliver success in any capacity to a client, is someone who is both proactive and deeply empathetic.

They care about their customers’ success on a genuine level, understand the nuances of each client’s goals, and know how to translate that into meaningful results while taking into consideration how the initial delivery, implementation, or rollout of the solution can make or break a relationship.

They’re also good communicators who thrive on teamwork, and they have the analytical skills to back up their insights. In short, they’re invested in creating value for clients and understand the importance of aligning client outcomes with business goals.

Persistence and discipline are also essential traits, as they allow a CSM to maintain focus on long-term outcomes while navigating day-to-day challenges.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out as a Customer Success Manager?

Be present, ask good questions, and show up prepared to solve problems—this is where lasting trust is built. Don’t underestimate the power of follow-through; it’s the small, consistent actions that lead to big results over time.

While you’re doing the fundamentals really well, get to know your customers’ business as well as your own, and understand how the solution you are delivering, and how you are delivering it impacts their success from day one.

It’s not just about knowing the product—it’s about truly understanding what success looks like from the client’s perspective. Be data-driven in your approach, understand the broader goals of your clients, and remember that each interaction can strengthen your partnership if you approach it with discipline and intent.

Focus on the fundamentals.

Can you take us on a journey describing what your workday looks like?

I start each day by diving into customer health data, which helps me prioritize where I need to focus my attention. My day includes both client calls and internal collaboration, often with product and sales teams, to ensure alignment on our clients’ evolving needs.

A key part of my role is finding that sweet spot between achieving commercial targets and fostering genuine customer relationships. I wrap up by setting goals for the next day, making sure each action is tied back to driving measurable success.

What makes you feel inspired or motivated?

Helping clients achieve their objectives and seeing the tangible impact of my work is incredibly rewarding—it’s the reason I do what I do.

Whether it’s guiding the client to realize the full value of a solution through strategic onboarding or solving complex challenges during implementation, the satisfaction of contributing to their success motivates me every day.

Beyond that, I’m genuinely passionate about learning. The world is evolving rapidly, with new tools, methodologies, and insights emerging all the time, and staying up to date with these advancements keeps me inspired and ready to bring fresh, innovative approaches to my clients.

What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?

From as long as I can remember, even as a child, I was fascinated with cinema, and my dream was to be a Hollywood movie director! This is why when my wife recommended the name Nolan when our son was born, I immediately said yes because it reminded me of my favorite director, Christopher Nolan!

Going back to reality, people are usually surprised by my technical background—it’s not something you often see in our field. But it’s been a huge asset, especially when working with complex products and technical teams. This background helps me bridge the gap between product capabilities and customer needs, allowing me to better communicate value and solve challenges.

Who do you look up to the most?

I have always looked up to people who maintain their values and their integrity regardless of the situation they find themselves in or the difficult hand that they have been dealt.

From a professional perspective, I also have a lot of respect for leaders who are genuinely customer-focused and prioritize long-term client relationships over short-term wins.

I also look up to individuals in the customer success and service community who are actively helping to shape and elevate the field.

What are your top 3 priorities now?

These are my top 3 priorities:

Building strong connections in the Customer Success and Professional Services communities across the Middle East and beyond.
Helping businesses proactively leverage technology, data, and planning when delivering value to clients.
Continually enhancing my skills and knowledge to stay at the forefront of industry trends.

What advice would you give to Customer Success Managers to grow and develop their careers?

Be disciplined and curious.

Don’t just know your product, understand your client’s broader goals and find ways to make an impact there.

Invest in learning, seek mentors, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

Delivery value and success to clients is all about understanding the big picture, so the more you know about your clients’ industry, pain points, and strategic goals, the better positioned you’ll be to deliver value.

And remember, success in this field comes from a balance of persistence, insight, and empathy.

What’s your favorite book, and why?

My go-to is “Measure What Matters” by John Doerr.

It’s all about setting measurable goals and understanding how those goals drive impact. It’s given me a lot of insight into how to better align with clients and ensure that the results we’re aiming for are actually delivering value.

I would also recommend “The Trusted Advisor” by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford.

The book dives into how to establish trust and credibility, which is essential when guiding clients through complex solutions or helping them achieve their goals.

» Check out the 10 Books a CSM should read to advance and improve their skills.

Have you had your “I’ve made it” moment yet?

To be honest, I see my career as a journey with no single “made it” moment. I’ve been fortunate to have experienced rewarding milestones along the way, but I’m always looking ahead to new goals and challenges.

Each success with a client feels like a step forward, and I think that mindset of continuous improvement is what makes me love what I do on a daily basis.

What should I have asked you but didn’t?

A good question would have been, “How are client-facing roles evolving?”.

We’re seeing a shift towards data-driven and proactive engagement, adoption, and delivery, with AI and predictive analytics enabling us to anticipate and address client needs earlier in the lifecycle.

This trend is not necessarily leading to more pressure if you’re in a client-facing role, rather, it is helping all of us in delivering enhanced, client-focused outcomes, aligned with their current and future needs.

Where can people go to find out more about you?

The best place to connect is on LinkedIn, where I’m always open to conversations about Customer Success and sharing insights. I’d love to connect with others in the industry and collaborate on ideas that can help shape the future of CS in the Middle East and beyond.