In this month’s Employee Spotlight, we’re excited to highlight Carter Christley, Director of Customer Success at Proven Optics. From his early days as a finance and information systems student to becoming a key leader at Proven Optics, Carter’s journey is a testament to growth, dedication, and a passion for helping customers succeed.
A Unique Path into ITFM and Evolution at Proven Optics
Carter’s career in IT Financial Management (ITFM) began with a pivotal moment in university. “I originally studied finance, but when someone from the Information Systems department came in and talked about the gap between finance and IT, I knew that was the perfect path for me,” Carter recalls. He switched to a double major in Information Systems and Finance, setting him on a path that eventually led him to Proven Optics. Starting as an intern, Carter quickly gained a deep understanding of ITFM and ServiceNow, moving from a Solution Architect role to his current leadership position.
When Carter first joined Proven Optics, the team was small and tight-knit. “We had to wear multiple hats. Now, as the company grows, it’s been exciting to focus on my specific role and trust others to manage theirs,” he reflects. His technical background, including his time as a Solution Architect, has been invaluable in his role as Director of Customer Success. Having that technical foundation has been incredibly helpful in understanding challenges that customers face and allows him to translate those challenges into practical solutions.
Building Strong Customer Relationships
Carter advocates a proactive approach to customer success. “Our customers need to feel supported throughout their entire journey, not just at key milestones,” he emphasizes. For Carter, customer success is all about building strong, lasting relationships. One of the biggest hurdles for customers is organizational change management. Transitioning from a system like Excel to something like ServiceNow can be tough, despite being highly beneficial. Carter and his team focus not only on helping customers overcome these challenges but also on ensuring they realize the full value of the tools Proven Optics offers.
Looking Ahead: Empowering Customers Through Enablement
Carter is a strong proponent of customer enablement. “Post-delivery, it’s crucial to provide customers with the resources they need to succeed on their own,” he explains. To this end, he and his team are working on creating self-service resources like videos and documentation. By creating these self-service resources, Carter’s team is helping customers maximize the value of the software. This approach ensures that customers can independently solve problems and fully utilize their ITFM solutions.
Reflecting on Growth: The Team and Company Culture at Proven Optics
Looking back at his time with Proven Optics, Carter is especially proud of the team and the company’s evolution from a small group of people to a global team. He has played a key role in the company’s transformation from individual deployments to a standardized, packaged application model, which he sees as a major milestone for the company. Carter also speaks highly of the company culture, which he describes as supportive and growth-focused. “Everyone expects greatness, but there’s a real sense of support and collaboration,” he explains. This environment has been crucial to his own personal growth and success at Proven Optics, where employees are empowered to thrive and develop both professionally and personally.
Looking to the Future
As Proven Optics continues to grow, Carter’s vision for customer success remains focused on providing a proactive, supportive experience for clients. By empowering customers with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed on their own, Proven Optics is positioning itself for long-term success, both for the company and its clients. With his leadership, the company is poised to continue delivering innovative ITFM solutions, strengthening customer relationships, and achieving long-term success.
