594+ LinkedIn comments later, here’s the guide everyone wanted
Last week, I posted a simple graphic on LinkedIn comparing the traditional Customer Success model to the emerging Forward Deployed Engineer model.
I expected some discussion.
Instead, the post took off.
Hundreds of comments. Thousands of reactions. More than 26,000 impressions.
I think the reaction happened because the conversation isn’t really about a job title.
It’s about a much bigger question:
What does post-sales look like when customers increasingly expect outcomes, not just software?
The Forward Deployed Engineer is one of the most important roles emerging in AI-native companies today. In many cases, it’s replacing what used to be four separate functions: Solutions Engineering, Implementation, Technical Account Management, and senior Customer Success.
That’s a trend every CS leader should understand, whether you’re hiring for these roles or simply trying to understand where the profession is heading.
So I turned my research into a guide.
Inside you’ll find:
Where the FDE role came from
Who’s hiring and what they’re paying
The skills companies are looking for
How the role is changing Customer Success and post-sales
What CS leaders should be doing now to prepare
👇 Download the guide here
I’d love to hear what you think.
Is the Forward Deployed model the future of strategic post-sales, or just one path among many?
Hit reply and let me know.
– Andrea
Love how you turned this into a guide. IMO? FDE is one path among many. As I posted recently, the more important thing is knowing what *your* customers need and how they need it delivered. FDE makes sense for highly technical products, but it is not the universal solution nor the only path forward. Those that realize that and adapt their operating model to their customers will be the ones who win.