Lukáš on What It Really Takes to Train Customers: Inside the Lead Training Specialist Role
The Customer Success department at Kentico connects everything it does to real customer needs. Lukáš has been part of the team for 10 years, and his background in teaching shapes how he works: identifying what customers need and turning that into training materials that are practical and easy to apply. In this interview, he talks about his role inside the department, what it's like to work directly with clients, and what he's learned about presenting over the years.
The daily life and work of a Lead Training Specialist.
How would you describe the role of Lead Training Specialist?
For me, the role of a Lead Training Specialist is mainly about connecting training content with real business needs. It’s not just about delivering materials, but first really understanding what skills people need when they work with Xperience by Kentico, and how we can help them succeed in their roles.
I usually focus on identifying which areas and topics we should cover. Then, together with the team, we look at how to turn that knowledge into training materials that actually make sense for our users.
When we design the materials, we try to keep them as practical as possible. It’s important that customers can try things out and not just listen or read, so they remember and can use it later in their projects.
A challenging part is that every project is different, so we always need to find the right balance, teaching the core principles but also making sure it’s flexible enough for different use cases. Another important part is measuring impact. It’s not enough to just track completion. We want to understand if people really change their behavior and use what they learned. That’s something we use to improve our programs.
And to be honest, this is also an area where we still see room for improvement. Our feedback collection is quite basic at the moment, so we are actively looking for better, more structured ways to gather and use those insights.
Your role sits inside the customer success department. How does that shape the way you work?
Being part of the Customer Education team within the Customer Success department really influences how I work, because we try to connect everything we do to actual customer needs. It’s always about what will really help them.
I work closely with different stakeholders, such as product managers, UX designers, developers, and other experts, to make sure our training is relevant and practical, not just theoretical.
A big part of my work is also collaborating with solution architects and customer success managers. They are in direct contact with clients, so they bring valuable insights about where customers struggle and what kind of support they need, and when. That really helps us decide what to create and how to prioritize it.
So overall, I’m always trying to keep a strong link between training and real use cases, so that what we create has clear value in practice.
You work closely with our clients. What does that relationship look like in practice?
I often join calls, see real projects, and hear actual questions and challenges directly from our clients. It helps me understand how they use our product in reality, not just how we expect them to use it. Sometimes I also support them directly, for example by answering questions or helping them understand specific topics, so I can act a bit like a guide through their learning process.
At the same time, I bring all of this experience back to the company. I share feedback with support, product managers, and UX designers. Because I’ve seen real implementations, I can give more practical input, especially when people are working on new features or improvements. So for me, it’s really a two-way relationship. I learn a lot from customers, and then I use that to improve both our training materials and, in some cases, the product itself.
What's the hardest part of making technical content genuinely useful for the people you're training?
I’d say the hardest part is that it really depends because our customers are quite different. They build different types of projects, in different industries, and each comes with its own challenges and ways of working. On top of that, the teams that use our materials have very different experience levels. Some people are very experienced in how Kentico solutions work and already know how to approach projects, while others are just starting and still learning the basics. So the biggest challenge is finding the right balance, what people really need to learn, and what we can assume they already know. It’s not always easy to get that level right so it works for both groups. When it comes to more technical topics, I usually collaborate with technical roles in the Customer Education team, like technical writers. My role is more about setting directions for training materials and making sure the materials actually work for different types of learners.
At the same time, one of things I really like is simplifying things. I like taking more complex, technical concepts and explaining them in a way that’s clear, especially for business stakeholders. In the end, they are the ones using the platform as well, so it’s important that they understand the value and can actually work with it.
From international education to public speaking to Kentico: the journey to become a training specialist.
You spent 13 years as a teacher before joining Kentico. What made you make the switch?
It’s a bit of a longer story, but in short, after 13 years in education, I got to a point where I felt I had explored most of what I could in that field. I was working at a really good school, where I had a lot of freedom to experiment with and try new approaches, which I really valued.
We were also part of an international network, so I had the chance to travel and see how education works in different countries. That was a great experience. But at the same time, it made me realize that I didn’t fully see my long-term future in traditional education anymore.
So, I started looking for a new challenge, for something where I could still use my strengths, but in a different environment.
What helped a lot was realizing how transferable those skills are.
Things like explaining complex topics in a simple, yet memorable way, adapting content to different audiences, or keeping people engaged, those are all very relevant in training, even in a business context.
You have a solid background not only at teaching but also in presenting. What advice would you give to people who want to step into public speaking?
My main advice would be: first, have something to say. And second, practice a lot. It sounds simple, but it’s important to focus on value. Don’t speak just to speak, make sure that what you are saying is clear and useful for your audience.
And then practice, practice, and practice. Public speaking is a skill you build over time. The more you do it, the more confident and natural you become.
I would also add one thing: don’t try to be perfect. Focus on being clear and authentic. People don’t expect perfection, but they do appreciate it when the speaker is understandable and genuine.
A decade of rock-solid teamwork.
How would you describe your team and what does a good collaboration actually look like from the inside?
I’m part of a larger Customer Education group with both training specialists and technical writers, and I led the training specialist's part. We have a nice mix of skills in the Customer education team. Some specialists are more focused on business topics and administration, while others bring strong technical expertise.
Even though we’re in different locations, we really work as one team. We’ve built a good collaboration style where we openly share ideas, challenge each other, and try to find the best possible solution together. We also make a point to stay aligned. We regularly talk about priorities, what we’re working on, and how everything connects, so the output is consistent across regions.
In my role, I often connect the dots and act as a bridge between R&D, technical teams, and our training specialists. So the information flows both ways, and we stay aligned with both product direction and customer needs. And what I really appreciate is team spirit. People genuinely help each other, no matter where they are. If something comes up, we support each other and move forward together. That trust and ownership is what makes the whole collaboration work so well.
This year you celebrated 10 years at Kentico. How would you describe this time period?
It’s been quite a journey, honestly. When I started 10 years ago, I didn’t really know what I was stepping into, and in some ways, that feeling hasn’t completely disappeared, because things keep evolving all the time. Over the years, a lot has changed. We’ve gone through three major shifts in our tech stack; the market has changed significantly, and now again we’re seeing a big transformation with AI. Even the company itself has evolved a lot. People changed, culture matured, the ways of how we work and what we work on are different now.For me, it’s been a really valuable experience. I’ve had the chance to grow together with the company, try different things, and learn continuously.
What I appreciate the most is the people I’ve worked with. They aren't just talented individuals; they are genuinely friendly and true team players. There was always someone willing to help, even when I was asking what felt like very basic or “silly” questions at the time. That kind of support made a big difference for me.
So overall, I would say it’s been a very dynamic and at the same time, very rewarding journey.
And I’m grateful to have been part of it.
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