Webtrends Optimize appoints Samantha Bessant as Customer Success Director

Webtrends Optimize has appointed Samantha Bessant as Customer Success Director as the British conversion rate optimisation company expands its client operations.

Based at the company’s Surrey headquarters, Bessant will lead a team of five across account management, support and onboarding. She also joins the senior management team alongside Chief Executive Officer Matt Smith, IT Director Matt Goodchild, Marketing Director Ben Charlesworth and Product Director Sandeep Shah.

The appointment gives Webtrends Optimize a dedicated executive focused on client relationships and the internal processes behind customer delivery. The role is intended to strengthen client partnerships, increase the value customers get from its software products and create more scalable ways of working.

Founded in 2000, Webtrends Optimize sells software that helps businesses test and refine websites and digital journeys. Its tools include A/B testing, personalisation, social proof, product recommendations and onsite surveys, all aimed at improving user experience and increasing online conversion rates.

The business works with clients including Odeon, Halfords, Virgin Wines, AJ Bell, Community Fibre, Trussell and National Rail. It operates globally and describes itself as a British B Corp business.

Growth record

The hire follows what Webtrends Optimize described as its strongest year yet in 2025. Milestones included B Corp certification, a 41% increase in new accounts, 44 product updates and the launch of a new user interface.

The company also said it retained a 4.8 out of 5 score for A/B testing tools on G2, a software marketplace and review platform. Alongside its product and sales performance, it highlighted its status as an accredited Living Wage Employer, its membership of the SME Climate Hub and a commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Webtrends Optimize said it donates 2% of annual revenue to charitable causes and community initiatives. That broader social and environmental profile has become a more visible part of how software companies present themselves to customers, employees and investors.

Experience

Bessant joins after roles at Adimo, Poq and Artesian Solutions. Management pointed to that experience as a factor in the appointment as the business works to formalise customer success across onboarding, support and account management.

In software companies, customer success teams have become more central as subscription revenues depend on renewals, expansion and day-to-day product adoption. For suppliers serving retailers, travel groups, charities and other consumer-facing organisations, the quality of support and the speed at which clients can use testing tools often determine whether contracts grow over time.

Executive view

Chief Executive Officer Matt Smith linked the appointment to the company’s recent growth and next stage of development.

“Samantha’s appointment marks another exciting moment in Webtrends Optimize’s history. Samantha’s previous experience working at Adimo, Poq and Artesian Solutions means she brings a wealth of talent and ideas, which we know will grow our business further and build on our recent achievements,” said Smith.

Bessant said the company’s customer base and management plans influenced her decision to join.

“Joining Webtrends Optimize was an obvious choice for me. Their client base speaks volumes about the strength of the product and there was an incredibly clear synergy between my experience and the ambitions of the senior management team for customer success,” said Bessant.