Productivity

Every CSM dreads this moment: you're on a call, the customer asks about a feature, and you realize your product genuinely doesn't have what they need. This guide teaches you how to navigate these situations without losing your customer, your sanity, or your credibility, and often comes out with a stronger relationship than before.

Stop running meetings that customers endure. Start running meetings that they value. Master when to lead, when to ask, and when to push.

Your customers don’t always say what they mean—and that’s not a bad thing. This article breaks down common customer phrases and shows you what’s really being said (and how top CSMs respond).

Most Customer Success Managers want to be strategic, but spend their days reacting. Learn the subtle shifts that separate a tactical CSM from a truly strategic partner, and how one question can change your customer conversations (and your impact).

Are you struggling with technical questions as a CSM? This guide helps non-technical Customer Success Managers confidently navigate tech conversations with customers without pretending to be engineers. Learn practical frameworks, smart preparation tips, and how to turn your technical anxiety into a customer success superpower.

Struggling to communicate your actual value as a CSM? This article reveals 28 powerful frameworks that transform how customers perceive your impact. Beyond basic metrics and boring ROI calculations, these proven approaches make your contribution impossible to ignore, even to the most skeptical stakeholders.

Ever feel like customers don't hear what you actually say? In this guide, I'll reveal why your carefully crafted messages get misinterpreted and share three powerful techniques to fix it. No more confusion, no more frustration – just crystal-clear communication that builds trust and drives renewals.

Want to engage stakeholders beyond surface-level check-ins? This guide unveils 40+ impactful ways CSMs can drive real value, from uncovering hidden cost-saving opportunities to automating processes. Learn how to wow your clients, prevent risks, and become a strategic partner.

Drowning in back-to-back customer calls and endless Slack messages? What if you could turn those small gaps in your day into powerful moments of insight? Learn how the simple 5-15-30 method can help you spot issues early, uncover hidden opportunities, and become more strategic – without falling behind on your daily work.

You're doing everything right on paper - solid renewal rates, happy customers, thorough QBRs - and yet, that promotion still feels out of reach. Here's the truth that veteran CSMs rarely share: being great at your job is just the price of admission, and the real game happens behind the scenes, in the unwritten rules that actually drive CS careers forward.

Stop being blindsided by customer behavior. This practical guide shows you how to develop pattern recognition from a random skill into a reliable system. Transform your customer management from reactive to predictive.

Being a Customer Success Manager can be busy, but learning to think strategically can help you make a bigger impact. This guide shows how to shift your mindset, focus on long-term goals, and work better with your team to drive real value for your customers and your company.

Learn how to turn customer relationships into long-term partnerships that thrive beyond the honeymoon phase. Learn how to keep delivering value, communicate transparently, and make sure your customers never even think about looking elsewhere.

Master the mid-year with ten key tips for Customer Success Managers, focused on sustaining progress and hitting targets. This article provides clear guidance and introspective questions to prepare you for the challenges ahead.

Learn how AI became ubiquitous and discover practical ways to integrate it into your personal and professional life. This article covers AI's history and its essential components and provides a framework for creating your own custom GPT.

Learn about 10 phrases every Customer Success Manager should stop using to build stronger client relationships. This article highlights harmful phrases and offers effective alternatives. Improve your communication and foster trust with these tips.

Learn how to safeguard your customer relationships even if your primary contact leaves abruptly. Implementing a multi-threaded approach ensures multiple connections, strengthens communication, and reduces risks.

Discover how to thrive as a CSM without having all the answers. Learn practical strategies for acknowledging your limits, utilizing your co-workers, and creating a continuous learning plan to transform challenges into opportunities for growth.

Explore the transformative power of storytelling in customer success. Discover how narratives can elevate your business strategies and create deeper connections with your audience.

Is being a CSM all about being a "people person"? In the article, learn what CSMs truly need to do to be effective in their roles.

In the high-stakes journey of digital transformation, a daunting 70-95% of organizations face failure. Discover the pivotal role of CSMs in steering these transformative endeavors toward success.

Learn tips and tricks on mastering complex products as a Customer Success Manager while juggling client expectations.

Starting your first job as a CSM can be daunting but fear not! Dive into this article and uncover seasoned tips, fun templates, and effective strategies for making your initial customer outreach, onboarding, and churn management a remarkable success.

Moving into Customer Success Operations, how to handle a complex and ever-evolving product, and setting high-level KPIs. All your questions are answered in this installment of Dear Insider.

Discover the secrets to a successful customer success and product relationship! Find out how healthy organizations prioritize customers and how CS teams can communicate their needs effectively.

Learn what Rebecca has taken from a career in CS. With over a decade of experience, she lists her top takeaways and lessons learned.

Support & CS can deliver great customer experience by collaborating based on their shared skills and knowledge. This article explores 6 areas where they can work together.

Are you looking to make yourself indispensable as a customer success manager? Then you need to have these five skills! Learn what they are and how you can develop them.

Are you concerned about whether your customers like you? Stop worrying about being liked and instead focus on delivering value. Learn how to turn customer interactions into value-driven conversations that focus on your customer's needs and goals.

Chances are, you're not doing everything you can to prevent customer churn. In this blog post, we'll show you three non-obvious signs that your customers might be about to churn and what you can do about it. Read on to learn more.

A successful onboarding experience can make or break the success of a customer. Here's a slide-by-slide template for running high-touch onboarding calls.

Here is a question-asking framework to use during your initial customer calls to uncover their goals, success metrics, and other valuable information.

This article highlights four big myths that might be hurting your relationship as a Customer Success Manager with sales.

Learn the three steps you should take to manage your workload as a Customer Success Manager so you can do more with less time.

Finding a mentor, nailing your final presentation interview, and measuring the ROI of a CSM - all your questions are answered in this installment of Dear Insider.

Here’s a list of 15 ways you can impress your boss and stand out as a Customer Success Manager.

Discover ten ways you can manage up as a Customer Success Manager to impress your boss and bring out the best in your work.

Clean and robust documentation helps you and your team become more effective and consistent. Learn how to document like a pro.

Are CSMs just firefighters? Customers call us when shit hits the fan. When things go “boom” or when all hell breaks loose. But isn’t it more than that? Find out.

Learn how to make an impact as an individual contributor in Customer Success and grow your career, even without the title of "leader".

Imagine you're being onboarded but have little help learning your new product. We've all been there. Here's how to onboard yourself in this type of difficult situation.

Your first account as a new Customer Success Manager (CSM) may be a red account at risk of churning. Learn what to do in this type of situation.

Learn how to prepare for your customer kick-off calls and make a great first impression with this guide.

Learn how to properly set expectations so both you and your customers are on the same page.

Are you a new customer success manager? Sometimes learning the ropes can be a stressful and challenging experience. Learn how Brandon navigated this change.

As a new Customer Success Manager, not everyone will be your cup of tea. Learn how to manage difficult direct reports with this guide.

Every CSM needs to be prepared to have difficult conversations with their customers. Yet many don't know how to prepare. Here is a step-by-step guide to doing it right.

Making the jump from SMB to Enterprise accounts is a great way to advance your career. Learn the difference between managing these accounts.