Since its inception in the 1990s, customer success (CS) has evolved from a reactive support function to a proactive growth engine. It has grown up in the SaaS era and the AI-assisted age. Now, it is at a pivotal point to drive AI-native company success. Yet many companies still struggle to fully harness the full potential of CS. Often, outdated approaches to talent acquisition, development, and progression within their CS teams weigh them down. That’s precisely why I co-wrote The Customer Success Talent Playbook, a new book designed to fundamentally change how organizations perceive and cultivate customer success.
For too long, customer success has been viewed as a role for individuals with excellent people skills or a background in traditional account management. While these traits are valuable, they represent only a fraction of what’s truly needed for strategic customer success in the modern era. This book shares strategies for all sides, CSMs to leaders, job seekers to hiring managers, to learn how to grow and thrive in this fast-moving function.
A playbook for modern customer success
The Customer Success Talent Playbook provides a comprehensive framework for CS transformation through standardization. It delves into critical areas, including:
Defining the modern recruiting process. The book outlines the specific competencies and skill sets required for success in various CS roles. This ranges from individual contributors to leadership positions.
Strategic titling and compensation. A well-crafted title is a set of expectations and an external signal to the market. Without them, individuals and companies can drown in mismatches and costs. This book outlines common pitfalls and how to easily overcome them.
Measuring and optimizing CS progression. This book guides leaders and individuals on how to plan for, hire, and grow through skill progression and competencies.
Building effectiveness through fit. Finding the right company or job is key to balancing employee retention and effectiveness. It not only reduces costs long term, but also drives results through fit as a framework.
Networking to grow and evolve. The best enabler of growth and leadership is whom you know and what help they give you. This book dives into the how, what, and who of networking and community for growth.
Developing a culture of continuous learning. The customer success landscape is constantly evolving. This book highlights the importance of ongoing training and development to ensure CS professionals are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills.
The value of investing in CS talent
The Customer Success Talent Playbook, now available on Amazon, is a call to action for businesses to rethink their investment in CS talent. It’s not just about filling a role. It’s about strategically building a team that will be the foundation of your customer strategy, driving long-term value and sustainable growth. By adopting the principles and practices, companies can truly transform their customer success teams. They will shift from unclear operational cost centers to well-defined profit drivers, ensuring their customers not only stay but thrive alongside them.