The 2025 mostCreative Customer Success Leaders is Here!

Neelu at ZoomInfo addressed high churn in the emerging products division by creating an AI-powered Customer Success Program with advanced health scoring and churn prediction. The solution integrated customer sentiment from call recordings, multivariate churn predictors, and automated health scoring across four metrics: product usage, customer sentiment, support health, and engagement. This AI-driven approach freed up CSMs, improving productivity by 40%, boosted pipeline by generating 15% more CSQLs, and enhanced risk identification by 30%, transforming retention efforts and long-term customer relationships.

Sara Arecco at Antavo AI Loyalty Cloud enhanced customer sentiment by embracing an “action over perfection” approach within the Retention & Success Plans framework. By increasing feedback collection points and openly sharing the company’s commitment to improvement, Sara encouraged customers to offer insights that guided strategic decisions across teams. Initiatives like improved documentation, targeted mini-courses, and tools to showcase platform value led to a 23% increase in customer sentiment, a 70% rise in customer-authorized award submissions, and a 20% boost in published case studies year-over-year.

Kobi Alaluf at Playtika implemented a multi-phase Retention & Success Plan by adapting B2B customer success methodologies to a B2C environment. This approach included customer segmentation, reducing the CSM-to-customer ratio, and developing tools to enable CSMs to enhance customer relationships and achieve business KPIs. The program led to over 5% revenue growth and a rise in paying users, demonstrating how B2B strategies can effectively drive engagement and revenue growth in the B2C space.

Success Programs Himansu managed over 5,000 long-tail customers without dedicated CSMs through an AI-powered Customer Success Program. The challenge was scaling engagement while meeting customer needs. Using NPS feedback, [Nominee] developed an engagement model integrating SFDC and Sigma for insights, plus email campaigns, webinars, and gamified sessions. This approach resulted in a 30% response rate increase, 52% session participation, and an 84% renewal rate over three quarters.

Yamika Cherukupally launched the Adoption Acceleration Program to counter a declining trend in product adoption that risked impacting retention and renewals. The program included three key stages: tailored onboarding with early cadence meetings and data-driven interventions, personalized training, and engagement through gamification and incentives. These initiatives drove a 90% adoption rate across customers, a retention rate exceeding 95%, and a 25% increase in ARR expansion, ultimately boosting CSAT and strengthening customer loyalty.

Keishla Ceaser-Jones at EAB is working to change partner conversations by shifting the focus from product usage to value-driven KPIs. She led the development of a tailored ROI calculator for higher education campuses, integrating metrics to demonstrate break-even calculations and long-term returns positioning her solution as a revenue driver. The tool empowered Partner Success Mnagers with clear, data-driven insights to support impactful conversations that address partner questions about value and highlight the benefits of EAB’s solution measurably. This early initiative is showing a positive impact on retention and strengthening partner relationships by connecting the performance of the tool to KPIs that matter to the partner while equipping her team with tools to confidently deliver value-focused engagement.

Classification Mathew Cagney addressed the challenge of identifying precise churn causes by implementing a Retention & Success Plan with an enhanced classification toolset, validated by Customer Success agents. This approach enabled a 5% reduction in churn and allowed the team to streamline the product feature backlog, reducing unnecessary noise. With a clearer view of customer needs, Mathew’s strategy prioritized impactful initiatives that delivered substantial benefits, ensuring a more focused and customer-driven product roadmap.

Guy at LinearB developed a Retention & Success Program to address limited visibility into customer adoption and prioritize engagement effectively. By collaborating with the Data Team, he created dashboards in Tableau and integrated proactive alerts via Slack to identify risks and highlight power users early. This shift from a traditional churn score to Ideal Customer Behavior (ICB) metrics increased retention rates and enabled more accurate forecasting, transforming the team’s approach to customer health and engagement.

Dana at Customer Everything Solutions created the C.S.A.T. Growth Engine Tool to redefine Customer Success (CS) as a revenue-driving function in SaaS. Evaluating companies across 60 data points, the tool aligns CS efforts with strategic growth objectives. A recent implementation in a high-growth SaaS firm led to a 2X increase in revenue, a 3X rise in customer advocacy, and doubled CSQL opportunities within a month. The C.S.A.T. tool is transforming CS from a cost center into a powerful growth engine for SaaS.

David identified a need to reduce the time customers took to move from kickoff to deployment, which was delaying value realization. To streamline this process, David introduced a structured onboarding timeline displayed visually during kickoff calls, allowing clients to see their journey and next steps from the outset. This program empowered customers to engage earlier and stay on track, transforming kickoff calls into actionable planning sessions. The result was a faster deployment across accounts, significantly improving time-to-value and setting clear, shared expectations for a seamless onboarding experience.

To address renewal and compliance challenges, Betsy developed a strategic renewal and upgrade program offering tiered discounts for clients who upgrade at renewal, aligning with federal compliance standards. By engaging stakeholders across finance, customer success, and implementation, Betsy built broad support for the program, using proactive discussions to showcase its value. This approach led to a 100% renewal rate within the enterprise portfolio and achieved upgrades for 80% of clients, delivering value through compliance and enhanced platform functionality.

Rachel at Provan Success, LLC developed The Focus Formula Program to help Customer Success teams transition from reactive to strategic work. By dedicating just one hour daily, CS Leaders focused on quarterly initiatives, while CSMs analyzed customer data for insights. Using AI tools and a structured mindset approach, 90% of leaders who implemented the program completed major strategic projects—such as journey mapping and digital customer strategies—within three months, boosting team efficiency and improving customer health.

Ezra Zimbler launched a consultative Enablement & Academy Program using LinkedIn Talent Insights to deliver data-driven hiring and skill mapping solutions. Initially piloted with a major EMEA client, the program received 100% positive feedback and achieved 0% churn. By aligning Talent Acquisition with Learning & Development teams, Ezra’s initiative has helped bridge skill gaps, drive internal growth, and unlock interest from senior stakeholders across regions, demonstrating the strategic value of skill development in fostering customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Chenoa at Enter Health revolutionized their Onboarding & Implementation process, cutting onboarding time from 6 months to 6-8 weeks. She introduced project management tools for seamless collaboration, established cross-team agile processes, and set SMART goals tailored to client objectives. This structured, client-aligned approach reduced year-on-contract terminations by 14.3%, built stronger relationships across client teams, and enabled new second-order revenue opportunities as departing client executives invited Enter Health to bid with their new employers.

Mohit Lal at TruOps addressed customer uncertainty around adoption success by developing an Enablement & Academy Program focused on measurable, customer-centric engagement. Through personalized plans aligned to each account’s key objectives and timelines, and continuous adoption assessments, Mohit’s team tracked a "stickiness score" to identify and address low-engagement accounts. The program included customer certification to build confidence with the platform. This proactive approach led to a 40% increase in usage and over 25% revenue growth by aligning TruOps more closely with customer success.

To foster champions and mitigate revenue risk in Fortune 500 clients, Tara designed an immersive, week-long onsite engagement program, aligning key stakeholders during clients' annual strategy meetings. This program included executive strategy alignment, global readouts, end-user shadowing, and roadmap planning. The result was a 75% increase in stakeholder engagement, a 15% CSAT boost, and expansions in seat count, global deployment, and adoption in competitive business units, securing major renewal commitments.

In 2023, Parul looked around the room of a CS conference she was at, there were about 100 professionals, and maybe 3 of them were of South Asian descent in the room. It made her want to do more. So, Parul founded South Asian Success in 2024, a Community Development & Enablement Program to empower underrepresented South Asian professionals in Customer Success. Inspired by the need for more diversity, she created a space where members can meet as they want to through - chai chats, webinars, whatsapp and a blog for fresh voices. Within a year, the community grew to 150 members, has developed diverse content, and hosted workshops to support people looking to drive diversity and for job seekers in CS. This initiative has fostered connections and encouraged South Asian professionals to share their stories and insights in the industry.

Brandon’s AI-powered Customer Success Program at OnsiteIQ tackled the challenge of scattered customer data across teams, which hindered comprehensive insights for risk mitigation and growth. By building a health scoring algorithm through Planhat, his team enabled proactive customer support and precise expansion targeting, achieving: - NPS boost from 13 to 70 - Doubled CSM bandwidth from $2.5M to $5M - CSAT maintained at 10/10 over 12 months - 5x marketing engagement increase - 1% account churn over 12 months

Focused on boosting customer engagement across all segments at vCom Solutions, Kirsten launched a wholly digital user experience with interactive, on-demand micro business reviews. AI agents deliver program health reports with personalized recommendations and insights, answer account specific, real-time questions, and empower customers to dig deeper. The [shorter than five minutes] campaigns have reached previously disengaged contacts, increased inbound inquiries, expanded product adoption and facilitated new revenue opportunities. Since the February launch, this innovative initiative has increased engagement by 26% and earned widespread positive feedback.

Geoffrey at Core BTS transformed their Retention & Success Plans by creating collaborative Customer Success (CS) Plans. Each plan was co-authored with clients, combining both parties' perspectives on defining success. By making CS Plans part of the organization’s OKRs, Core BTS positioned itself as a partner in clients' value realization. This approach is forecasted to drive a 20% increase in Net Revenue Retention (NRR) based on customers committing to renew if Core BTS meets the goals outlined in these personalized CS Plans.

Addie Batson from CXAI faced the challenge of launching CXApp as a white-label solution for Fortune 100 clients like PepsiCo, Visa, and MetLife. Adoption wasn’t straightforward—these multinational brands required a scalable, brand-aligned strategy to engage employees across diverse regions and cultural contexts, all within a tight 100-day timeline. To solve this, Addie developed the Hybrid Launch Activation Package (HY-LAP), a tailored solution featuring custom-branded materials, interactive smart landing pages, in-app engagement tools, and regional scalability. The program ensured seamless adoption, with PepsiCo achieving 74% usage in the first month and HY-LAP becoming a repeatable playbook for global success.

Jenelle of LionHeartCS designed an Emotional Intelligence Bootcamp after a transformative personal journey in EQ. The 12-week program empowers professionals to boost self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills through practical application, proven methods, and guest speakers. Starting with 45% of participants at a low EQ level (3-5/10), the bootcamp saw 80% increase to 7-9/10. Additionally, 30% received promotions or career advancements, and 90% applied core concepts within four weeks, transforming both personal and professional lives.

Haig launched The CS Studio newsletter with a mission to educate and empower CS professionals at all levels, from senior leaders to those just starting out. Through this platform, he provides valuable content on customer success enablement, career growth, and industry insights. In just 10 months, The CS Studio has gained over 500 subscribers, making it a go-to resource for CS education and professional development.

Alexandra at PeopleForce developed a Retention & Success Program to drive expansion and price increases without overwhelming the high-touch CS team. She implemented a “15-Min Call” initiative, allowing Support to resolve technical issues quickly, freeing CS to focus on upsells and strategic calls. This approach resulted in $15,000 in Q3 net expansion, with expansion rates increasing by 10% monthly and CSAT reaching over 98% across four consecutive months, reflecting stronger customer satisfaction and openness to feedback.

Marcus Euzebio at Logicalis faced the challenge of scaling Customer Success support beyond large accounts while retaining a personalized approach. He implemented a hybrid tech-touch model that combined automated communication with proactive CSM interventions, effectively serving SMBs while nurturing mid-market accounts. Through personalized automation, strategic CSM involvement, and educational resources, Logicalis saw a 20% increase in renewals, a 35% conversion of SMBs to mid-market clients, and a 15% rise in CSAT, reducing churn by 10% and boosting lead generation by 25%.

To streamline complex enterprise onboarding projects, our post-sales team developed a comprehensive "Onboarding to Production" program in EverAfter, tailored to different customer use-case complexities. This structured program offers detailed task milestones, clear role assignments, and automated progress updates, and it integrates with Salesforce, providing real-time status updates on each project to enhance visibility for the company and management. A customer questionnaire was included to assess the use-case complexity, enabling the creation of a tailored onboarding timeline. A project delay mechanism was also implemented, allowing proactive identification of potential delays. The results were impactful, establishing smoother processes, enhancing internal communication, and reducing time to value by 50%, enabling faster customer deployment and production readiness.

Angela at Inscribe implemented a comprehensive Retention & Success Plan to combat unpredictable renewal amounts caused by market fluctuations. Key initiatives included: 1. Renewal minimums with flexible discounts to incentivize scaling. 2. Early Business Reviews with key stakeholders showcasing value and new opportunities. 3. Collaboration with RevOps to create a customer health dashboard for proactive engagement & collaboration with Marketing to streamline ROI in presentation decks. This strategic approach allowed Inscribe to reduce forecasted downsell and churn by over 50%, creating a more dependable CS revenue forecast and strengthening client retention and value.

Pankaj Bhardwaj at Saviynt recognized that their one-size-fits-all support model wasn’t keeping up with rapid growth, resulting in a fragmented customer experience. To address this, he implemented an AI-powered Customer Success Program with personalized offerings and proactive interventions. By segmenting standard and premium support tiers, Saviynt achieved a 25% increase in CSAT, a 10% boost in NPS, and a 15% rise in premium support revenue—all while scaling alongside 40%+ company growth.

Krystal led a pivotal shift in how her team segments and supports their customers at Credly, redefining customer segmentation beyond just revenue-based groups. Recognizing untapped growth potential, the team segmented accounts by organization size and growth opportunity. This strategic change ensured that high-potential customers received the attention and resources needed for a strong start and initial success. Other segments receive CSM-led support with scalable data-driven programs and plenty of self-service resources. The team was able to unlock expansion opportunities that boosted Net Revenue Retention (NRR) in high-growth accounts, maximizing Credly’s customer value and expansion potential.

Priscila Fletcher founded Latinos in Success, a Community Program focused on supporting Latinos in Customer Success and tech through personal and professional development. By offering mentorship, workshops, and fireside chats, the community empowers members to bring their full selves to their careers. With members spanning the Americas and EMEA, Latinos in Success has steadily grown, creating a strong sense of belonging. Feedback highlights increased confidence and connection among members, fostering shared growth and support across regions.

This year, our Go-to-Market strategy centered on Account Teaming—a collaborative approach that unites Account Executives, CSMs, Account Development Representatives, Solution Engineers, and Consultants within a defined territory. Each team member leverages their expertise to drive renewals, expansions, and adoption within accounts, with the Account Executive leading the charge. As a CSM, my role was to strengthen relationships by helping clients fully realize the value of our solutions, thereby securing renewals and driving expansion opportunities. The impact of this strategy was remarkable: we achieved a 100% Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) across all accounts.

Kristy Vincent at Britannica Education transformed the company’s approach from transactional account management to a relationship-driven Customer Success model. By analyzing historical customer data, setting measurable goals for CSMs, and fostering a structured feedback loop, Kristy designed a scalable program focused on aligning customer needs with strategic outcomes. The initiative delivered a 10% increase in ARR while intentionally offboarding unprofitable accounts. Strategic QBRs uncovered cross-sell opportunities, and improved communication reduced customer service tickets by 23%, showcasing the program’s success in driving value and efficiency.

Sara Arecco at Antavo Ltd enhanced customer sentiment by embracing an “action over perfection” approach within the Retention & Success Plans framework. By increasing feedback collection points and openly sharing the company’s commitment to improvement, Sara encouraged customers to offer insights that guided strategic decisions across teams. Initiatives like improved documentation, targeted mini-courses, and tools to showcase platform value led to a 23% increase in customer sentiment, a 70% rise in customer-authorized award submissions, and a 20% boost in published case studies year-over-year.

Boaz at Centrical transformed the AI-powered Customer Success Program by integrating ChatGPT into the QBR process, enabling CSMs to enhance presentations through dynamic role simulations. After a two-part workshop, CSMs could use GPTs tailored as either customer executives or seasoned CSMs to refine QBRs, anticipate questions, and align more closely with customer goals. Early results showed 90% of CSMs found the AI tools valuable for QBR preparation, resulting in improved engagement, more strategic discussions, and stronger alignment with customer needs.

Abhinav at Disprz faced a retention challenge with a major client utilizing only 20% of their licenses amid leadership changes and competitive pressures. He implemented a Retention & Success Plan that included discovery workshops, tailored solutions, and interactive demos to address the client’s needs and showcase product value. Building strong relationships and creating internal advocates were key to success. As a result, Abhinav expanded the client’s license usage to 80%, improved CSAT from 4 to 9, and increased ARR significantly, boosting overall retention by 4%.

By standardizing our onboarding procedures with EverAfter, we streamlined recurring tasks, reducing manual steps. Customers now mark task completion directly, allowing CSMs to monitor progress in real-time. Visibility rules ensure customers see only relevant information, while automated task updates in Salesforce provide full visibility to all account stakeholders. This optimized process has reduced deployment time, minimized the need for additional meetings, and decreased back-and-forth emails.

Seeing a need for a dedicated space for CS leaders to share insights and break free from internal echo chambers, Mike founded Customer Success Leaders London. Modeled on the success of CS Snack events, this community was created to connect CS leaders in tech across southeast England through in-person gatherings. Hosting events every two months at various member offices, the group has grown to nearly 80 members, fostering collaboration on topics such as value generation, CS funding, AI, and account enablement. With five successful events to date, this initiative is now expanding onto a dedicated platform, amplifying knowledge-sharing and industry collaboration.

Raman Bindra at Recruiterflow tackled CSAT scores and onboarding delays by revamping the Onboarding & Implementation Program with a customized playbook. By tailoring onboarding processes to both SMB and Enterprise customers, setting clear timelines, and offering proactive support, Raman’s approach led to a 45% increase in product adoption and a 30% boost in SMB retention. Additionally, CSAT hit an all-time high of 4.9 out of 5, underscoring the success of this personalized, strategic onboarding program.

Gloria launched The CX Men’s Club, a Customer Success community platform exclusively for men, addressing the lack of tailored support in the industry. This program includes personalized mentorship, mental health resources, and peer-led learning, fostering a strong support system for men’s growth in Customer Success. Since June, membership has grown to over 500 active users, LinkedIn posts reached 15,000 impressions, and the inaugural event attracted over 100 participants, demonstrating strong demand and engagement.

Dannah Vaughan, Founder of Rebels of SaaS Podcast and Platform, created and deployed an innovative value mechanism called the Value Roadshow to address low customer engagement. By proactively connecting key customers with other relevant stakeholders, the Value Roadshow facilitated a continuous feedback loop that resulted in impressive outcomes: - CSAT improvement of 7%, elevating customer satisfaction. - Reduction in support ticket volume by 25%, streamlining operations. - Quarter-over-quarter retention increase by 6%, strengthening customer relationships. This approach not only enhanced engagement but also bolstered long-term satisfaction and loyalty, showcasing the power of proactive customer success.

Recognizing the need for a more efficient and scalable customer success strategy, Irina utilized EverAfter to create a unified customer interface that redefined how AppsFlyer supports its diverse clientele. She developed a multilingual resource hub in four languages, consolidating onboarding materials, product updates, and educational content into a single, user-friendly platform. This approach was particularly effective in addressing the challenges of a 1-to-many customer success model, ensuring that every customer—from small startups to large enterprises—felt supported and had easy access to essential information. The results exceeded expectations. Centralizing resources not only streamlined access to critical information but also empowered customers to independently find the tools they needed at their convenience. This enhanced user experience led to a 30% increase in customer engagement, evidenced by a significant rise in portal usage over the past month. Irina’s strategic approach to utilizing EverAfter not only improved customer satisfaction but also set a new standard for customer success in multilingual and cross-regional environments. AppsFlyer’s success story demonstrates that the right tools and a customer-focused mindset can deliver outstanding results.

Michelle Fleishman a warrior in Customer Success has found her niche In the start up space. Where she is leveraged to overhaul customer engagement and adoption, addressing a previously low rate of success. Through a structured and innovative customer success strategy, she implemented tailored onboarding, proactive engagement, and data-driven insights to foster stronger customer relationships. Her efforts led to a remarkable transformation: customer satisfaction improved to 98%, NPS soared from +30 to +70, and retention climbed to an impressive 98%. Michelle's initiatives, including personalized onboarding, a resource hub, and gamification, empowered customers to maximize platform value, driving long-term loyalty and success.

I’m Arun from the CS Team at Omnify and a passionate volunteer in CS communities like CS SuperStars, Allin1Place, and CXxchange. I contribute to CS job board updates and host talk shows with CS leaders, sharing knowledge and fostering connections. For a global workshop with an enterprise client, I tackled the challenge of onboarding 2,000 non-tech-savvy employees and 50 trainers. Using a Custom Onboarding Program in two Go-Live phases, over 100 attendees were seamlessly checked in within 10 minutes. The results were remarkable: zero support tickets, zero delays, and zero customer effort. My recipe for CS Excellence: [Fast TTV] + [Low CES] + [Quick Preemptive Solutions]

Delia at Success Sphere Strategies developed a Retention & Success Plan to address low engagement and renewal rates caused by the company's product-focused approach. Delia’s framework guided CSMs to gather valuable customer feedback, assess customer sentiment, and apply insights to improve retention and satisfaction. Of the 14 feedback-driven meetings conducted, five customers renewed ahead of schedule, and four requested upsell opportunities. The framework fostered more open, positive customer relationships, supporting both retention and expansion goals.

Shruti Sharma tackled the critical issue of miscommunication during the Sales-to-Customer Success handoff, which caused delays, frustration, and slowed product adoption. To address this, she developed a structured onboarding playbook that ensured a seamless, customer-centric experience from post-sale to full adoption. The playbook streamlined the onboarding process by aligning Sales and Success teams, providing real-time installation support, customized training, and creative contract explanations using Vidyard videos. This approach reduced the average time to adoption from 45 days to 25-30 days, enabling customers to realize value sooner and fostering long-term success.

Stephanie Workman-Bolden at Discovery Education transformed customer adoption by aligning partner engagement with measurable goals. Through a partner segmentation effort, her team matched partners to tailored adoption journeys and equipped Partner Success Managers (PSMs) with resources and training to lead impactful, goal-focused conversations. This initiative boosted tool adoption, increased instructional time on K-12 campuses, and improved student outcomes. Additionally, collaboration across sales, success, and marketing created a unified approach, driving product expansion and reducing partner disengagement.

Pablo Kern at Spryker Systems GmbH developed an enhanced Customer Interface Program using EverAfter to streamline access to essential resources for customers navigating Spryker’s complex digital commerce solutions. By implementing a one-stop portal for documentation, QBRs, checklists, and more, Pablo’s team ensured customers received timely, tailored support at each stage of their journey. This approach cut time to value by 30% and doubled customer satisfaction, allowing the CS team to focus on strategic needs while saving time and enhancing efficiency on both sides.

Deepak Paripati at Nektar.ai tackled renewal challenges by building an AI-powered Customer Success Program that leveraged data from Gmail, Zoom, and Slack to analyze successful renewals. Using these insights, Deepak created a structured playbook in Salesforce, detailing essential meetings, key contacts, and engagement benchmarks for CSMs. This approach led to a 15% increase in Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) within six months, while also showcasing the power of Nektar.ai’s AI solution as an internal use case.

To address slow platform adoption in the US market, Anunay at MoEngage launched a Client Enablement & Education Program with weekly, customized product workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions. These workshops, designed to close gaps in understanding platform value and personalization for US client needs, bridged communication between the India-based engineering team and US-based clients. This targeted strategy resulted in a 3x adoption increase and a dollar churn reduction to 2%, solidifying MoEngage’s impact in a competitive market.

When user adoption lagged after Websure CRM's initial launches, with 50% of users reverting to manual processes, Dean identified the need for a proactive change management approach. Collaborating with a change management consultant, he introduced the ADKAR methodology early in the implementation process, providing targeted support and guidance for clients on managing staff transitions. This approach addressed user concerns, promoted the product’s benefits, and fostered enthusiasm for Websure. Following these initiatives, adoption rates improved dramatically, with the most recent launch seeing 90% user retention and a CSAT score of 4.8/5, signifying sustained engagement and satisfaction.

Ankit Aggarwal at MoEngage developed a high-impact Customer Upsell Program designed to generate Customer Success Qualified Leads (CSQLs) without adding strain on Customer Success Managers. By capturing upsell intent within the customer success platform, Ankit’s program led to 7 figure in upsells in just one quarter and boosted ARR by 20%. This efficient approach enabled MoEngage to drive significant growth and revenue, capitalizing on targeted upsell opportunities with minimal resource impact.

Lindsey at Isometric Technologies developed a Retention & Success Plan featuring a Maturity Matrix to assess each customer’s stage of readiness, complemented by a data-driven success plan with milestones set at 30, 60, 90 days, 6 months, and 1 year. This personalized, metrics-based approach has cut time to value (TTV) by nearly 50% and stabilized monthly active users (MAU), enabling customers to adopt features progressively while aligning success metrics to their growth path.

Adele applied the SPICED framework to improve customer retention at SafetyCulture, centering her approach on critical customer success metrics. By tailoring interactions and anticipating needs through SPICED insights, she strengthened client relationships and achieved impactful outcomes in safety and operational efficiency. Internally, Adele’s GTM team launched initiatives like a Retention Playbook, Customer Impact Brainstorming Sessions, and Quarterly Win Reviews, all focused on aligning GTM and CS efforts. These strategies collectively reduced churn by 15%, highlighting SafetyCulture’s commitment to proactive and lasting customer success.

Jaime at Ontic revamped the Onboarding & Implementation Program by introducing a Slack-based workflow to improve XFN leadership visibility (all the way up to the ELT) and expedite onboarding. This workflow allowed CSMs to provide consistent updates, flag challenges, and request support for timely interventions. For the Enterprise and Global segments, Jaime’s team selectively added Implementation and/or Project Managers Managers and phased deployment, bringing Time-To-First-Value (TTFV) down from 12 to 10-12 weeks for Global clients and from 10 to 8-10 while maintaining high CSAT scores above 75%. These adjustments increased client satisfaction and reference-ability across segments.

STATSports needed CSMs to access commercial and sport science knowledge seamlessly. Previously, essential information was scattered across various platforms, causing inefficiencies. The solution was a centralized Knowledge Base within Salesforce, consolidating nine knowledge sources into 35 key playbooks on all facets of Customer Success, from onboarding to renewals. This streamlined resource has enabled consistent client engagement and enhanced CSM expertise, creating a unified hub for accessing, sharing, and building essential knowledge.

Dmitry Harapko at airSlate tackled the challenge of equipping the CSM team with a unified, holistic view of customer usage data. Without centralized insights or alerts, the team lacked the tools to proactively address new ARR opportunities. To solve this, Dmitry led a program that integrated data from three separate products (with two more on the way) into a Data Warehouse and merged it with Salesforce data, making it available across the company via one unified ID, combining business and usage information. This initiative introduced a flexible schedule for alerts and predictions for when customer usage was nearing limits, along with detailed health scores pinpointing areas needing improvement, historical trends, and a variety of cross-product dashboards. Furthermore, the availability of unified data and signals made it possible to create a complete CSM ecosystem with actionable insights delivered via Slack on various occasions. The program transformed the post-sales process, generating $500k in new ARR for only 6 months since kick off with an additional $500k in the pipeline and reducing churn by 5% through more proactive and targeted QBRs, as well as equipped Digital CSM motion with tools to proactive onboarding.

Barak Milel at Kovrr addressed the challenge of users struggling to confidently present Kovrr’s cyber risk quantification capabilities in high-stakes settings. To overcome this, he launched the Enablement and Academy hub, featuring immersive simulations to prepare users for boardroom presentations. The program led to a 35% increase in user confidence, a 40% rise in platform logins during preparation, a 25% boost in customer satisfaction, and a 15% improvement in retention rates. By equipping users with practical skills and confidence, Barak ensured Kovrr’s platform became indispensable for cybersecurity resilience.

Joshua Vogel tackled the challenge of seasonal churn by designing a seamless renewal process for residential and commercial customers with fluctuating usage patterns. His strategy centered on offering off-season discounts, automating renewals with QuickBooks and Salesforce, and simplifying payment collection using DocuSign. This comprehensive approach led to a 44% reactivation of churned ARR, 98% retention, and streamlined auto-payment setup for all new customers. By combining incentives with powerful automation, Joshua stabilized revenue, reduced churn, and reactivated previously disengaged customers, turning a challenge into a growth opportunity.

Letitia identified a need for clearer insights into customer usage patterns, specific project types, and areas where additional support could drive the most impact. To address this, she implemented a Customer Insights Program that created tailored project briefs for each client. This structured approach allowed her team to capture detailed customer data, revealing usage patterns, key feature demands, and unmet needs. As a result, the program not only strengthened client relationships but also provided a roadmap for product development, ensuring updates were aligned with authentic customer priorities, fostering both engagement and growth.

Daniel at NovoPath addressed key challenges in capturing post-activation license additions and consolidating customer data. Using a customer event log and automation tools, he established a health model to trigger retention-focused playbooks and improve customer satisfaction. Daniel also created a framework for a learning management system to enhance self-service and product knowledge. This initiative increased ARR, reduced ticket volume, and improved time-to-activation (TTA), driving revenue growth, retention, and overall customer enablement.

Amber at Paradigm enhanced the Customer Dashboards & EBRs Program by implementing a structured EBR form that standardized questions, automated feedback collection, and eliminated manual CRM updates. This efficient process increased weekly EBRs from 15-20 to 92 in the first week post-launch, and 67 the following week, totaling over 150 EBRs within 3.5 weeks. This solution allows Paradigm to engage 50% of its customer base quarterly—up from 12%—while gathering valuable, consistent customer insights for business growth.

Julie Fox at Cin7 tackled the challenge of scaling upsell strategies for a customer base of over 8,000 with just one Account Manager. By implementing a creative, scaled approach—including group demos, in-app walkthroughs, automated welcome journeys, and trigger-based nurture campaigns—Julie transformed customer engagement. In the first week of launching group demos, over 100 customers attended, and the program achieved 198% of its goal within the first month. With these initiatives in place, Cin7 is on track to grow upsell revenue by over 20% in 2025, proving the power of strategic scaling.

Ashley used an AI-powered Customer Success Program to creatively increase cross-sell rates after acquiring a new company. Instead of relying on third-party solutions, Ashley’s team embedded AI-powered call recording and transcription directly within their asset management tool, sharing these recordings with targeted cross-sell customers. This personalized approach led to a 50% increase in high-quality cross-sell leads and a 12% rise in product adoption, showcasing the potential of leveraging AI tools to drive customer engagement and growth.

Facing limited visibility into customer data and product adoption, Jeremy implemented a targeted Customer Dashboards & QBRs program to transform how his team approached churn and growth. His strategy included cross-functional workshops and a new data export strategy, leveraging PowerBI for a unified reporting tool. By creating a prioritized roadmap of key metrics, Jeremy established a robust 12-month plan that provided visibility into customer adoption at an exceptional level. The program resulted in a 5-point increase in ARR retention, a 10-point boost in adoption, and a 7-point improvement in forecasting accuracy.

Shambhavi at Commvault tackled declining engagement and customer satisfaction by launching a Customer Success Program focused on proactive education, personalized support, and community engagement. Key initiatives included onboarding workshops, dedicated CSMs, and a knowledge base with self-help resources. This multi-layered approach led to a 25% increase in customer retention, a 40% rise in product adoption, a 30% reduction in support tickets, and an NPS jump from 45 to 65. The program also increased upsell revenue by 20%, driving both customer and business growth.

Stijn at Whale developed an AI-powered Customer Success Program that leveraged product metrics to drive expansion. By analyzing customer usage, engagement, and health scores, the team proactively identified upsell opportunities and potential churn risks. This program integrates closely with Sales and Product, facilitating a unified, expansion-led approach. As a result, Customer Success boosted its revenue contribution from 33% to 56%, surpassing Sales, while upsell and cross-sell opportunities within accounts grew by 47%, positioning CS as a primary revenue engine.

Ajoke at Eden Life transformed the Onboarding & Implementation program to address low first-month retention, which was impacted by unclear onboarding processes. Key changes included: 1. Enhanced product clarity and value communication, in collaboration with product and marketing teams. 2. Flexible onboarding options (calls or video tutorials) for a tailored experience. 3. Weekly check-ins and an ""Issue Resolution Tracker"" for faster support. These updates led to a 94% Gross Retention Rate, a 300% revenue boost, and 3X MRR growth, achieving 98% CSAT in the process.

Cristina tackled the challenge of last-minute, high-pressure QBRs by implementing a Customer Dashboards & QBRs Program with a collaborative, expert-driven approach. In this model, subject matter experts join CSMs to present specific insights, allowing CSMs to focus on customer engagement and value-oriented questions. By starting preparations three weeks in advance and assigning clear roles, CSMs reduced prep time by 60%. This structure increased customer engagement by 25%, raised upsell opportunities, and fostered a 25% increase in internal accountability.

Margo Barysheva at Stream Security recognized that new customers were struggling to use basic features due to the absence of an onboarding process. She built an Onboarding & Implementation Program from scratch, starting with a playbook that evolved into presentations and automated email resources. This structured approach allowed customers to reach full product adoption within two weeks. Though early, Margo’s onboarding initiative is set to reduce churn and create a smoother, more effective customer journey.

Angeline at Katalon transformed their Retention & Success Plans by upgrading a basic churn risk indicator to a data-driven Logistic Regression model. By analyzing historical product usage data, she identified and refined 19 potential metrics down to the six most impactful, focusing on what truly drives churn risk. This approach significantly enhanced forecasting accuracy, reducing surprise churn by 27% and saving 33% of at-risk revenue. Additionally, it improved renewal forecasting accuracy, enabling more precise resource allocation and empowering CSMs to intervene proactively, ensuring stronger customer outcomes.

Sangita Ray revitalized a high-potential but dissatisfied UiPath customer through a “High-Touch, White-Glove Customer Success Program.” By fostering a collaborative “co-innovation environment,” she empowered the customer to play an active role in shaping their success and becoming an enthusiastic partner. Through co-innovation sessions with product experts, insights from industry thought leaders, personalized technical support, customized solutioning, and alignment with executive leadership, Sangita transformed a strained relationship into a thriving partnership. This innovative shift from a traditional account management model to a collaborative, customer centric approach drove a 10X surge in product adoption, 250% growth in professional services investment, and a 18% ARR boost—eliminating churn risk and creating a strategic advocate for UiPath. The success of this white-glove program has since become a blueprint for high-touch engagements across UiPath’s most innovative and high-value customers.

Judith Platz at SupportLogic launched the innovative “How Low Can You Go 30-Day Challenge” to tackle the high costs and operational strain caused by frequent escalations. Customers were empowered to reduce negative sentiment in support interactions, leveraging SupportLogic's AI-powered insights to identify and resolve issues proactively. Through gamification and clear milestones, the challenge transformed sentiment management into a fun and impactful team effort. Top-performing participants achieved up to a 31% reduction in negative sentiment, with others seeing improvements of 24%, 23%, and more. This initiative not only improved customer satisfaction but also enhanced team efficiency and strengthened the overall customer journey.

Sumitra at Braze devised a Retention & Success Plan that decreased surprise churn through a multi-threaded customer relationship strategy. By mapping and targeting key stakeholders across customer organizations, Sumitra’s team strengthened partnerships and gained early visibility into potential risks. This proactive approach drove over a 12% year-over-year increase in Gross Renewal Rate (GRR) across a ~$20M book of business, even amid economic challenges. This strategy provides an easily-replicable framework for CSMs and CS leaders to secure deeper customer engagement and advocacy.

Natalie at IHG Hotels & Resorts implemented a GEO Footprint Operational Scaling Program to drive efficiency and scalability. Her strategy focused on expanding geographic diversity, adding new partners, and integrating digital solutions to reduce costs and operational risks. This approach also led to reduced risk exposure and enhanced IHG’s ability to scale efficiently and sustainably.