Dear SaaStr: What “Quotas” Should My VP of Customer Success and VP of Product Have?
For a VP of Customer Success (VPCS), their “quota” or ownership should revolve around two key metrics: Net Revenue Retention (NRR) and Gross Retention Rate (GRR).
NRR is the North Star metric for customer success—it measures how much revenue you’re retaining and expanding from your existing customer base. Top-tier SaaS companies aim for 120%+ NRR, meaning they’re growing revenue from their existing customers by at least 20% annually through upsells and expansions. GRR, on the other hand, is the floor—it shows how much revenue you’re retaining before upsells. A strong GRR (80-90%) ensures your base is solid, and you’re not just masking churn with upsells.
The VPCS should also own time-to-value (TTV)—how quickly customers realize ROI from your product.
A shorter TTV means happier customers and faster expansion opportunities. And finally, they need to drive customer advocacy—turning your best customers into references and case studies. This isn’t just about NPS scores, it’s about creating “pound-the-table” advocates who will vouch for your product in the market.
For a VP of Product (VPP), their “quota” is generally less about direct revenue metrics and more about product adoption and stickiness.
They need to own metrics like DAU/MAU ratios, feature adoption rates, and churn reduction tied to product improvements. If customers aren’t using the product daily or adopting key features, you’ve got a problem. The VPP should also be responsible for delivering on the product roadmap—not just shipping features, but shipping the right features that drive retention and growth. A great VPP will also align closely with the VPCS to ensure the product is solving real customer pain points and reducing churn.
In short:
- VPCS Quotas: NRR, GRR, TTV, and customer advocacy.
- VPP Quotas: Product adoption, feature stickiness, churn reduction, and roadmap execution.
Both roles need to be single-threaded leaders, fully owning these outcomes. If they’re not hitting these metrics, it’s a clear signal something’s off. And just like with a VP of Marketing’s lead commit, these quotas create accountability and alignment across the team. Without them, you’re flying blind.
