So we had another 2025 Customer Success experience the other day. A CS exec at a somewhat dated platform we used pushed us and pushed us to take a Zoom to do a “roadmap review”.
We finally did, and it turned out, the agenda was just Yet Another Upsell. They wanted us to buy a new module from them we don’t need and have zero use for. That they’ve already tried to sell us multiple times.
When we asked for the “roadmap review” … the “Customer Success” exec said “Oh just go see it on our webinar later this week.”
He didn’t even bother to do the roadmap review at all. Didn’t care the moment we weren’t going to buy more then and there.
So what happened?
At a basic level, this is what happens when Customer Success becomes part of the sales org. I see it time and time again and in fact, I just ask them when I have a crappy CS experience who they report to. It’s always the CRO.
And almost always at an org where growth in new customer count has slowed. And so the CRO’s top ideas are (1) raise prices and (2) monetize the base as aggressively as possible.
Having said all this, when growth slows the trade-offs here become acute: if you are growing say 15% a year and declining, and new customer count is say growing 10% a year … the CRO’s only hope may be to aggressive upsell the base.
Here’s my point to founders and executives though: at least be intentional here. The best Customer Success teams that are focused on success are often some of your best word of mouth warriors.
Back in the day, we were the first app on Salesforce AppExchange to cross 1,000 5 star reviews. How did we do it? Our customers loved our VP of Customer Success. When he asked them for a 5 star reviews … well, 1,000 of them delivered!
If your CS team is all about revenue, that isn’t going to happen. And you are going to lose a huge opportunity to mobilize your customers as champions.
Remember this: for most B2B companies, word-of-mouth is the #1 source of new customers and leads.
If Customer Success isn’t part of Team Word of Mouth anymore, that’s a big loss. At least understand the trade-offs here.
