It’s quite the balancing act being a CS leader. Do more with less, align with revenue, keep your team engaged, and do it all while delivering outcomes that customers can feel.
We’ll be on hand next year to support your growth as a customer leader, whatever 2026 may bring. Until then, enjoy our year-end digest of the most-viewed, most-valued reads and video resources.
Build a better, bolder team.
READ: Five unconventional customer success interview questions.
Hiring high-impact CSMs starts with asking better questions. Try these five ways to reveal how candidates think, adapt, and build empathy under real pressure.
WATCH: The five habits that separate top CSMs from the rest.
The best CSMs don’t wait for momentum, says Ryan Johansen; they create it. See how top performers build discipline, structure, and smart prioritization.
READ: How to keep CSMs when you can’t make them leaders.
Promotion isn’t the only growth path in CS. Discover how to keep your top CSMs engaged, motivated, and invested when the title they want isn’t on the table.
WATCH: The four customer roles that measurably impact NRR.
The presence of four roles makes a meaningful and measurable impact on a company’s NRR, according to new research. See the data in full at ChurnZero
Brush up on your best practices.
READ: Nine proven tactics and strategies for proactive retention.
Customer retention should be engineered, not reactive. Use these nine proven tactics to predict risk, reinforce value, and scale growth more systematically.
READ: How to optimize your customer onboarding strategy.
Onboarding is your first impression and the foundation of future growth. Use this six-point checklist to accelerate time to value and retention.
WATCH: Make the mindset shift to effective CS leadership.
Eliminate reactive leadership and imposter syndrome to make measurable progress every day, with tips from CS coach and psychology expert Rachel Provan.
READ: The 5 customer success revenue metrics that matter
Metrics like NRR and GRR aren’t just dashboards, writes Marley Wagner; they’re your boardroom strategy and the key to efficiency and accountability.
Navigate change like a boss.
READ: The perfect 30-60-90 day plan for a new CS leader.
Your first 90 days as a leader set the tone for your tenure and your team’s trust. This plan breaks down how to listen, align, and deliver early wins that last.
READ: What CS leaders should know about joining the CRO org.
When CS rolls up to revenue, alignment is everything. Learn how to rebalance your commercial goals and customer centricity, and prove you’re a real growth driver.
READ: What CROs should know about managing CS teams.
This partnership only works when both sides speak the same language, writes Sarah Kiley. Learn how to set your CS team up as your growth engine.
WATCH: Building the autonomous future of customer growth.
See how ChurnZero’s chief customer and product officer Abby Hammer envisions AI reshaping customer success next year, and why it’s good news for the best CS teams.
