Brett Andersen

🚨 Hot take: 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝙞𝙨 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. Yeah, I said it. We’ve all been told CS ≠ Support. That support is “low-value” and CS is “strategic.” But if you think about it deeply… support 𝘪𝘴 success. Support helps customers hit outcomes every single day. Not the big financial goals, sure. But the micro wins that actually keep customers moving. Without support, there is no success. Period. Some of my biggest insights into customer journeys came from support tickets. That’s where you see the landmines. That’s where you learn what really blocks adoption. The sad truth? Most CS leaders ignore this goldmine. They dismiss support as “transactional.” Meanwhile, the smartest CEOs in the world still take support calls. 👉 Want to build real customer empathy? Volunteer to support one day a month. You’ll walk away knowing your product and your customers better than any dashboard can show you. So let’s stop vilifying support. It’s not beneath you. It’s the foundation of Customer Success. Do you agree or do you think CS should stay “strategic”? #customersuccess #csm  

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📅 Today at 1pm EST: Solving the CSM Conundrum with AI Customer Success Managers are being stretched thin, expected to do everything from onboarding to renewals to product feedback and escalations. All while somehow maintaining a personalized experience at scale. Most teams haven’t redefined what the CSM should be in a world powered by AI. That’s what we’re unpacking today. Join CX executive and former Chief Customer Officer at Sumo Logic, Dione Hedgpeth, alongside Alphonso H. Calanoc and Jonathan M K. from Momentum.io as they dig into: • What’s burning out CSMs and how AI can remove the load • Why the best CS orgs are moving away from the “Jack of all trades” model • How companies like Sound Agriculture and 1Password are using AI to track risk and surface key insights in real time • What skill sets and team structures are needed for modern CS If you lead a CS or GTM team and want to scale without adding headcount, don’t miss this one. We go live at 1pm EST. Registration link in comments.

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🚨 The Hard Truth About Customer Success (aka as what I learned from looking in the mirror this past week) Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most Customer Success Managers today aren’t really "doing" Customer Success. They’re often running renewals. They’re starting to chase expansions. They’re still solving tickets/customer issues. That’s Account Management in disguise, versus a healthy blend of the two disciplines (CSM+AM). And now comes the bigger challenge: AI is coming for those motions. 🩺 Health scores to help predict renewals? Automated. 📬 “How are things going?” emails to source for risk and growth opportunities? Automated. 📈 Data gathering and reporting to determine how well we're engaging and solving problems? Automated. If your CSM team is built around defensive renewals and low-value tasks, the future is clear: AI will do it faster, cheaper, and better. And as I looked in the mirror, I had to wonder: ⁉️ Is this what I've asked my CSM team to do this year? ⚡ So what should great CS leaders do next (aka get real with yourself, David)? To thrive in the AI era, Customer Success has to evolve: 1️⃣ Redesign roles around outcomes, not tasks. Make your CSMs strategic advisors who link product use to business value. Have I teed up our CSMs to speak to the core business impact of our product and solutions? 2️⃣ Build change management muscle. Train teams to drive adoption across complex organizations, not just manage accounts. Our customers need to think differently to make the most of our unique insights, and our teams need tools, playbooks, and space to help enable and drive that change. 3️⃣ Automate the “busy work.” Embrace AI to handle reporting, nudges, and playbook triggers so your people can focus where machines can’t. We've started that process, and now is the time to double down. 4️⃣ Elevate your metrics. Track ROI delivered, time-to-value, and advocacy, not just NPS or renewal risk. Again, we've started this process but need to ensure it gets priority against all the other competing pressures that pull on our amazing CSMs time. 5️⃣ Develop future-ready skills. Upskill your team in storytelling, financial fluency, and consultative leadership. These are the differentiators AI can’t replace. 🏁 The challenge for all of us. Stop rebranding Account Management as Customer Success, and vice versa. I'm more convinced than ever these two disciplines converge (QUICKLY) when it's the right fit for your GTM. It's the journey we are on at DISQO. And when your GTM doesn't call for it, stop pretending. Start building teams that engineer outcomes into the customer journey. Because here’s the reality: AI won’t kill Customer Success. Complacency will. #CustomerSuccess #Leadership #AI #FutureOfWork #CreateTheFuture #GrowthMindset #DigitalTransformation #CustomerExperience #Innovation #BusinessOutcomes

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The Hard Truth About Customer Success 💥💰 Most Customer Success teams are leaving money on the table. For their companies, for themselves, and even for their customers. And it’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they’re still playing defense, taking on the role of the corporate "goalie". Too many CS team are stuck in relationship mode. Putting out fires. Sending recaps. Checking boxes. All while someone else defines the growth strategy. Here’s the reality 👇 🚫 CS is not the department that keeps customers happy. 💰 CS is the department and drives the organizational mindset that drives revenue impact from existing customers. 🚀 Which of course means CS is an essential new component of the companies' growth engine. But that only happens when leaders make bold moves. 💥 Here are the 5 bold moves I encourage every CS leader to consider (as I shared at the amazing #CS100 event) 1️⃣ Be the Voice of the Customer 🎙️ Don’t wait to be asked, be heard. Tell everyone the good and bad truths about how we are (or are not) helping our customers win. You are the closest connection between your company and the people it serves. 2️⃣ Know Your Revenue Math 📊 Customer Success without financial fluency is just a component of OpEx. Know your NRR, GRR, and expansion cold. Understand where you fit in the company's P&L statement, and how new account growth (and CAC) compares to existing client growth. 3️⃣ Push Product, Don’t Just Partner ⚙️ Partnership is good, but impact requires pressure. Push Product with purpose. Bring insights about how product can impact TAM/SAM/SOM and measurable growth, versus feature requests that impact experience only. 4️⃣ Lead Sideways & Up 🤝 Leadership isn’t vertical, it's in every direction. Build influence across peers and executives by knowing their KPIs, not just yours. Align your work to what drives the business forward and help others accomplish their KPIs too. Great CS leaders don’t wait for alignment, they create it. 5️⃣ Share the Wins 🏆 Don’t keep success quiet. Shine a light on your team, your customers, and your company. Tell the stories that inspire belief and show impact. Because when people see the wins, they believe in the mission. At DISQO, we’re not waiting for permission. We’re building CS as a revenue force, one that partners across Product, Sales, and Marketing to deliver measurable impact customers feel and the business can see. And here’s the truth 💡 You don’t need permission to lead this way. You just need courage. 🔥 Your Challenge This Week 💥 Which Bold Move will you double down on? 💥 Where can you stop playing defense and start driving growth? Stop waiting for your seat at the table. Build one. 💪 #Leadership #CustomerSuccess #BoldMoves #Revenue #Growth #CreateTheFuture #DISQO

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Compensation structure may be the most powerful tool for motivating, retaining and growing your sales team. How can you be sure you’re getting it right? Jose Fernandez, co-founder of Easy Comp, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to unpack how comp plans can shape seller behavior, drive productivity, and align with company goals. From MongoDB to Google, he shares real-world examples of what works, what breaks, and how to build comp plans that actually motivate. Great conversation for both leaders and sellers. Dig in! 🎧https://hubs.li/Q03NYCsw0

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A significant amount of companies are moving from a CSM model to an AM model right now. I've spoken with countless leaders (including one just yesterday) who are making the shift from a CSM model—where CSMs are focused on retention and customer health—to an AM model—where they’re now holding quota and responsible for renewal, cross-sell, and up-sell. 👉 Why the shift? Overhead costs. Servicing lower-spend accounts with multiple people (CSM + AE + SE + Support) creates very thin margins. The cost to serve just isn’t sustainable anymore. If you're considering making this shift, here’s what you need to keep in mind: 1. Changes Are Inevitable Change management is going to be real. You’ll need to have frank conversations about which CSMs have the ability—and desire—to move into a quota-carrying role. Some will rise to the challenge; others won’t. If they can’t (or won’t) adapt, you’ll have to make tough decisions—whether that’s finding them a new role internally or helping them transition out of the company. 2. It Doesn’t Have to Be All or Nothing Not all accounts are created equal. For high-value enterprise accounts, it may still make sense to have non-quota-carrying CSMs who focus on driving value and customer health. In these cases, keep your CSMs focused on strategic value while leaving the commercials to your AE team. This hybrid model can protect key accounts while making your broader customer coverage model more cost-efficient. 3. Compensation Will Need to Change If you’re moving CSMs into an AM role, the comp plan needs to reflect that. You may need to shift from team goals to individual targets. Accelerators and decelerators will matter more. You’ll quickly find out who’s motivated by the opportunity to make more money based on their individual performance—and who isn’t. Your top performers will likely welcome the change because they’ll see the path to higher earnings. 4. Territories Will Become a Big(er) Deal When CSMs weren’t carrying quota, territories mattered less. That’s about to change. If compensation is directly tied to performance, territories will be heavily scrutinized. You’ll need a tight process for territory planning and assignment. Be prepared to handle pushback if someone feels like they’ve been given an “unfair” patch. Your Rev Ops team will play a critical role here—make sure they’re ready to handle the increased complexity. 5. It Won’t Be Easy (But It’s Probably the Right Move) This shift is rarely smooth—but it’s often the right financial decision. Having too many people servicing low-spend accounts just isn’t sustainable. The companies that get this right will create a more scalable, cost-effective GTM model. So plan carefully, communicate clearly, and talk to others who’ve done it before. 👉 Shifting from CSM to AM isn’t just about driving more revenue—it’s about building a more efficient and scalable customer coverage model.

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The onboarding gap is real. This is HOW you solve it 👇 According to sales enablement leaders: Your first 90 days shape your next 1-2 years. Here's what great onboarding actually needs: 1️⃣ Clear Vision Statement Garrett Rafols, LinkedIn "Your vision statement helps guide all decisions moving forward." What works: → Short, targeted outcomes → Measurable milestones → Focus on employee experience 2️⃣ Role Understanding Molly Sestak, Sedna "I always start by understanding their journey. If you don't understand what you want people to do by the end, there's no way to measure." Key steps: → Shadow existing top performers → Map competency requirements → Set clear weekly benchmarks → Capture institutional knowledge 3️⃣ Smart Structure Carly Lehner, Salesforce: "The flipped classroom model works incredibly well with sales. Digest first, then discuss with peers." What to include: → Pre-work materials → Live discussion sessions → Practice opportunities → Real customer interactions 4️⃣ Continuous Evolution Garrett Rafols, LinkedIn: "We get feedback through quarterly sessions with recent graduates. What seemed perfect day 1 looks different in the field." Must-haves: → 30/60/90 day structured check-ins → Weekly manager coaching sessions → Monthly skill certifications → Regular performance reviews → Documented "win journals" → Clear advancement paths → Ongoing peer mentoring 📌 REMEMBER: "Onboarding isn't 'one and done' - it needs to be constantly reinforced." - Ariel Hitron, Second Nature Credit: Sales Enablement Collective

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Some Sales Compensation teams drive strategy. Others just drive payroll 📊 Our recent State of Sales Compensation 2025 survey found that where your team reports determines how much influence it really has. Finance and HR-led teams often get boxed into compliance work, while RevOps and Sales-led teams sit closer to revenue but still struggle to be seen as strategic. If Sales Comp wants to shape strategy, it needs a seat at the table — not just a row on the payroll. 👉 Download The State of Sales Compensation 2025 to see where your team stands: https://lnkd.in/gxE7ZbfX #SalesCompensation #RevOps #RevenueOperations #SalesLeadership #CompensationStrategy #StateOfSalesComp2025 #Everstage

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5 mistakes every CSM makes (and how to fix them before it’s too late) Being a CSM means being: → part coach → part strategist → part therapist. But even the best CSMs fall into the same traps. I see them every day. Here are 5 common mistakes, and exactly how to fix them: 1️⃣ Talking too much, listening too little You’re doing 80% of the talking, but missing 100% of the insight. ✅ Fix: → Ask better questions → Aim for <50% talk time → Use Gong to track it 2️⃣ Assuming you already know You think they’re happy. You hope they’re seeing value. You don’t actually know. ✅ Fix: → Get into the data. → Build a weekly scorecard of key metrics → Share it early, not just during QBRs 3️⃣ Not documenting their goals You’ve talked about goals. But where are they written down? Nope. Do you have a baseline? Nope. ✅ Fix: → Use SMART goals → Create a living Success Plan 4️⃣ Avoiding tough conversations You don’t push back. You don’t want to ruffle feathers. But misalignment grows in silence. ✅ Fix: → Be respectfully direct. → Challenge with empathy. → Trusted advisors don’t sugarcoat 5️⃣ Hiding what’s really happening Adoption is low. Engagement is slipping. But your customer still thinks everything’s great. ✅ Fix: → Be transparent → Be the one to point out → Share the bad and the good Bottom line: These mistakes are common. But they’re also fixable. And when you fix them, your performance improves. Start making the shift today and become the CSM your customers actually rave about. 💬 Want to sharpen your Swiss Army knife and build the skills to succeed in the future? Join 15K CS professionals in Unconventional Growth [link in comments]. #CustomerSuccess #CSM #CustomerRetention #RevOps #CX

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💡 Great leaders don’t have all the answers—they ask the right questions. As companies scale, leaders must manage beyond their expertise. Braze CEO Bill Magnuson shared how he navigates leading sales, legal, and marketing—teams with wildly different mindsets and success metrics. Bill’s advice: Learn what makes each team’s job hard and and empathizing with their challenges. Leadership isn’t about micromanaging—it’s about understanding, empowering, and adapting. 🤝 🎙️ Watch the full interview with nextNYC's Charlie O'Donnell here: https://lnkd.in/g9ifMSUX #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingUp #CrossFunctionalLeadership #Braze #LeadershipGrowth

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Putting 🔆Brian Hansen🔆 in the Spotlight today! He's transforming CS teams into revenue powerhouses while building cultures where people thrive, and his insights on smart prioritization are helping teams focus on what really moves the needle. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗼𝗻? The biggest trend I'm watching is CS teams moving closer to revenue ownership. CSMs are now having direct conversations about contract value, expansion opportunities, and renewals. This can be uncomfortable territory for CSMs, but revenue is where real impact happens and it’s where influence lives within a company. This shift creates a coaching opportunity for leaders: developing business acumen, not only relationship-building skills. The CS teams who embrace this commercial mindset are becoming some of the most valuable players in their organizations. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀? Question the traditional playbooks. For example, just because the playbook says to do monthly customer check-ins doesn't mean that's what your customers actually want. The traditional approach was built around our limitations. We couldn't track customer behavior in real-time, so we defaulted to scheduled touchpoints. But now we have technology that can tell us when customers are struggling, expanding usage, or ready for strategic conversations. New CSMs should embrace this change. They can ask "Why?" and “Why not?” and can use tools that let them engage on the customer's terms. The future belongs to CSMs who can be flexible. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀? The foundation of strong CS culture is psychological safety. Leaders must create an environment where mistakes are learning opportunities, sharing bad news early is the norm, and people can be vulnerable about challenges. However, safety doesn't mean low standards. You must set high expectations for collaboration and hitting revenue targets. I also believe in leaning into people's strengths, where team members deliver better results using their best skills and combining them with technology to fill gaps. Additionally, keeping customer value at the center is key. When work gets difficult, we can come back to what is best for the customer. This naturally drives both accountability and collaboration in the right direction. (continued in comments!)

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Is your PTO policy impacting customer success? 76% of employees experience burnout at least occasionally (Gallup), and, when employees are burnt out, customer satisfaction drops by 30% (Statistica). All-in, according to the WHO, burnout costs businesses $322 billion annually At Vivun, rest isn't a perk. It's a principle. In addition to unlimited PTO, twice a year, our entire company shuts down for a week. No emails. No Slack. No exceptions. It's called Quiet Period. The result isn't lost productivity; it's the opposite: 🧠 More creativity 🎯 Better focus 📈 Improved performance According to Co-Founder and COO, Claire Bruce, culture isn't built in meetings. It's built in operational rhythms that allow employees to be people first. Read Claire's take on the origins of Quiet Period and how it fits into a smart talent strategy: https://lnkd.in/dhecE_Zq #Culture #WorkLifeBalance #StartupCulture #Leadership #RemoteWork

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How many customers can one CSM handle? It’s the question I’ve been asked for years. Leaders want to stay customer-centric—without losing efficiency. But maybe that’s the wrong question. The real issue isn’t headcount. It’s the manual work, admin, and context-switching that slow teams down. With AI, that’s changing. CSMs can now scale their impact in ways we haven’t seen before. So the better question is: How far can one CSM go when AI clears the path? I’ll share real examples—and what we see coming next—in a short, focused webinar. Link in the comments.

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What if the most powerful lever for growth is the one most teams ignore? We asked 1,400 sales, revenue, and operations leaders what their biggest cause for revenue leaks is.    The answer? Misalignment.  ➡️ Quotas and territories planned in silos, leaving reps set up to miss  ➡️ Comp plans that confuse, demotivate, or fail to drive performance  ➡️ Unclear handoffs between teams that slow momentum and blur ownership These aren't minor issues. They quietly stall performance and drain 6-15% of revenue. Top teams don’t just hire great sellers.  They build internal systems that align people and plans to maximize performance. Get an exclusive preview of our new report to see what the best teams are doing differently, and how to get more from the systems you already have. Read the report. Fix what’s holding you back.  https://lnkd.in/gMFxxBbs

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