Customer Success Management: A Strategy for Weathering Economic Recession
How Customer Success Management can help a business survive or even thrive during a recession, with new and existing customers. Part one of the Customer Success Leadership Conversations series, first published in 2022 and revised in 2026.
The short version
TLDRRecessions raise risk, so new business gets harder to win and existing customers cancel, reduce or renegotiate. CS helps on both fronts: it lowers the buying risk for new customers and protects and grows existing ones by understanding the business, leveraging relationships and communicating value.
Second edition 2026.
7 topics in 22 pages
- What a recession is and why it matters
- New customers during a recession
- Existing customers during a recession
- The role of CSM with new customers
- Practical steps for leaders
- The role of CSM with existing customers
- Understand the business, leverage relationships, communicate value
5 ideas you can use this week
Expect new business to slow
Customers put new spending on hold when risk is high, unless the business case is immediate and hard to ignore.
Expect existing customers to cut back
Products seen as non-essential or non-core are likely to be cancelled, reduced or renegotiated.
Use CS to reduce buying risk
Customers want outcomes, and a credible CS service helps them trust that a purchase will deliver value.
Revisit the success plan
Customers may change priorities in a downturn, so the CSM reassesses goals, KPIs and budget limits and redesigns the plan.
Show the value with data
Correct and compelling data on outcomes achieved is the best way to keep customers buying.
Questions
Get certified on the Framework
The CCSMP certification (Certified CSM Professional) is built on the Practical CSM Framework: five levels in three packages, for individuals and teams.