What Customer Success Training Do I Need?
Training needs by role: senior decision makers, CS leaders and CSMs, built on Knowledge, Skills and Attitude (KSA).
The short version
TLDRDifferent roles need different Customer Success training. Senior decision makers, CS leaders and CSMs each need the right Knowledge, Skills and Attitude (KSA), then ongoing CPD.
First published 2022. Second edition 2026.
6 topics in 8 pages
- Why CS is about value, not only happy customers
- Knowledge, Skills and Attitude (KSA)
- Training for senior decision makers
- Four development areas for CS leaders
- Core and strategic training for CSMs
- Initial training plus ongoing CPD
5 ideas you can use this week
CS is about value, not just happiness
Customer Success Management helps customers get the most value as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
Build on KSA
Every role needs the right Knowledge, Skills and Attitude to do the job efficiently and effectively.
Leaders need four areas
Strategy and team structure, capability assessment and gap analysis, coaching and performance management, and measurement, reporting and scaling.
CSMs: core first, then strategic
Core covers onboarding, adoption and value realization. Strategic adds senior stakeholders, influence and links to business value.
Training is not one-off
Initial training plus continuing professional development keeps skills current as the role grows.
Questions
Related resources
Selecting the Right Training Strategy for Customer Success Management
Nine questions a CS leader should answer before buying or building training, from desired outcomes and gap analysis to ROI and implementation.
How Does CS Reduce Churn and Increase Renewals?
Churn and renewals explained with the leaky-bucket model, and how CSMs listen to customers to reduce churn. For startups deciding on a CS team.
Utilizing Customer Success Management to Expand Customer Revenue
How CSMs find value-aligned expansion through onboarding, adoption, trusted relationships and consultative questions. Upsell vs cross-sell.
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.