How to Become a (More) Strategic Customer Success Manager

Customer Success is an ever-evolving field. New frameworks, new methodologies, and new buzzwords seem to emerge every year.

One topic that continues to come up in CS communities and thought leadership circles is this:

What should the Customer Success Manager role actually look like in the future?

While there’s no universal answer, leading reports like The State of Customer Success 2024 and The Customer Success Index 2023 point toward one clear trend:

The CSM role is becoming more commercial—and more strategic.

Since its early days in the 2000s, the CSM role has already undergone a major evolution. And based on where the industry is heading, we’re only at the beginning of the next shift.

But what does strategic really mean in the context of a CSM? And more importantly—how do you actually become a strategic CSM in practice?

Let’s break it down.

Why “Be More Strategic” Isn’t Enough

“Be strategic” is great advice in theory—but vague in practice. Most CSMs I meet aren’t struggling because of a lack of ambition or work ethic. They’re missing a clear framework that shows what strategic success looks like, and how to get there.

The good news? That framework exists.

And it’s the same one I use when coaching Customer Success teams across industries.

It’s built on three pillars:

1. Knowledge

2. Skills

3. Experience

   
   

Each of these pillars contains three key focus areas. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Knowledge

Being strategic starts with understanding. Not just of your product—but of your customer’s world.

Here are the three areas of knowledge every strategic CSM should build:

Industry Knowledge

To be a trusted advisor, you need to understand your customer’s industry.

That includes:

• Emerging trends and challenges

• Competitive landscape

• Regulatory shifts

• What your customer’s peers are doing

  
  

This insight doesn’t just build credibility. It helps you contextualize your recommendations in a way that resonates deeply with your stakeholders.

Customer Knowledge

Strategic CSMs are future-focused. That means understanding your customer’s long-term goals—not just the immediate issues at hand.

Ask yourself:

• What are they trying to accomplish in the next 12, 24, or 36 months?

• What’s standing in their way?

• How can your product help them get there—directly or indirectly?

  
  

When you understand their desired outcomes on a deep level, you become more than a vendor. You become essential to their success.

Product Knowledge

To deliver value, you need to know the capabilities—and limitations—of your solution.

This includes:

• Core functionality

• Roadmap awareness

• Competitive differentiators

• Use cases by segment or industry

  
  

A strategic CSM doesn’t just know what their product does—they know how and why it matters to each specific customer.

2. Skills

Knowledge alone won’t make you strategic. It’s how you apply it that counts.

Here are the three essential skills that set strategic CSMs apart:

Communication and Empathy

Your ability to build trust and influence outcomes starts with how you communicate. Strategic CSMs are:

• Clear and structured in their messaging

• Active, empathetic listeners

• Comfortable challenging customers when necessary

  
  

Empathy isn’t just a soft skill. It’s what enables you to understand what matters most—and speak to it directly.

Analytical Thinking

Data is one of your most powerful tools. Strategic CSMs know how to:

• Interpret product usage and adoption trends

• Identify red flags before they escalate

• Use data to support their recommendations

  
  

Being data-informed earns you credibility—and helps you move from reactive firefighting to proactive planning.

Prioritization

Strategic CSMs are ruthless with their time. They know that not every task carries equal weight.

A helpful mindset shift:

• Urgent tasks need immediate attention

• Important tasks drive long-term outcomes

  
  

Your job is to focus on the things that truly move the needle—while keeping the urgent from derailing your strategic work.

3. Experience

With knowledge and skills in place, experience is the final piece of the puzzle. It’s what turns theory into action and builds your confidence over time.

Here’s how strategic CSMs use their experience:

Diagnose

As you work with more customers, you’ll start to recognize patterns. You’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and what to watch for.

This allows you to:

• Spot challenges before they surface

• Apply lessons from one customer to another

• Make proactive, informed recommendations

Experience helps you move from responding to issues—to preventing them altogether.

Advocate and Protect

Sometimes, your customer may pursue a direction that’s misaligned or even risky.

As a strategic CSM, your role is to speak up. To advocate for their best interest—even if it means pushing back.

That might sound like:

• “Based on similar customers, here’s why we recommend a different approach.”

• “I understand the urgency, but here’s a risk you may not have considered.”

  
  

Strategic CSMs aren’t afraid to be honest. That honesty builds trust—and long-term loyalty.

Lead Proactively

Proactivity is the hallmark of a strategic CSM. It’s about taking ownership, setting the agenda, and leading your customers toward success.

This includes:

• Creating success plans

• Aligning on shared OKRs

• Segmenting your book of business and tailoring engagement accordingly

  
  

The best CSMs don’t wait to be asked. They lead the way.

Final Thoughts

Being a Customer Success Manager is an incredibly rewarding role—but also one of the most dynamic.

The nature of the job will look very different depending on where you are:

• In a startup? You’re likely wearing many hats: onboarding, support, renewals, even content or commercial activities.

• In a mature enterprise? Your role may be more specialized, with dedicated functions for onboarding, expansion, or renewals.

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Wherever you are on that spectrum, this framework can help you grow in your role—and bring more strategic value to your customers.

Because the future of CS belongs to the CSMs who aren’t just reacting to customer needs, but actively shaping them.