In a city that moves fast, staying competitive isn’t just about having great ideas—it’s about having real strategies that drive customer success.

Gone are the days when businesses could rely solely on great products or aggressive sales tactics to drive growth. Modern customers expect more than just a transaction; they seek a partnership that helps them succeed. Companies that invest in Customer Success (CS) don’t merely react to customer needs—they anticipate them. As a result, they reduce churn, foster loyalty, and generate organic growth.

During our Customer Success Snack in Copenhagen, a key theme emerged: growth isn’t just about acquiring customers. Retention, expansion, and delivering long-term value play an equally vital role. That’s the true power of Customer Success.

A huge thank you to our moderators, Arzu Acar, Ayesha Mushtaq, Julia Lopez, Benedicte Ravn Rahbek, Cille Pedersen, Harry Bandell, Milosh Dunjic, Julian Lindhorst and Thomas Vinther-Boldsen we’ve had an insightful session.

Here are the topics we covered in the Customer Success Snack event:

1. Efficiency & Prompt engineering (AI)
2. CS Enablement and Scaled CS in 2025
3. Upselling together with Sales & Marketing
4. Conflict Management and Feedback
5. Client Change management, Success Plans & tooling
6. Communities, Playbooks, Automation, and Customer Engagement
7. Value-based communication, Time to value & Stakeholder management
8. For leadership only: CS Processes and Metrics

Post-Sales

Selling a product is just the beginning—helping customers integrate it into their workflow is the real challenge. In a session moderated by Arzu Acar and Ayesha Mushtaq, we discussed the difference between a one-time purchase and long-term retention. Success hinges on well-designed post-sales journeys. Onboarding, training, and success planning shouldn’t be treated as mere checkboxes; instead, they should serve as critical drivers of customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue growth.

To elevate the post-sales experience, businesses must embrace AI-driven efficiency, scale CS efforts, and align upselling strategies with sales and marketing teams.

Efficiency & Prompt engineering (AI)

AI is transforming customer engagement. With prompt engineering, businesses can fine-tune AI chatbots and virtual assistants to provide accurate, real-time responses—reducing wait times and empowering CS teams to focus on strategic initiatives. AI-driven analytics also uncover customer behavior patterns, churn risks, and engagement opportunities. 

In addition, AI tools like Gong enhance customer understanding, proactively address challenges, improve team effectiveness, and drive data-backed, strategic CS decisions. Here’s an actionable tip. 

Leverage AI tools like Gong to proactively identify customer pain points before they escalate. Use AI-driven insights from call analysis to personalize interactions, coach CS teams, and make data-backed decisions that improve retention and efficiency.

It’s beneficial in doing the following:

✅ Understanding customers better – Captures and analyzes calls, helping CSMs respond with informed answers.

✅ Proactive issue resolution – Identifies problems before they escalate.

✅ Improving CS coaching – Enhances team training on customer interactions.

✅ Driving data-backed decisions – Uses AI insights for smarter strategies.

✅ Saving time – Automates support tasks, freeing up CS teams for high-impact work.

CS Enablement and Scaled CS in 2025

Scaling Customer Success requires a balance between efficiency and personalized engagement. Automation and AI-driven tools help reduce manual workloads, streamline reporting, and offer data-backed insights. However, CS teams must also maintain a structured approach, such as standardized QBRs and a comprehensive 360° customer view, to ensure consistency across diverse accounts.

Best Practices for Scaling CS:

• Automate repetitive tasks while prioritizing relationship-building.
• Co-create solutions with customers to maximize value.
• Maintain strategic in-person meetings despite automation.
• Streamline workflow management with the right CS tools.

We’ve gathered suggestions on tools, and here are helpful ones to explore:

• Dixa – Unified customer communication (email, chat, phone).
• Intercom – Chat, automation, and knowledge base for self-service.
• Totango – Customer health scoring.
• Pendo – User journey tracking and insights.
• Notion – Lifecycle tracking and documentation.
• Gong – AI-driven call analysis and coaching.
• Zendesk – Customer support management.
• HubSpot CRM – Automation for CS tasks (Beta CS tool in development).
• Confluence/Notion – Internal knowledge base for CS teams.

Upselling together with Sales & Marketing

The level of CS involvement in upsells depends on account size. In smaller accounts, CS often manages the full sales cycle, while larger accounts get dedicated Sales and Marketing support. Every interaction is a chance to expand customer value, making CS a key player in retention and growth.

When overcoming challenges in upselling, customers push back due to budget constraints, making value-based selling and ROI-driven storytelling essential. Proof-of-concept trials can ease adoption, while aligning with Marketing on webinars and events strengthens upsell conversations.

Scaling CS comes with hurdles like migrating legacy customers to updated pricing, managing large customer portfolios with limited CSM resources, and juggling both CS and account management roles. Even large corporations struggle to build optimal CS workflows, as the discipline is still evolving. The key challenge? Ensuring customers seamlessly adapt to organizational changes while maintaining strong relationships and delivering value.

Collaboration thrives when teams share goals, standardize communication, and co-create upsell strategies. A market-based approach ensures smooth execution too.

✅ Actionable Tip: Be intentional in wording. Say “POC” instead of “Trial”, and embrace selling as part of CS. Focus on customer pain points and ROI to drive seamless, customer-centric upsells. 

Conflict Management & Feedback

Conflict is inevitable in post-sales, whether with customers over pricing, product limitations, or usage issues or internally between Sales, CS, and Support teams. The key to resolution is staying objective—customers aren’t personal, it’s business. Instead of dwelling on issues, focus on resolving the immediate problem while proactively anticipating future challenges.

Internally, friction between teams can be minimized by clear communication, aligned goals, and structured collaboration. Most importantly, feedback loops must be established to ensure customer concerns reach the right teams, driving continuous improvement and better experiences for all.

Onboarding Specialists

Onboarding Specialists play a vital role in Customer Success (CS) by ensuring that new customers get value from the product as quickly as possible. A strong onboarding process directly impacts adoption, retention, and overall satisfaction.

Client Change Management & Tooling

Implementing new software or processes within an organization is never just a technical upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift that requires careful change management. For Customer Success (CS) teams, ensuring a smooth transition for clients means balancing structured guidance, clear communication, and the right tooling to support adoption. With Thomas Vinther and Cille Pedersen’s help in moderating the event, we’ve gained key learnings as follows:

1️⃣Onboarding = Change Management
Implementing a new software solution inherently brings change for the customer. This means onboarding is not just about training users but also managing their transition from old processes to new ones. Clear communication, expectation-setting, and structured guidance are essential to making this change smooth and effective.

2️⃣In-Person vs. Virtual Onboarding
There are advantages and challenges to both in-person and virtual onboarding. In-person sessions help build early trust and foster deeper relationships, but they are often resource-intensive and time-consuming. Virtual onboarding, on the other hand, offers efficiency and scalability but requires well-structured communication and planning to ensure customers receive the same level of support. Companies need to weigh these factors based on their resources and customer needs.

3️⃣Success Planning is Essential
A well-defined success plan during onboarding sets the foundation for long-term customer retention. Establishing milestones early ensures customers stay on track and achieve their desired outcomes. Identifying success metrics based on available data helps measure progress effectively. Additionally, segmenting customers based on their needs and adjusting touchpoints accordingly improves efficiency and personalization in the onboarding journey.

4️⃣Expectation Management is Key
Change can be challenging for customers, making clear and transparent communication essential. Setting expectations from the start prevents misunderstandings and ensures alignment. If in-person meetings are necessary, establishing clear boundaries for availability helps manage time effectively. Ongoing follow-ups and structured touchpoints throughout the onboarding phase reinforce long-term success and strengthen the customer relationship.

Also, we discussed about a Start-Stop-Continue model as follows:

✅Start	❌Stop	🔄Continue
1️⃣ Implement structured segmentation methods to ensure better goal planning and client engagement. Strengthen proactivity by continuously assessing client needs and aligning incentives between Sales and CS. Develop a tailored strategy for each client to maximize long-term success.	1️⃣Overlooking client value and joining meetings without a clear prurpose. Every interaction should be intentional and outcome-driven to enhance efficiency and impact. When meetings lack structure or a clear objective, they often become generic check-ins rather than productive conversations that drive real value.	🔄Attending meetings with a specific goal in mind ensures that each discussion is productive, value-driven, and aligned with both your client’s objectives and your company’s customer success strategy. Without a clear purpose, meetings can become routine check-ins that lack impact, ultimately leading to disengagement and inefficiency.

Also, it’s recommended to utilize the PDCA Model (Plan, Do, Check, Act) for effective change management. Leverage McKinsey’s 7S Framework to align strategy, structure, and processes for seamless client success.

Digital Customer Success

The White Glove Approach is the soul of the event topic, and what makes it fascinating is that it redefines what premium customer service means in a scalable way. With Benedicte Ravn Rahbek as the moderator, it was proven that It’s not just about providing top-tier service to high-value customers—it’s about strategic resource allocation and tailored customer experiences based on long-term potential rather than just current revenue.

Here’s what makes it compelling:

1️⃣CSMs as Connectors, Not Just Support Agents

Instead of handling everything themselves, CSMs in a White Glove model act as orchestrators. They bring in the right internal resources—whether that’s a technical expert, product manager, or executive sponsor—at the right time, ensuring customers feel valued without overwhelming the CSM.

2️⃣ Long-Term Value Over Immediate Revenue

A unique aspect of this approach is its forward-thinking strategy. Companies don’t just focus on large accounts today—they also nurture smaller accounts that have the potential to grow or be acquired by larger enterprises. This proactive mindset helps future-proof revenue streams.

3️⃣The Human-Digital Balance

It’s intriguing how this method blends high-touch, personalized service with digital efficiency. Customers don’t necessarily need (or want) constant human interaction—sometimes, a well-crafted self-service experience or a digital QBR provides more value. The key is letting the customer choose their level of interaction.

4️⃣Smart Segmentation Based on Retention & Growth

Instead of applying a one-size-fits-all model, the White Glove approach segments customers not just by revenue but by retention difficulty and growth potential. If a customer can easily switch to a competitor, it may not be worth extensive, high-touch efforts. However, if a mid-tier customer shows signs of future growth, they might deserve more attention than their current contract size suggests.

5️⃣Relationship Focused, But Not Just One-to-One

A big misconception in Customer Success is that the relationship exists only between the CSM and the customer. The White Glove approach shifts this mindset—it’s company-to-company value delivery. While strong individual relationships help, what really matters is that the customer sees ongoing value in the partnership beyond just one person.

Communities, Playbooks, Automation, and Customer Engagement

Milosh Dunjic, shared a Start-Stop-Continue model that is straightforward. During the event, it was discussed that to elevate customer success, companies must balance automation with human connection, ensuring both efficiency and personalized value. By refining tools, optimizing processes, and focusing on strategic engagement, teams can create a more seamless and impactful experience.

✅Start	❌Stop	🔄Continue
1️⃣ Smart Upselling – Align upsell opportunities with customer needs instead of pushing sales. 2️⃣Customer Journey Mapping – Implement MPS (Milestone Performance Score) and gather insights through surveys to track engagement effectively.	1️⃣ Reduce Manual Help Center Responses – Improve automation to handle repetitive queries and avoid incomplete responses. 2️⃣Move CSMs Away from Ticket Solving – CSMs should focus on strategic guidance rather than administrative support roles.	1️⃣ Industry Presence & Thought Leadership – Participate in webinars, trade fairs, and local events to strengthen brand authority. 2️⃣ Up-Skilling & Personalization – Ensure teams continue learning while maintaining a personal touch with customers.

Enterprise Customer Success

In the enterprise space, Customer Success (CS) is more than just support—it’s about maximizing customer value, reducing churn, and fostering long-term partnerships. Unlike SMBs, enterprise customers require tailored engagement, strategic insights, and proactive management to align with their complex needs.

Value-based communication, Time-to-value and Stakeholder management

 Companies that prioritize clear communication, proactive stakeholder management, and data-driven decision-making are more likely to drive long-term customer satisfaction and business growth. This discussion, moderated by Robin Sigl, and Thomas Vinther-Boldsen unpacked key strategies for ensuring that every customer interaction delivers measurable value, ultimately strengthening relationships and maximizing revenue potential.

✅ Start: Setting the Foundation for Long-Term Success	❌ Stop: Breaking Bad Habits That Undermine Customer Value	🔄 Continue: Refining Processes for Sustained Growth
1️⃣Better Stakeholder Management & Pre-Onboarding Alignment The success of any CS initiative starts with aligning expectations across internal teams and external stakeholders. Bringing Sales into pre-onboarding meetings ensures customers have a realistic understanding of what to expect. 2️⃣Asking the Right Questions to Understand Customer Needs Many CS teams operate reactively, assuming they know what customers need. Instead, adopting a consultative approach—asking the right questions and leveraging methodologies like Force Management—helps uncover real business challenges and tailor solutions accordingly. 3️⃣Leveraging AI & Data to Enhance Efficiency AI tools like automated note-takers and customer analytics dashboards streamline processes, enabling CSMs to focus on strategic engagement rather than administrative tasks. Data-driven insights allow for more personalized customer interactions/	1️⃣Wasting Time in Meetings Without a Clear Agenda Every customer meeting should have a defined purpose and expected outcome. Meetings that lack structure often lead to unproductive discussions and erode customer trust. 2️⃣Assuming Customer Needs Instead of Gathering Insights Customer expectations evolve, and failing to check in regularly can lead to misalignment. Using customer health scores, surveys, and AI-driven insights ensures CSMs operate based on real-time data rather than outdated assumptions. 3️⃣Overloading CS Teams with Administrative Tasks Customer Success should not be reduced to ticket solving or administrative work. Instead, CS professionals should focus on value-driven conversations, guiding customers through their journey. When CS professionals are overloaded with ticket resolution, data entry, and non-strategic work, they lose valuable time that should be spent driving customer engagement.	1️⃣Using Health Scores & Data to Drive Proactive Engagement Understanding customer health metrics allows CSMs to anticipate challenges before they escalate. A strong health scoring system enables proactive interventions, ensuring that customers receive support before they consider switching providers. 2️⃣Ensuring the Right Stakeholders Are Engaged Customer success is not about one-to-one relationships between CSMs and clients; it’s a company-to-company relationship. Ensuring the correct decision-makers are involved in meetings maximizes the value of discussions and ensures faster decision-making. 3️⃣Expanding Relationships & Aligning CS with Sales A well-integrated CS and Sales function ensures that customer expectations align with actual deliverables. Expanding internal collaboration and aligning on a shared value framework prevents silos and enhances the overall customer experience.

Managers, Directors & VP’s

For leadership only: Customer Success Processes and Metrics

Effective Customer Success (CS) leadership requires a move from reactive problem-solving to proactive strategy, trust-building, and innovation. Leaders must establish credibility, encourage constructive discussions, and develop the ability to ask the right questions to extract valuable insights. During the session spearheaded by Milosh Dunjic, we discussed about a strategic, long-term view that ensures sustainable growth, while tailored communication fosters better engagement with stakeholders. Balancing competing priorities effectively helps maintain a motivated and productive team.

Key Metrics for Measuring Impact

To enhance decision-making and measure success, leaders should track essential metrics such as:

• Net Revenue Retention (NRR) – Ensuring customer retention and account expansion.
• Annual Contract Value (ACV) – Measuring revenue per account over a year.
• Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) – Understanding the long-term value of customers.
• Customer Sentiment Measurement – Evaluating customer engagement and satisfaction.
• Customer Value Realization (CVR) & Immediate Value Realization (IVR) – Measuring the tangible benefits customers gain and how quickly they experience value.

Moving Beyond Problem-Solving to Strategic Thinking

CS leaders should move away from reactive problem-solving and excessive personalization in decision-making. Instead of simply fixing problems, they must anticipate challenges, implement preventive measures, and focus on scalable solutions that drive long-term success.

Investing in Learning, AI, and Relationship-Building

Continuous learning, AI adoption, and knowledge-sharing are key for future-proofing CS strategies. Leaders should encourage their teams to stay curious, teach others, and leverage AI-driven tools to improve efficiency. Strengthening internal and external relationships and investing in strategic assets will ensure long-term growth and resilience.

Becoming the Heart of the Organization

Great CS leaders act as the “heartbeat” of their organization, ensuring alignment between customer success, revenue growth, and company culture. By being data-driven, advocating for customers, and continuously challenging the status quo, they drive meaningful change and innovation.

Achieving customer success isn’t just about providing great service—it’s about continuously learning, adapting, and connecting with others in the industry. By attending our upcoming events, you’ll gain valuable insights, practical strategies, and networking opportunities to help you drive real results.

Don’t miss out on the chance to collaborate with like-minded professionals and take your customer success efforts to the next level. Join us at our next event and be part of the future of customer success!

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