Are You Really Multi Threaded?

In Partnership With

Hey CS Pro,

A lot of teams think they are multi threaded because they have a few names on the account. But having a few contacts is not the same as having real influence. This week’s podcast episode with Brittany Casey is a powerful reminder that if your relationships do not go deep enough, your revenue is more fragile than you think.

But first, today’s sponsor

↓

Your CS team is still figuring out AI. Here’s how other teams are actually doing it.

Everyone's talking about what AI could do for CS teams. The AI + Post Sales Summit is where you'll see what teams are actually doing: real workflows, real demos, real results.

Hosted by Matik on Thursday, June 4, this free event is built for post-sales teams who want to go beyond the theory.

Here’s what’s included:

• Virtual sessions - show & tells from practitioners using AI across the post-sales journey

• Competition - submit your AI workflow, get judged by industry experts, and win prizes

In-person workshop - collaborate, troubleshoot, and build connections with peers

Multi Threading Is More Than More Names

One of my favorite parts of this conversation was how clearly Brittany broke down the difference between having contacts and having coverage.

Because let’s be honest, a lot of CSMs can pull up an account and point to three or four people they know. But when renewal season hits, they are still relying on one champion to do all the internal selling. And that is where things start to fall apart.

Multi threading is not just about quantity. It is about relevance, influence, and consistency.

Brittany made the point that you cannot really understand an account unless you are hearing from different levels of the business. That means understanding the goals of the day to day user, the admin, the department lead, and the executive sponsor. And those goals are not always the same.

The end user may care about speed and ease. The admin may care about process and adoption. The executive may care about cost, efficiency, risk, or growth. If you are only speaking one language to all of them, you are missing the mark.

And this is exactly why multi threading matters so much right now. Buying decisions are more complex, more stakeholders are involved, and every investment is being scrutinized more closely. If you do not have relationships across the account, you are not just missing expansion opportunities. You are putting renewals at risk.

The Best CSMs Are Quiet Quarterbacks

Brittany said something in this episode that really stuck with me. She described the CSM as the quiet quarterback on the account.

That is such a good way to think about this role.

You are not supposed to do everything yourself. You are supposed to understand the full field, know what play needs to happen next, and bring in the right people at the right time. Sometimes that is sales. Sometimes that is enablement. Sometimes that is your executive team. Sometimes that is your customer champion.

This matters because one of the biggest mistakes CSMs make with multi threading is treating it like a solo job.

Your sales counterpart likely knows who signed the contract, who pushed the deal through, what objections came up, and where the real power sits. Your leadership team may already have connections with senior stakeholders inside the account. Your internal teams might have relationship context you do not even know exists yet.

So instead of putting all the pressure on yourself, think like a strategist.

Use relationship mapping as a team sport. Build it with sales. Revisit it with leadership. Pull in internal context. Look for gaps. Ask yourself where you have influence, where you do not, and who can help you close that gap.

And most importantly, do not treat the relationship map like a one time exercise.

Brittany was clear on this. The map should be a living document. It should evolve as people move roles, priorities change, and risk shifts inside the account. Because customers are not static, and your account strategy cannot be static either.

Real Partnership Is What Drives Revenue

Another point I loved from Brittany was this idea that customers are not just buying software. They are buying partnership.

That is such an important reminder in a world obsessed with features, AI, and product launches.

Customers stay when they believe you understand their business, can help them navigate change, and can bring value through complexity. They renew when they trust the partnership, not just the platform.

And that is where strong multi threading becomes such a growth lever.

When you build relationships across departments, levels, and priorities, you stop relying on one person to carry the account. You create resilience. You create more visibility. You create more opportunities to uncover value and tell that value story in a way each stakeholder actually cares about.

Brittany also shared a really smart tactic here. When you hit a wall trying to build deeper relationships, look for people inside the customer account who can help you influence from within. Maybe it is your champion. Maybe it is someone who wants more visibility. Maybe it is someone who is ready to become an internal advocate.

If you can help that person succeed, you are not just supporting adoption. You are helping create internal momentum for your partnership.

That is where multi threading gets powerful. It stops being a box checking exercise and starts becoming a real revenue strategy.

Maybe that is looping in sales to map stakeholders together. Maybe it is setting up a value conversation with a different department lead. Maybe it is asking your champion to introduce you to someone more senior.

Just start.

Because the truth is, accounts do not become multi threaded by accident. They become multi threaded because someone leads with intention.

That’s it for this week. If this episode made you rethink how strong your customer relationships really are, go listen to the full conversation with Brittany Casey. It is packed with practical advice for any CSM or CS leader who wants to protect revenue, build deeper partnerships, and stop being one resignation away from risk.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

Cheers to your CS success,

Anika