Stop the Firefighting

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Hey CS Pro,

Let’s be real. If your week is full of fire drills, “urgent” emails, and last-minute renewal saves…you don’t have a strategy, you’re running on adrenaline.

Let’s talk about the reality no one wants to admit. Most CS teams are stuck in reactive mode because… they don’t have a real strategy.

They’re told to just “stay close to the customer” or “check in often.” But without data, triggers, or systems in place, those check-ins? They turn into random acts of CS.

Here’s what that actually leads to:

• Surprise churn no one saw coming

• Burned out CSMs stuck in back-to-back calls

• Low adoption only discovered at renewal

• Exec teams questioning the value of CS

None of that is scalable. None of that helps your team grow or drives revenue.

And trust me, I’ve been there too. But the moment I flipped my strategy from reactive to proactive, everything changed.

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The 5 steps to proactive CS (and how to actually do it)

Here’s the framework I use to build proactive CS strategies that scale. Not just for enterprise, but for scrappy teams too.

Step 1: Define success from your customer’s view

Most CSMs make assumptions about what success looks like. Don’t. Ask your customers. After 30, 60, 90 days…what milestones actually mattered to them? Use their words, not your guesses.

Step 2: Map out a customer success plan

This isn’t just a doc. It’s the map. And like every map, it needs stops along the way: onboarding, adoption, renewal, expansion. Define clear triggers for engagement and risk. This is how you make CS predictable.

Step 3: Automate touchpoints for scale

If you’re manually emailing every customer, no wonder you’re overwhelmed. Tools like lifecycle emails, health scores, and playbooks exist for a reason. Use them. Trigger communication based on outcomes, not your calendar.

Step 4: Create a risk and opportunity framework

Map your red flags (low usage, stakeholder turnover, competitor mentions) and green flags (case studies, strong feature adoption, exec engagement). Then? Build a playbook for each one. That’s what proactivity looks like.

Step 5: Review and refine monthly

Set it and forget it? That’s not going to cut it in 2025. Your customers needs are shifting fast. So should your strategy. Review your CS strategy every month. Yes, monthly. If that sounds like too much, start quarterly. Just start.

Treat your CS strategy like Google Maps

This is my favorite analogy…

You need to guide your customers, because guess what? They’re going to take a wrong turn. They’re going to U-turn. They’re going to miss a step. That’s human.

Your job is to be the GPS that reroutes them toward success before they even know they’re off track.

And it doesn’t take a 20-step overhaul to start. Just one thing.

Your Weekly Challenge 

Pick one stage in your customer journey, let’s say onboarding.

Ask yourself:

• Are milestones clearly mapped?

• Do I have repeatable, automated touchpoints?

• Am I tracking early health signals?

Then take one action. Maybe it’s building a checklist. Maybe it’s creating a lifecycle email. Maybe it’s drafting a risk playbook. Whatever it is, make that one step more proactive today.

Because CS isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things at the right time.

Takeaways

1. Proactivity starts with their definition of success

   Don’t assume. Ask. Then build milestones and plans that actually reflect what your customers care about.

2. Automation is your ally, not your enemy

   If you’re still manually following up with every account… It’s time to scale smarter. Use triggers. Use data. Use your time where it counts.

3. Review your strategy regularly

   A playbook from 2022 won’t save you in 2025. Start with a monthly review rhythm to keep your CS strategy sharp and relevant.

🔦 Free CS Resource Spotlight 💡 

That’s it for this week! If you want to hear all of my tips on how to build data-driven, proactive CS strategies, then check out the full podcast episode on your favorite player below.

Have a listen to the latest podcast:

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That's all for now.

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

Cheers to your CS success,

Anika

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