As CSMs, one of our missions is to know our customers’ pulse. I started my career manually gathering CSATs, tracking usage in spreadsheets, and building great rapport. But this approach made it impossible to prioritize effectively, and we couldn’t react fast enough to prevent churn.
My journey led me to platforms like Gainsight, where I learned a crucial lesson: the tool is only as powerful as the strategy behind it. With over 90% of CS leaders agreeing that automation is a must-have, setting up the right metrics is everything.
Today, best practices point to a multi-signal approach, blending product adoption (usage of key features), relationship signals (NPS, CSAT, CES), support metrics (ticket volume), and the invaluable CSM pulse - our essential human insight. This isn’t just for enterprises anymore. With budget-friendly tools and innovative AI (like ChatGPT Team) now accessible, even the leanest SMBs can build powerful health scores. This shift allows us to move from firefighting to strategically driving renewals and expansion. So, I’m curious:
- What ingredients are in your health score recipe?
- How are you balancing automated data with CSM intuition?
- For those at SMBs, what creative, budget-friendly solutions are working for you?
Great post – completely agree that the real power lies in combining automation with human insight. We track product usage, feedback scores, and support trends, but the CSM pulse often tells us what the data can’t. Even simple tools can make a big impact if used consistently with the right strategy.
