Customer success (CS) teams have the potential to be key revenue drivers for businesses, but common missteps often hold them back. As Gainsight’s Chief Revenue Officer Marilee Bear puts it, “operationalizing CS isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s critical for growth.” With the right structure, technology, and alignment, CS can move beyond churn prevention to play a vital role in driving revenue.
Here are the top four pitfalls Bear sees preventing CS teams from reaching their full potential and how to overcome them.
1. Lack of Clear Ownership
One of the biggest barriers to success is a lack of clarity around who owns what in the CS process. Without defined roles and responsibilities for sales, renewals, and expansion, opportunities can slip through the cracks. Bear explains, “The biggest mistake I see is a lack of clear ownership. When CS sales and renewals don’t have well-defined roles in expansion, everyone assumes someone else is doing the job and someone else is responsible, and therefore opportunities fall through the cracks.”
The solution? Clear ownership and structure. The most successful companies integrate CS into their broader revenue strategy by bringing it under the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). This ensures that CS isn’t just a retention mechanism—it’s a core part of the growth strategy.
2. Being Reactive Instead of Proactive
Another common pitfall is focusing too much on reacting to problems instead of preventing them. As Bear emphasizes, “Too many CS teams spend their time firefighting churn risks instead of identifying expansion opportunities early. If your CS team only engages customers at renewal time—or even a quarter ahead of it—you’re already behind.”
To break out of this reactive cycle, CS teams need to leverage tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. These technologies can predict renewal risks, identify accounts that are ready for expansion, and guide the timing of customer interactions to have maximum impact. Being proactive allows your team to focus on growth, not just damage control.
3. Ignoring Digital Scale
Scaling customer success efforts is a challenge, but ignoring digital solutions can leave growth opportunities untapped. Bear explains, “If your CS org still relies on high-touch engagement for every account, you’re definitely leaving money on the table.” While personal, high-touch interactions are important for some accounts, they aren’t scalable across your entire customer base.
The most effective CS organizations blend human engagement with digital strategies like automated success playbooks, in-product nudges, and AI-driven insights. By doing so, they’re able to deliver a consistent and personalized experience to every customer while maintaining efficiency at scale.
4. Misalignment Between CS, Sales, and Marketing
When Customer Success, Sales, and Marketing teams don’t work together, silos form that limit growth opportunities. According to Bear, “The best companies who are doing it well really embed CS into revenue planning early, ensuring that every team is working towards growth, not just retention.”
Alignment is key. By making CS an integral part of revenue planning, organizations can ensure that all teams share the same goals. This alignment helps identify cross-functional opportunities and ensures that no expansion potential is left untapped.
Customer success isn’t just about retention anymore—it’s about driving sustainable growth. By addressing common pitfalls like unclear ownership, reactive strategies, resistance to digital scale, and misalignment, CS teams can transform into powerful revenue drivers. Leveraging tools like AI, automation, and digital strategies ensures that CS can scale effectively while maintaining a personalized customer experience. In today’s competitive market, operationalizing customer success isn’t just important—it’s essential for thriving.
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Join us in person for two days of expert sessions on all things customer success. Pulse Europe takes place in Dublin on November 12–13, and will cover cutting-edge insights on AI, digital scale strategy, and more. Register today!
