T2D3 Customer Success Playbook

Map the End-to-End Customer Journey

Create a visual journey map from sales handoff through renewal and expansion that identifies every touchpoint, owner, and success criterion.

Design Sales-to-CS Handoff Process

Build a repeatable handoff checklist and CRM workflow to ensure seamless transition from closed deal to onboarding kickoff.

Develop 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Framework

Create structured milestones for new customers that accelerate time-to-value with clear deliverables at each checkpoint.

Build Customer Success Plan Templates

Create reusable, segment-appropriate success plan templates that document mutual goals, milestones, and accountability.

Design QBR Template and Cadence

Standardize Quarterly Business Reviews to align stakeholders, demonstrate ROI, and surface expansion opportunities.

Identify Expansion and Upsell Triggers

Define the behavioral and contractual signals that indicate a customer is ready for expansion, and build automated alert rules.

Design Renewal Process and Timeline

Standardize the 90-day renewal preparation workflow with clear milestones, templates, and escalation paths.

Create Advocacy and Reference Program

Develop At-Risk Customer Intervention Playbook

Create a step-by-step playbook for rescuing accounts showing red health signals, with escalation tiers and timeline-bound actions.

Build Churn Post-Mortem Process

Implement structured reviews after every lost customer to capture root causes and feed insights into product, sales, and CS improvements.

Create Executive Sponsor Program Framework

Design a program that pairs company executives with high-value customer accounts to deepen relationships and protect strategic revenue.

Develop Onboarding Acceleration Playbook

Create a playbook for customers who miss their 30-day activation milestone, with specific intervention steps to get onboarding back on track.

Design Expansion Opportunity Playbook

Outline the triggers, qualification process, and coordination steps for converting usage signals into revenue expansion.

Build Renewal Negotiation Playbook

Standardize renewal conversations with objection-handling frameworks, concession guidelines, and multi-year incentive structures.

Create Advocacy and Referral Playbook

Outline the steps, timing, and incentives for soliciting references, case studies, and peer referrals from successful customers.

Design Customer Health Score Framework

Build a weighted composite health score using product usage, support sentiment, NPS, executive engagement, and contract timeline data.

Implement Health Score in CS Platform

Configure the health score model in your chosen CS platform with automated calculation, daily refresh, and alert rules.

Evaluate and Select CS Platform

Compare leading CS platforms against your requirements, budget, and integration needs to select the right tool for your stage.

Integrate CS Tools with Existing Stack

Connect the CS platform with CRM, billing, product analytics, and support tools to create a unified customer data model.

Set Up Playbooks and Automation Rules

Configure automated CTAs, workflow triggers, and playbook execution in the CS platform for your core customer lifecycle events.

Build CS Dashboard Templates

Create executive, manager, and individual CSM dashboard views that surface portfolio health, risk, and expansion pipeline at a glance.

Train Team on Tooling and Health Scoring

Deliver hands-on training sessions for CSMs covering platform navigation, health score interpretation, playbook execution, and daily workflow management.

Define First CS Hire Profile and Job Description

Create a detailed ideal candidate profile and job description for the inaugural CSM role that reflects your company's stage and operating model.

Develop Interview Questions and Hiring Process

Build a 4-stage interview loop with structured questions and evaluation criteria focused on CS competencies.

Design CS Compensation Model

Create a base-plus-variable compensation plan that incentivizes retention, expansion, and customer outcomes.

Create Book-of-Business Sizing Ratios

Determine the optimal account load per CSM by segment, factoring in touch model, product complexity, and growth expectations.

Build CS Onboarding and Training Program

Create a 4-week structured ramp plan for new CSMs that covers product knowledge, process certification, and live account transition.

Establish Ongoing Coaching and 1:1 Cadence

Implement weekly 1:1 meetings and monthly skill development sessions to continuously improve CSM performance.

Create Career Ladder for CS Team

Define progression levels from Associate CSM through VP of CS with clear competency requirements, scope expectations, and compensation bands.

Define Core CS Metrics and Benchmarks

Select and baseline the key performance indicators that will govern CS operations, with industry benchmarks for the $3M-$20M ARR stage.

Implement Churn Attribution and Root-Cause Tracking

Tag every churn event with a standardized root-cause category and feed insights into product, sales, and CS process improvements.

Build Executive CS Dashboard

Create a real-time executive dashboard that communicates CS impact on revenue in a format that takes less than 60 seconds to read.

Set Up Weekly CS Reporting Cadence

Standardize internal reporting rhythms for the CS team, CS leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders.

Measure CS ROI and Program Impact

Calculate the Customer Success function's return on investment using retained revenue, expansion attribution, and churn reduction.

Establish Quarterly CS Business Review

Design and deliver a quarterly presentation to the executive team that demonstrates CS impact, identifies trends, and proposes strategic improvements.