The One Skill That Will Make or Break Your Customer Success Career

 Customer Success isn’t just about knowing your product, reducing churn, or closing renewals—it’s about strategic communication. Without this skill, even the most well-intentioned CSMs can struggle to create meaningful impact, build relationships, and drive revenue.
In my latest podcast episode, I go solo for the first time to break down why strategic communication is the #1 skill that will accelerate your CS career. If you’ve ever wondered how to go from being a support function to a trusted advisor, this episode is for you.

Why Strategic Communication Matters in CS

Many CSMs think their job is to be a product expert, prevent churn, or secure renewals. While these are important, they don’t define long-term success. The real differentiator? How well you communicate.
Here’s why:

• Your customers don’t buy features—they buy outcomes. If you can’t articulate value in a way that resonates with them, they won’t see the impact your product brings.
• Influencing stakeholders is key to driving expansion and renewals. Whether it’s a CFO, a VP of Sales, or your own internal teams, your ability to align stakeholders determines your success.
• Tough conversations are inevitable. Whether it’s handling objections, negotiating renewals, or discussing expansion opportunities, strong communication ensures you navigate these moments with confidence.

The 4 Key Skills to Master Strategic Communication

If you want to excel in CS, start developing these four communication skills:

1. Active Listening

Most CSMs hear their customers, but they don’t always listen. The best communicators practice active listening by:

• Asking follow-up questions instead of jumping to solutions.
• Using open-ended questions to uncover deeper pain points.
• Repeating back key insights to show they truly understand the customer’s challenges.

2. Framing Conversations Around Business Impact

Stop talking about what your product does and start explaining why it matters. Customers don’t care about features—they care about business outcomes.
🔹 Instead of saying: Our product now has an advanced reporting dashboard.
🔹 Say: This means you can identify revenue leaks faster, reduce churn, and increase upsell opportunities.

 3. Influencing Without Authority

CSMs often don’t have direct control over pricing, product roadmaps, or sales decisions. So how do you get buy-in? By influencing through storytelling, stakeholder alignment, and data-driven insights.

• Adapt your communication style to different audiences. Executives care about ROI, not login activity.
• Build internal relationships with Sales, Product, and Marketing to ensure alignment.
• Present data in a compelling way—tell a story with numbers instead of just reporting them.

4. Navigating Tough Conversations with Confidence

Difficult discussions are inevitable in CS. Whether it’s about pricing, lack of engagement, or misaligned expectations, strong communicators lean into these moments instead of avoiding them.
How to approach tough conversations:
 

• Stay calm – Customers want to feel heard. Validate their concerns.
• Acknowledge the challenge – Instead of defending your company’s decisions, reframe the conversation to focus on solutions.
• Reinforce value – Shift the conversation from cost to business impact.

How Strategic Communication Elevates Your CS Career

Mastering these skills doesn’t just help your customers—it helps you grow in your CS career. Here’s how:

✅ From Reactive to Proactive – Instead of firefighting churn risks, you’ll drive strategic conversations before issues arise.
✅ From Account Manager to Trusted Advisor – Customers will seek your insights, making renewals and expansions more natural.
✅ From IC to CS Leader – Strong communication is a leadership skill. If you want to move into management, this is where to start.

Listen Now & Build Value at Scale

This episode is a must-listen for CSMs, CS leaders, and anyone looking to master strategic communication and drive real customer impact.

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:

🔹 YouTube

🔹 Spotify

🔹 Apple Podcasts

Want to take your CS career to the next level? 

✅ CSM RevUP Academy – My coaching program for ambitious CS professionals.

✅ AI Guidebook for CS – Learn how to use AI for smarter Customer Success strategies.

Connect with Me 

📌 Follow Anika Zubair: LinkedIn | YouTube | TikTok | Website

Bonus: Enter the Planhat Giveaway! 

Win an all-expenses-paid trip to Planhat Open: www.planhat.com/giveaway