The Ultimate
Customer Success
Glossary
Introducing the Industry's Largest Customer Success Glossary!
Whether you're new to the world of Customer Success or a seasoned professional, this comprehensive glossary is your ultimate go-to resource. Packed with hundreds of essential terms, definitions, and key concepts, it’s designed to help you stay ahead, speak the language of CS with confidence, and elevate your expertise.
From foundational terminology to advanced strategies, this glossary bridges the knowledge gap and empowers you to connect, communicate, and succeed in today’s fast-paced industry.
Ready to explore the A-to-Z of Customer Success? Dive in and discover the insights that will transform your understanding and drive your results!
Customer Success Terms
A
Account Churn: The percentage of customers that cancel or do not renew their subscription over a given period.
Account Executive: A sales professional responsible for managing customer accounts, driving new business, and maintaining relationships to ensure long-term success.
Account Health Score: A metric used to gauge the health of a customer account based on various indicators like product usage, NPS, and engagement.
Account Manager: A professional responsible for managing and nurturing customer accounts to ensure satisfaction, retention, and growth.
Account Plan: A strategic document outlining key customer information, objectives, and action plans to drive retention and growth.
Account Team: A group of professionals, including sales, customer success, and support representatives, who collaborate to manage and support a customer account.
ACV (Annual Contract Value): The annualized revenue generated from a customer contract, often used to measure the value of an account.
Adoption: The process by which customers integrate a product or service into their regular operations and derive value from it.
Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): The total revenue expected from customers annually, commonly used in subscription-based businesses.
Attach Rate: The percentage of customers who purchase additional products or services along with the primary offering.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM): A targeted marketing strategy focused on creating personalized campaigns for specific high-value accounts to drive engagement and revenue growth.
Autorenew: A feature or process that automatically renews a subscription or contract at the end of its term unless canceled by the customer.
B
Bookings: The total value of customer contracts signed within a given period, representing future revenue.
Book of Business: The total portfolio of accounts managed by a Customer Success Manager (CSM).
Business Review (QBR/EBR): A recurring meeting between a CSM and a customer to review progress, align on goals, and discuss opportunities for growth.
Business Unit: A distinct segment within an organization, often responsible for its own strategy, resources, and profit and loss.
C
CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): The cost associated with acquiring a new customer, including marketing and sales expenses.
Case Study: A detailed analysis or story showcasing how a customer achieved success using your product or service.
Champion: A person within the customer’s organization who advocates for your product and ensures its success internally.
Chief Customer Officer (CCO): An executive responsible for the overall customer experience and driving customer-centric strategies across the organization.
Churn: The loss of a customer or revenue over a specific time period.
Churn Reasons: The specific causes or factors that lead customers to discontinue using a product or service.
COGS (Cost of Goods Sold): The direct costs associated with delivering a product or service to customers.
Cost Center: A department or function within an organization that incurs costs but does not directly generate revenue.
Cross-Sell: Encouraging customers to purchase additional, complementary products or services.
CSQL (Customer Success Qualified Lead): A lead identified by the Customer Success team as a strong candidate for upsell or expansion based on customer engagement or product usage.
C-Suite: The group of top executives within a company, including roles like CEO, CMO, and CFO, who make strategic decisions.
Customer Advocacy: When satisfied customers actively promote or endorse your brand or product.
Customer Advisory Board (CAB): A group of customers who provide feedback and insights to help improve products and services.
Customer Effort Score (CES): A metric that measures how easy it is for customers to interact with a company, often linked to support or onboarding.
Customer Experience (CX): The total of all interactions a customer has with your company, product, and team throughout their lifecycle.
Customer Feedback Loop: The process of collecting, analyzing, and acting on customer feedback to improve experiences and products.
Customer Journey: The complete lifecycle of a customer, from prospect to loyal advocate.
Customer Lifecycle: The stages a customer goes through in their relationship with a company, from acquisition to retention and advocacy.
Customer Loyalty Index (CLI): A metric that measures customer loyalty by evaluating repeat purchases, referrals, and willingness to recommend.
Customer Marketing: Marketing efforts aimed at existing customers to drive retention, loyalty, and expansion.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): The total revenue a business can expect from a customer over the entire duration of their relationship.
Customer Onboarding: The process of introducing and educating new customers on using your product or service effectively.
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): A metric that measures customer satisfaction by asking them to rate their experience with a product or service, often on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10.
Customer Community: A platform or space where customers can engage with one another and your organization to share insights, best practices, and support.
Customer Success Platform (CSP): A software solution designed to help Customer Success teams manage customer relationships, track metrics, and drive engagement, retention, and growth.