Customer Success Isn’t Just Growing, It’s Defining Market Value

I love when data validates what many of us in Customer Success have been saying for years: customer-led growth is the engine of modern business performance.

The latest Public Market Pulse Report from Certinia analyzed more than 4,000 public company earnings reports and the findings are a massive win for Customer Success.

The data shows a clear pattern: companies that talk about Customer Success are creating more value, and the market is rewarding them for it.

Let’s unpack what that means.

1️⃣ Customer Success Is Gaining Serious Momentum

For years, skeptics have questioned whether Customer Success was just a SaaS-specific support function or a long-term growth driver.

Now we have the proof.

Mentions of Customer Success (CS) and Net Revenue Retention (NRR) in earnings calls are steadily increasing. That shift signals something powerful: executives are publicly prioritizing retention, expansion, and lifetime value alongside new logo acquisition.

In a world where acquisition costs keep rising and budgets are tightening, it’s no surprise that retention and expansion are becoming the new growth levers. Customer Success is no longer the quiet function in the background, it’s center stage.

2️⃣ It’s Not Just a SaaS Story Anymore

Here’s where the data gets even more interesting: Customer Success isn’t staying in its software lane.

Industries like marketing, business consulting, professional services, and even clinical research are now embracing Customer Success principles and measuring NRR as a core performance metric.

This cross-industry adoption marks a major turning point. Customer Success is evolving from a SaaS discipline into a universal business strategy focused on driving measurable outcomes for customers and therefore for the business.

3️⃣ There’s a Clear Maturity Gap

The report also highlights a growing divide. Top-performing organizations are not just talking about Customer Success, they’re embedding it into every layer of the business. They’re aligning functions, tracking leading indicators, and tying customer outcomes directly to financial outcomes.

Meanwhile, others are still struggling to operationalize what “success” actually means.

Without defined processes, ownership, and accountability, it’s easy to mistake activity for impact.

But here’s the good news: those who figure it out, who align their strategy, operations, and technology around customer outcomes, will pull ahead fast.

The market is already showing us who’s winning.

The Takeaway

Customer Success is no longer optional, aspirational, or niche. It’s measurable, material, and market-validated.

The best companies aren’t just retaining customers; they’re growing value through them.

They’re proving that when customers win, shareholders win.

And as the data makes clear, the rest of the market is finally catching on.

Explore the full report: The Public Market Pulse Report by Certinia