Too many Customer Success (CS) pros are falling into a dangerous trap: equating activity with value. Let me be clear—more meetings do NOT automatically equal more success.
Over-indexing on engagement as a “win” without measuring the true impact of those interactions? It’s ineffective, inefficient, and frankly, a waste of everyone’s time.
So how do we break free from the busywork cycle? Let’s call out what doesn’t work—and, more importantly, shift our focus to what does.
🚫 What NOT to Do
Don’t Schedule Meetings Just to “Check In”
If your customer can’t immediately articulate why you’re meeting, you’ve already lost them. Fluff meetings erode trust and waste precious time—for both sides.
Don’t Treat Meeting Quantity as a Success Metric
Five meetings with zero actionable outcomes? That’s not success. That’s noise. Celebrate progress, not the frequency of your touchpoints.
Don’t Skip the Follow-Up
If your customer walks away without a clear next step or deliverable, the meeting was meaningless. They should leave with clarity, not confusion.
✅ What to Do Differently
Now that we’ve identified the pitfalls, let’s talk solutions. Here’s how to make your engagements count:
Make Every Meeting Intentional
Before you hit “send” on that invite, ask yourself:
What’s the purpose?
What value am I bringing?
If you can’t answer these questions confidently, rethink the meeting.
Focus on Outcomes, Not Activity
Engagement isn’t about face time—it’s about impact. Tie every meeting to a tangible goal, milestone, or outcome that drives progress for your customer.
Evaluate the Qualitative Value
Post-meeting, ask yourself:
Did this help solve a problem?
Did I provide clarity or drive progress?
If the answer is “no,” adjust your approach.
Pro Tips I Love and Live By
Here are some battle-tested strategies that work:
▶️ Post-Meeting CSATs for CSM Engagement
Ask your customers to rate the effectiveness of your meetings. It’s a quick pulse check that gives you actionable feedback.
▶️ Ask the Right Questions
Questions like, “Was this a good use of your time?” or “Did you find this meeting valuable?” show you’re serious about improving.
▶️ Analyze Engagement vs. Business Outcomes
Dig into how meeting frequency and quality correlate with key metrics like adoption, retention, and growth. The data doesn’t lie.
▶️ Pre-Meeting Alignment
Especially for recurring meetings, align in advance on the agenda and objectives. Assumptions waste resources—clarity builds trust.
A Final Word
Stop meeting for the sake of meeting. And if your customer doesn’t want to meet with you, ask yourself why. Are you failing to bring value?
Activity for activity’s sake isn’t Customer Success. It’s busywork disguised as progress. True CS is about driving outcomes that matter—progress, outcomes, and impact.
So let’s start measuring what counts. Because in the end, it’s not about how many meetings you’ve had. It’s about the difference you’ve made.
What are you doing to drive impact in your customer engagements? Let me know in the comments or reach out—I’d love to hear your perspective!
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