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Why I’ve Never Built the Same Customer Success Strategy Twice

Writer's picture: Kristi FaltorussoKristi Faltorusso

I’ve never built the same Customer Success (CS) strategy twice. And honestly? I never will.


Why? Because Customer Success is Never One-Size-Fits-All


CS isn’t a formula you can copy-paste from one company to another. It’s a game of nuance, context, and knowing when to ignore the unsolicited advice that floods in from every direction.




Early in my leadership journey, I made a classic mistake. I developed a CS strategy that worked brilliantly at one company and assumed I could replicate it at my next. Spoiler alert: what was a game-changer in one place completely flopped in another.


Lesson learned.


The reality is, not everything works everywhere. If you want to build a strategy that doesn’t fail, you have to consider the unique factors at play. Here are the six key elements that shape every CS strategy I’ve built:


1️⃣ Product Complexity


From plug-and-play solutions to highly customized enterprise software, your product dictates everything—implementation timelines, training needs, support models, and more. A one-size-fits-all strategy? Doesn’t exist.


2️⃣ Customer Personas


Are you serving end users, admins, technical experts, or industry newcomers? The makeup of your customer base impacts how you engage, educate, and support them. Ignore this at your peril.


3️⃣ Customer Market


Are you catering to fast-growing SMBs, scaling mid-market players, or navigating complex enterprise deals? Each market segment comes with different expectations, needs, and economic realities.


4️⃣ Funding


Are you operating with deep pockets, a lean budget, or barely scraping together resources? Your financial runway dictates your ability to invest in tools, headcount, and training. A great strategy must align with what’s actually possible.


5️⃣ Market Dynamics


Are you creating a brand-new category or competing in an established market? If you’re pioneering something new, your strategy will need a strong educational component. If you’re entering a mature space, differentiation and ROI become the name of the game.


6️⃣ Company Stage


A company with 10 customers is in survival mode—reactive, scrappy, and deeply hands-on. Scale to 1,000 customers? You’re in process, automation, and efficiency territory. Understanding where your company is in its growth journey is essential.


The Golden Rule: Context is Everything


If someone offers you a CS strategy without first understanding your company, your customers, and your market, take it with a grain of salt. That’s why my go-to response to most CS questions is: “It depends.”


Best practices are helpful, but they’re not gospel. Customer Success isn’t a plug-and-play function. It’s about building the right strategy for your customers, your company, and your moment in time.


No shortcuts. Just smart, intentional design.

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