Why Are We Still Talking About This?

By Allison Tiscornia

Do you ever get that déjà vu feeling when you read a blog post and think, Didn’t we solve this four or five years ago?

Apparently not.

A good friend of mine recently posted on LinkedIn, arguing against Customer Success Managers (CSMs) taking on upsell or cross-sell responsibilities. After wiping the coffee I sprayed across my screen, I decided it was time, yet again, to articulate why CSMs are perfectly capable of handling revenue responsibilities.

1. CSMs Are Closest to the Customer

The most important reason CSMs should own renewals and upsells: they know the customer best.

CSMs cultivate deep, long-term relationships by understanding customer goals, usage patterns, and pain points. They don’t just solve problems; they anticipate, strategize, and guide customers toward success.

And speaking from experience as a SaaS buyer myself: I would always rather discuss renewals and upgrades with my CSM. They knew my business, my objectives, and the value I was getting. The companies that handed me off to a sales rep to “close the deal”? They got an irritated negotiator.

2. It’s Cost-Effective

For small and scaling companies, maintaining a separate CS team and a post-sale account management team is simply too expensive. Boards are looking at metrics like revenue per employee (both in small, scaling companies and large enterprises). Having multiple overlapping post-sale roles quickly becomes hard to justify.

A well-trained CSM organization can manage customer health and revenue outcomes without layering in additional, siloed functions.

3. AI Will Unlock More Time for Value Conversations

With AI handling much of the administrative burden: call notes, CRM updates, health scoring, newsletters, and QBR deck prep, CSMs will increasingly be freed up to focus on what really matters: value conversations.

And let’s be clear: value conversations are just another name for pipeline.

Where My Friend Has a Point

Now, since this argument started with a friend, I’ll begrudgingly admit they do have a point or two:

• If your CSMs are doubling as support or professional services, they don’t have time for value conversations.

• CSMs who are new in their careers won’t magically be great negotiators. Companies MUST invest in training and upskilling!

• Cross-sells are trickier than renewals or upsells.

Take this example: a major CRM platform CSM identifies an opportunity to cross-sell an advanced analytics or integration tool. Sounds great, except the decision-maker isn’t their usual contact; it’s IT or the CIO’s office. The sales cycle is complex, often requiring proofs-of-concept and multiple approvals. And the CSM may not have the specialized product knowledge to close the deal.

That’s when a sales rep is the right partner.

So Why Are We Still Talking About This?

Because some people still think CSMs should stay in a “relationship / support only” box. But the data, the economics, and the customer experience all tell a different story.

CSMs can and should own renewals and upsells. With training, enablement, and the right structure, they are more than capable of driving expansion. For most SaaS companies that don’t have sprawling product suites, it’s not just possible. It’s the most logical, cost-effective, and customer-friendly approach.

So here’s my punchline: if you’re still debating whether CSMs can handle revenue, you’re asking the wrong question. The real question is how long your competitors will get the upside before you catch up.

The Success League is a customer success consulting firm that offers comprehensive CS Certification programs and a wide array of individual coaching packages. Visit TheSuccessLeague.io to learn more or Contact Us here.

Allison Tiscornia - Alli is a seasoned Silicon Valley executive with over 20 years of experience leading customer-facing teams. As Chief Customer Officer at ChurnZero, she scaled the customer experience organization and formalized implementation methodologies. At Sendoso, she built the customer experience function before transitioning to Chief Sending Operations Officer, aligning logistics with product and customer workflows. Previously, as VP of Customer Services at Zenefits, she led professional services and support for the platform. Passionate about scaling teams and driving customer success, Alli has held leadership roles at Medallia, Visa, Endeca (acquired by Oracle), and CA Technologies. She holds a B.A. in sociology and public policy from the University of Arizona, with certifications in scrum management, project management, and IT infrastructure. As a visiting lecturer at Pavillion’s CCO School, Alli specializes in customer onboarding. She resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her family and a lively Goldendoodle.