Customer Success Management: The next evolution in customer management practice?

"Customer Success Management… forefronts the customer as the primary actor supported by the seller, rather than the seller acting upon the customer."

This paper frames CSM not just as a new job title or role but as a distinct management approach that prioritizes customers’ outcomes and long-term value, prompting further research and experimentation in how firms structure strategies around customer success.

The authors distinguish CSM from traditional customer relationship management by emphasizing proactive engagement, outcome orientation, and the seller’s role as an enabler rather than a driver. They argue that this shift reflects a broader evolution in how firms create and capture value — moving from transaction-based models to success-based partnerships.