Execution Checklist
Track your progress on the priority actions from your stage playbooks. Take the assessment to get a personalized, interactive checklist.
Take the AssessmentHow this checklist works
The execution checklist is the Execute half of the Distilled CS improvement loop. It turns stage-specific recommendations into a concrete list of actions you can complete in the order that best fits your team. The items below are drawn directly from each maturity stage's priority actions in the framework, grouped by stage so you can see both your current scope and what sits one stage ahead.
How items map to stages and playbooks
Each action belongs to a specific maturity stage (Crawl, Walk, or Run) and traces back to one or more playbooks. The "Related Playbooks" row under each stage links out to the full playbook pages, which cover the objective, step-by-step structure, metrics to watch, and common pitfalls. Crawl-stage items focus on establishing a baseline: a defined onboarding motion, a working health score, a QBR cadence for high-ARR accounts. Walk-stage items layer on segmentation and measurement. Run items move the team toward predictive and proactive operations.
Why the order matters
Stage order is not cosmetic. Crawl actions build the foundation that Walk plays assume you already have; Walk builds the measurement discipline that Run automates. Skipping ahead tends to produce tooling-rich, outcomes-poor motions. Take the five-minute assessment first to confirm which stage you are actually operating at, then work your current stage's list before pulling items from the next.
Related: the customer success maturity model, full playbook directory, and stage-specific metrics to track alongside each action.
Crawl Reactive / Foundational
- Define basic customer segmentation (at least 2–3 tiers) 1–2 weeks
Segmentation lets you allocate limited CS resources where they'll have the most impact on retention.
- Implement a simple health score using 3–5 signals 2–4 weeks
Even a basic health score replaces gut-feel with data, letting you catch at-risk accounts before they churn.
- Document the onboarding process as your first playbook 1–2 weeks
A documented onboarding process ensures consistent time-to-value and reduces dependency on individual CSMs.
- Start tracking logo retention and GRR monthly 1–2 weeks
You can't improve what you don't measure. Monthly retention tracking creates accountability and surfaces trends early.
- Establish a regular cadence for customer touchpoints 1–2 weeks
Consistent touchpoints build trust and give you early warning signals before small issues become churn risks.
- Get CS a seat at the table: establish regular syncs with Sales and Product teams 2–4 weeks
Cross-functional alignment prevents handoff gaps and ensures customer feedback reaches the teams that can act on it.
- Pilot AI call-summarization in your CSM workflow 1–2 weeks
AI summarization reduces note-taking overhead and creates consistent post-call records, freeing time for actual customer work.
Walk Informed / Structured
- Operationalize health scores: make them systematic, not manual 2–4 weeks
Systematic health scores eliminate CSM bias and ensure every account is evaluated with the same rigor.
- Build playbooks for risk mitigation and expansion identification 3–6 weeks
Playbooks turn your best CSMs' instincts into repeatable processes the whole team can execute consistently.
- Implement QBR/EBR cadence for top-tier accounts 2–4 weeks
Structured business reviews deepen executive relationships and surface expansion opportunities before renewal.
- Define time-to-value metrics by segment 2–4 weeks
Knowing how long each segment takes to reach value lets you set realistic expectations and intervene when onboarding stalls.
- Start measuring CSM capacity and coverage ratios formally 1–2 weeks
Capacity data gives you the evidence to hire ahead of need and prevents CSM burnout from silently eroding service quality.
- Build a CS roadmap aligned with company strategy 2–4 weeks
A strategic roadmap elevates CS from a support function to a growth driver with clear, measurable business objectives.
- Share customer health data with other teams: create a shared dashboard or Slack channel 1–2 weeks
Transparent health data breaks down silos and enables Sales, Product, and Support to act on customer signals proactively.
- Pilot an AI-driven health score alongside your rule-based one 1–2 months
Running both models in parallel lets you validate ML predictions against real outcomes before fully replacing the rule-based approach.
Run Predictive / Operationalized
- Build predictive models for churn and expansion 2–3 months
Predictive models shift CS from reacting to churn signals to intervening months before risk materializes.
- Implement digital CS motions for long-tail accounts 1–2 months
Digital motions let you deliver consistent value to your entire customer base without linearly scaling headcount.
- Develop cross-functional alignment frameworks with Product, Sales, and Marketing 1–2 months
Formal alignment frameworks ensure customer insights systematically influence product direction and go-to-market strategy.
- Start exploring CS monetization (paid success plans, premium support) 2–3 months
Monetized CS transforms the team from a cost center into a revenue stream while delivering higher-touch service to customers who want it.
- Build cohort analysis capabilities for retention forecasting 1–2 months
Cohort analysis reveals which customer segments retain best and why, enabling you to forecast revenue with greater accuracy.
- Establish CS benchmarking against industry peers 2–4 weeks
Benchmarking gives leadership objective context on whether your CS metrics represent strong performance or hidden risk.
- Formalize CS integration: include CS in product planning and structured sales handoffs, track customer outcomes cross-functionally 2–3 months
Formal integration ensures customer outcomes are a shared responsibility, not just a CS team metric that other teams can ignore.
- Establish a Responsible AI policy for CS: PII handling, human review requirements, and adoption tracking 2–4 weeks
As AI tools spread across the CS team, a written policy prevents inconsistent use, protects customer data, and gives leadership visibility into what's working.
- Build customer advocacy and referral programs to convert your healthiest accounts into a measurable expansion and referral channel 1–2 months
Advocacy programs turn happy customers into an acquisition channel with lower CAC than outbound sales, while reinforcing the outcomes CS already drives.