Customer Success Manager onboarding plan
A CSM takes over relationships that already exist. Onboarding has to cover the product, each account's history and the signals that predict churn, so handovers don't feel like a reset to customers.
What good onboarding achieves
Own a book of accounts with a clear health view, run renewals and expansion conversations and spot risk early.
Week one example
- Day 1: Access customer success and CRM tools; meet the team.
- Day 2: Product walkthrough focused on the features customers use most.
- Day 3: Learn how account health is measured and what triggers action.
- Day 4: Review handover notes for the first accounts; join two customer calls.
- Day 5: Prepare introduction emails for the first accounts with the manager.
30/60/90 progression
- Day 30: Introduced to all assigned accounts and leading routine check-ins.
- Day 60: Runs business reviews and handles escalations with support.
- Day 90: Owns renewals and flags expansion and churn risk independently.
People to meet (examples)
- CS manager
- Outgoing account owner, if any
- Support lead
- AEs for expansion
- Product contact for feedback
Systems to learn (examples)
- Customer success platform or CRM
- Support ticketing tool
- Product analytics or usage dashboards
- Renewal tracking
Manager checkpoints
- Week 1: account handover review
- Week 3: shadowed customer call
- Day 45: health review of the book
- Day 90: renewal forecast
Common mistakes
- Handing over accounts without history or context
- Teaching the product as a feature tour
- Not explaining when to escalate to support or product
- Letting the CSM discover renewal dates by surprise
Checklist
- Book of accounts assigned
- Handover notes read for each account
- Health score logic explained
- Support escalation path known
- Two customer calls shadowed
- Intro emails sent
- Renewal calendar reviewed
- Business review template shared