How to Become a Strategic CSM: Lessons from Chad Horenfeldt
Sep 03, 2025If you’re a CSM stuck in reactive mode—constantly putting out fires, scrambling between check-ins, and struggling to show value—this episode of the Customer Success Pro Podcast is your roadmap to transformation. Host Anika Zubair is joined by Chad Horenfeldt, VP of Customer Success at Sienna AI and newly published author of The Strategic Customer Success Manager. Together, they unpack how to move from task-ticking to true business partnership using practical frameworks, mindset shifts, and tactical steps that work.
Whether you’re a seasoned CSM or just starting out in CS, this episode will equip you with strategies to lead outcome-focused conversations, measure value with confidence, and position yourself as a strategic, revenue-driving expert.
Why We Need a New Definition of the Strategic CSM
Chad’s decision to write The Strategic Customer Success Manager was intentional. Most CS books focus on leadership, but few provide tactical advice for the day-to-day challenges of individual contributors. His goal? To empower CSMs with frameworks they can immediately apply to shift from product support to business strategy.
For Chad, being a strategic CSM isn’t a title—it’s a mindset. It’s about:
• Starting with your customer’s business, not your product
• Focusing on real outcomes over vanity metrics
• Balancing customer centricity with internal influence
CSMs who want to thrive in today’s evolving landscape need to operate at a higher level—and that starts with understanding the customer’s business inside and out.
Frameworks for Driving Strategic Conversations
Throughout the episode, Chad shares three of his favorite frameworks for having more impactful conversations with customers:
1. The 3Cs Framework
Before any call, do a quick AI-powered deep dive into:
• Company: What’s their business model? Who do they serve?
• Customer: Who are they trying to help? What do their customers care about?
• Challenges: What business problems are they solving?
This research ensures your conversations start from a place of understanding—and gives you the context to tie your product directly to business outcomes.
2. The ACE Framework
Structure every customer meeting with these three steps:
• Appreciate the customer for their time
• Confirm the agenda and personalize it using your research
• Engage by turning the floor over to the customer first
This simple structure builds trust, encourages two-way dialogue, and helps surface what really matters.
3. The SUN Framework
When customers are vague or stuck, use SUN to guide the conversation:
• Success: What does success mean for them?
• Obstacles: What’s standing in the way?
• Options: What paths forward are available?
• Next Steps: What action will they take, in their own words?
SUN is especially helpful in renewal or churn-risk conversations, where clarity and ownership are key.
From Adoption to Outcomes: What Strategic Really Looks Like
One of the biggest mindset shifts CSMs need to make is moving beyond adoption metrics.
Chad calls out the common trap: tracking logins or usage as proof of success. Instead, he challenges CSMs to define measurable business outcomes—like saving X hours, generating Y leads, or increasing Z revenue—and then build success plans that reverse-engineer from those goals.
In other words, it’s not about what the customer does in your product. It’s about what they achieve because of your product.
Here’s how to operationalize that:
• Start with the business objective (save time, improve conversion, reduce costs)
• Define the success criteria using SMART metrics (e.g., reduce support tickets by 30 percent in 90 days)
• Map product activities back to those outcomes (e.g., enable automation features to reduce manual work)
This customer-first approach builds credibility, creates alignment, and makes renewals and expansions feel like a no-brainer.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
1. Strategic CS is a mindset, not a title.
It’s about starting with your customer’s goals and working backwards—not the other way around.
2. Frameworks create clarity and confidence.
Tools like 3Cs, ACE, and SUN help structure conversations, uncover business needs, and build trust.
3. Measurable outcomes beat vanity metrics.
Logins and usage don’t equal value. Tie your work to tangible results that matter to your customer.
4. Your job isn’t just to help—it’s to influence.
Learn how to ask disruptive questions and guide your customers toward better decisions.
5. Being company-centric helps you get promoted.
Collaborate across functions, support your manager’s priorities, and make yourself invaluable to the business.
Listen Now & Build Data-Driven CS Strategies
This episode with Chad Horenfeldt is a must-listen for CSMs, CS leaders, and anyone looking to lead strategic, outcome-focused customer conversations.
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
🔹 YouTube
🔹 Spotify
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