Module 3: Mastering Customer Conversations: Key Call Types for CSMs

Learning Objectives:

• Conduct effective calls for onboarding, renewals, and escalation resolution
• Develop confidence in handling challenging conversations with at-risk customers
• Identify growth opportunities through strategic questioning and discovery techniques
• Master structured call agendas that drive productive customer outcomes
• Apply call-specific best practices based on customer lifecycle stage

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Introduction

Customer Success Managers handle different types of calls depending on the customer lifecycle stage, business objectives, and relationship needs. Each call type requires a unique approach, preparation strategy, and follow-up plan to ensure the best customer experience.

Mastering these six call types transforms CSMs from reactive support into strategic partners who drive retention, expansion, and customer advocacy.

The Cost of Poor Call Management

Without structured call approaches and preparation, CSMs may:

• Miss critical discovery opportunities that lead to poor onboarding and early churn
• Fail to identify expansion opportunities during routine check-ins, leaving revenue on the table
• Handle renewal conversations reactively instead of proactively, resulting in price negotiations and downgrades
• Escalate crises unnecessarily by lacking frameworks for de-escalation and problem resolution
• Lose customer trust through unstructured conversations that waste their time

The Benefits of Mastering Call Types

Strategic call mastery enables you to:

• Build deep customer relationships through purposeful, value-driven conversations
• Identify expansion and upsell opportunities early in the customer lifecycle
• Conduct renewal conversations from a position of demonstrated value rather than defending price
• De-escalate challenging situations using proven frameworks and active listening techniques
• Increase customer satisfaction and NPS through well-prepared, efficient interactions
• Accelerate time-to-value by following structured onboarding and adoption methodologies

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PART 1: FOUNDATION CALLS - BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP

These calls establish the foundation of your customer relationship and set the trajectory for long-term success.

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Goals Discovery Calls

Purpose: Understand the customer's business objectives, success metrics, and how they define value with the product.

Best Practices for Goals Discovery Calls

• Use open-ended questions to uncover pain points, workflow challenges, and desired outcomes
• Align product capabilities with their business objectives rather than leading with features
• Document measurable success criteria to track progress over time
• Identify key stakeholders and decision-makers early in the relationship
• Understand their definition of success in concrete, quantifiable terms

Sample Goals Discovery Call Agenda (30 Min)

Welcome & Purpose (5 min)
Introduce yourself and align on the meeting's goal

Customer Business Overview (10 min)
Ask about their industry, team structure, and current workflows

Success Metrics Discussion (10 min)
Define how they measure success and align expectations

Next Steps & Success Plan (5 min)
Outline an action plan for onboarding and early wins

Example Question:
"What would make using our product a success for you in the next 6-12 months?"

💡 Pro Tip: During discovery, ask "How do you currently measure success in this area?" before proposing your own metrics. This ensures you're tracking what matters to THEM, not just what's easy for you to report.

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Handover Calls (Post-Sales to CSM Transition)

Purpose: Ensure a smooth transition from Sales to Customer Success, aligning expectations and responsibilities.

Best Practices for Handover Calls

• Review customer details from Sales (use case, challenges, stakeholders involved) BEFORE the call
• Reinforce the CSM's role and how you will support the customer moving forward
• Align on onboarding goals, timeline, and expected outcomes
• Acknowledge what Sales promised and set realistic expectations
• Establish communication cadence and preferred channels

Sample Handover Call Agenda (30 Min)

Welcome & Introductions (5 min)
Establish rapport and clarify your role as the CSM

Customer Background & Goals (10 min)
Reconfirm expectations and key challenges discussed during sales process

Onboarding & Success Plan (10 min)
Align on next steps, milestones, and timeline to value

Next Steps & Follow-Up (5 min)
Set expectations for future check-ins and communication rhythm

Example Question:
"What did you find most exciting about our product when deciding to purchase?"

💡 Pro Tip: Always have a Sales-to-CS handoff document that captures: why they bought, promised outcomes, key stakeholders, timeline expectations, and any concerns raised during sales. Review this 24 hours before your first call.

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Best Practices for Foundation Calls

• Prepare thoroughly before every call → Review CRM notes, usage data, and Sales handoff documentation
• Use structured agendas → Share agenda 24 hours in advance and stick to time allocations
• Ask open-ended questions → "How do you currently..." and "What would success look like..." uncover deeper insights
• Document success criteria → Create shared definitions of what "value" means to this customer
• Set clear next steps → Every call should end with defined actions, owners, and timelines
• Establish communication rhythm → Agree on check-in frequency and preferred channels early

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PART 2: GROWTH & VALUE CALLS - DRIVING OUTCOMES

These calls focus on deepening adoption, demonstrating value, and identifying expansion opportunities.

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Strategy & Adoption Calls

Purpose: Help customers deepen their product adoption by recommending best practices and optimizing their workflows.

Best Practices for Strategy & Adoption Calls

• Analyze customer usage data beforehand to spot trends and adoption gaps
• Personalize recommendations based on their business needs and industry
• Offer training sessions or workflow optimization tips proactively
• Connect underutilized features to their specific business challenges
• Share success stories from similar customers to inspire adoption

Sample Strategy & Adoption Call Agenda (45 Min)

Adoption Check-In (10 min)
Review product usage trends and identify what's working well

Best Practices & Workflow Optimization (15 min)
Demonstrate ways to maximize value using their specific use cases

Training & Feature Expansion (15 min)
Address underutilized features and propose improvements to their workflows

Next Steps & Engagement Plan (5 min)
Assign follow-up actions and schedule next touchpoint

Example Question:
"Have you explored [Feature X]? Customers in your industry use it to improve [specific outcome]. Would you like a quick demo?"

💡 Pro Tip: Before adoption calls, create a simple usage scorecard showing their adoption vs. peer benchmarks. Visuals like "You're using 45% of available features, while similar companies average 72%" create urgency without being accusatory.

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Renewal & Negotiation Calls

Purpose: Secure customer retention by reinforcing value and addressing renewal concerns.

Best Practices for Renewal & Negotiation Calls

• Start renewal discussions early (90-120 days before contract end)
• Reinforce the value delivered over the contract period (KPIs, success stories, ROI)
• Address customer concerns upfront rather than waiting for them to surface
• Provide flexible options if necessary (different tiers, payment terms, pilot expansions)
• Come prepared with expansion opportunities aligned to their growth goals

Sample Renewal Call Agenda (30 Min)

Review Current Partnership (10 min)
Highlight customer success stories and value gained since onboarding

Discuss Renewal Terms (10 min)
Present contract options and any pricing adjustments with clear justification

Address Concerns & Objections (5 min)
Overcome hesitations with data, case studies, and value reinforcement

Next Steps & Decision Timeline (5 min)
Confirm renewal path or schedule follow-up for final decision

Example Question:
"How has our product impacted your team's efficiency? Are there any areas where you'd like to see more improvement?"

💡 Pro Tip: Create a "Value Delivered" one-pager 30 days before renewal conversations. Include: metrics achieved, features adopted, business outcomes, and ROI calculation. Send it before the renewal call so they come prepared to discuss value, not just price.

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Best Practices for Growth & Value Calls

• Analyze usage data before calls → Identify adoption gaps and opportunities using product analytics
• Benchmark against peers → Show how their usage compares to similar customers for context
• Personalize recommendations → Tailor feature suggestions to their specific business challenges and industry
• Start renewal discussions early → 90-120 days before contract end, not 30 days when it's too late
• Quantify value delivered → Create ROI one-pagers showing metrics, outcomes, and business impact
• Identify expansion opportunities → Link underutilized features or additional seats to their growth goals
• Use customer success stories → Share relevant case studies from similar companies to inspire adoption

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PART 3: CRISIS MANAGEMENT CALLS - SAVING RELATIONSHIPS

These calls address critical situations where the customer relationship is at risk and require specialized approaches.

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Save Calls (Churn Risk Customers)

Purpose: Understand why a customer is considering leaving and work to retain them by addressing root cause concerns.

Best Practices for Save Calls

• Use active listening to understand frustration and validate their concerns genuinely
• Offer solutions tailored to their specific pain points (training, discounts, product adjustments, dedicated support)
• If churn is unavoidable, ensure a smooth offboarding experience to maintain relationship
• Identify if the issue is solvable (product fit, pricing) or unsolvable (budget cuts, company closure)
• Bring in appropriate stakeholders (manager, product team) when needed

Sample Save Call Agenda (30-45 Min)

Acknowledge Concerns (10 min)
Let the customer voice their frustrations without interruption or defensiveness

Root Cause Analysis (10 min)
Identify the real reasons for dissatisfaction through probing questions

Retention Solutions (15 min)
Offer tailored solutions based on their specific pain points and constraints

Next Steps (5 min)
If staying, outline a recovery plan with checkpoints; if leaving, finalize graceful offboarding

Example Question:
"If we could resolve [specific concern], would you reconsider staying with us?"

💡 Pro Tip: In save calls, ask "What would need to change for you to stay?" BEFORE presenting solutions. This ensures you're solving their actual problem, not what you assume the problem is. Many CSMs lose saves by solving the wrong issue.

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Escalation Calls

Purpose: Address urgent issues that could impact the customer relationship and demonstrate accountability.

Best Practices for Escalation Calls

• Listen actively and acknowledge the impact of the issue on their business
• Collaborate with internal teams (Engineering, Product, Support) BEFORE presenting solutions
• Provide regular updates until the issue is fully resolved, even if there's no new information
• Own the problem end-to-end rather than passing responsibility to other teams
• Document the incident and prevention measures for future reference

Sample Escalation Call Agenda (30 Min)

Acknowledge the Issue (10 min)
Let the customer explain their frustration and business impact fully

Provide Updates & Resolution Timeline (10 min)
Explain what is being done, who's working on it, and expected fix timeframe

Alternative Workarounds (5 min)
Offer temporary solutions if applicable to minimize business disruption

Follow-Up Plan (5 min)
Set expectations for next update or resolution confirmation

Example Statement:
"I completely understand how this issue is impacting your team, and I appreciate your patience. Our team is actively working on a resolution, and I'll personally update you by [timeframe]."

💡 Pro Tip: During escalations, over-communicate even when there's no new information. A daily "still working on it, here's what we tried today" email shows you haven't forgotten them. Silence during crises destroys trust faster than the original issue.

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Best Practices for Crisis Management Calls

• Validate emotions before problem-solving → Acknowledge frustration and impact before jumping to solutions
• Ask diagnostic questions → Understand root causes rather than treating symptoms
• Over-communicate during escalations → Daily updates build trust even when there's no new progress
• Bring in appropriate stakeholders → Know when to involve manager, product team, or executives
• Document incidents thoroughly → Create knowledge base for team learning and future prevention
• Follow up after resolution → Schedule post-mortem call to ensure issue is truly resolved and relationship repaired
• Learn from every save attempt → Win or lose, document what worked and what didn't for future situations

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REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

Case Study: Transforming Customer Relationship Through Strategic Call Management

Month 1: Poor Start with Generic Approach Sarah, a new CSM, inherited a $500k ARR enterprise account. Her first quarterly check-in followed no agenda and meandered through general "how are things?" questions. The customer seemed disengaged and mentioned they weren't seeing expected value.

Month 2: Implementing Structured Calls

• Conducted proper Goals Discovery Call (should have been done earlier) to understand their actual success metrics
• Discovered they were only using 30% of available features relevant to their use case
• Scheduled Strategy & Adoption Call with customized agenda based on usage gaps
• Created a "Value Realization Roadmap" with 90-day milestones

Month 3: Driving Adoption and Demonstrating Value

• Led Adoption Call showing peer benchmarks and feature demos tailored to their workflow
• Customer activated 3 underutilized features that directly impacted their KPIs
• Identified expansion opportunity for additional seats in another department
• Began documenting quantified outcomes for renewal conversations

Month 6: Successful Renewal with Expansion

• Conducted Renewal Call armed with documented value: 40% efficiency improvement, $120k cost savings
• Customer renewed at 115% of original contract (added seats)
• Received testimonial and became reference customer
• Sarah's structured approach prevented what looked like an early churn risk

Key Strategies Used:

• Applied appropriate call type for each customer stage
• Used structured agendas shared 24 hours in advance
• Asked open-ended questions to uncover real needs
• Documented success metrics and tracked progress visibly
• Transformed reactive relationship into strategic partnership

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KEY TAKEAWAYS: BEST PRACTICES RECAP

✓ Tailor each call type to the customer's lifecycle stage and current needs - discovery requires different approach than renewals

✓ Use structured agendas for every call - share 24 hours in advance and stick to time allocations for efficiency

✓ Prepare using data and context - review usage analytics, CRM notes, and previous conversations before each call

✓ Ask open-ended questions consistently - "How do you currently..." and "What would success look like..." uncover deeper insights

✓ Document measurable success criteria - create shared definitions of value that you can track and report on

✓ Start renewal conversations early - 90-120 days before contract end, not reactively when it's too late

✓ Validate emotions before problem-solving - especially in save calls and escalations, acknowledge frustration first

✓ Over-communicate during crises - daily updates during escalations build trust even without new progress

✓ Follow up systematically after every call - send summary with action items, owners, and due dates within 24 hours

✓ Learn from every interaction - document what worked and what didn't to continuously improve your call effectiveness

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Customer Calls Playbook PDF

The comprehensive playbook covers the 6 most common calls a CSM typically handles on a daily basis, including:

• Detailed question banks for each call type
• Sample scripts and conversation frameworks
• Objection handling techniques
• Follow-up email templates
• Call preparation checklists

💡 Pro Tip: Print the call agendas from the playbook and keep them visible during calls. Even experienced CSMs benefit from having the structure in front of them to ensure no critical questions are missed.