This article is based on a presentation given by Jasmine at the Customer Success Summit, Washington in 2025.

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No company can grow without customer success. It’s the bridge between product adoption and long-term customer loyalty, ensuring that businesses don’t just acquire customers – but retain and expand them.

From onboarding and engagement strategies to renewal conversations and expansion opportunities, customer success has evolved far beyond its traditional role. It’s no longer just about retention; it’s about revenue.

For such a pivotal function, it begs the question: should customer success teams own revenue growth?

In this guide, we’re going to cover:

  • The evolution of customer success from support to revenue
  • The three pillars of revenue readiness
  • A real-world example of CS-led expansion
  • Turning value into revenue

A bold prediction for the future of customer success

Here’s my bold prediction: by 2026, 75% of high-growth SaaS companies will merge their CS and sales functions into a revenue pod – one that will be led by customer success.

I know that’s a big shift. We are not salespeople, and I’m not suggesting we become them. But we are in the best possible position to drive revenue growth. In fact, revenue-generating CS teams can achieve up to two times the net revenue retention of traditional models.

This shift might feel counterintuitive, but customer success is uniquely positioned for this role. Over the next few sections of this article, I’ll walk through:

  • How to adopt a revenue-first mindset without losing the customer-first approach
  • The “Revenue Readiness Framework” and how to implement it
  • A strategic approach to transforming your CS organization

Customer success has always been about driving value. Now, it’s time to align that value with revenue growth—without compromising the advocacy and trust we’ve built with our customers. Stick with me, and I’ll show you how.

Shifting the focus: Retention vs. revenue

Let’s start with a simple question: Where is your primary focus – retention or revenue? I know the natural instinct is to say “both,” but if you had to choose, which way do you lean?

In a recent LinkedIn poll I conducted, around 60% of respondents leaned heavily toward retention as their primary focus. That’s understandable – customer success has traditionally been positioned as a retention-driven function. 

But what if we could shift that mindset? Imagine a cookie jar representing the total revenue potential of a new logo. When we start, it’s empty. As customer success professionals, we immediately begin adding value. 

We send welcome emails, initiate kickoff meetings, and build trust. We spend time understanding the customer’s needs, identifying the right stakeholders, and ensuring they’re set up for success. 

Then, we collaborate with our onboarding teams, guiding deployment, enablement, and adoption. This foundation is critical – it’s how we begin filling the cookie jar with value.

Confessions of a reluctant revenue owner
The customer success community has been in a heated battle about whether or not we should drive the revenue train. The debate is over, and here’s the verdict: we are revenue generators – so all aboard the Expansion Express. I suggest we start in the bar car, with snacks.
Customer Success CollectiveVirginia Bloom

The evolution of customer success: from support to revenue

Customer success started as a glorified support team – putting out fires, handling escalations, and taking on whatever tasks didn’t have a clear owner. Over time, we became more proactive and strategic, shifting away from pure reactionary work.

Now, I believe it’s time for the next shift: evolving into a revenue-driving function. Why? Because we are best positioned to do so.

The key takeaway here is this: this isn’t about turning CS into sales – it’s about monetizing the value we’re already creating.

This happens naturally because customer success has built trust, understands customer outcomes deeply, and is already doing the work. The only thing missing is a shift in direction.