Customer Success plays a critical role in SaaS. but it comes with its own language. From health scores to NRR, from onboarding to expansion revenue, the terminology can be confusing for founders, CS teams, and even investors.

That’s why we created this glossary: a practical and plain-English guide to 100+ key terms you’ll encounter when building, leading, or scaling Customer Success in a SaaS business. Bookmark it, share it with your team, and use it to build alignment across sales, product, and customer-facing teams.

A

Acceptance Criteria (AC)

Specific, measurable conditions that must be met for a task or feature to be considered complete. In CS, these criteria help align customer needs with development work. Clear acceptance criteria reduce misunderstandings and speed up delivery.

Account Management

The ongoing process of nurturing customer relationships, usually with a focus on renewals and expansion. While Customer Success focuses on outcomes and adoption, Account Management leans more commercial. In some orgs, the two roles overlap or merge.

Agile

An iterative approach to project and product management focused on flexibility, feedback, and continuous improvement. Customer Success teams often collaborate with product teams using Agile methods. It helps prioritize changes that deliver value faster.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Technology that mimics human reasoning to solve problems or automate decisions. In CS, AI can be used for predictive health scores, churn forecasting, or smart segmentation. It’s also behind many tools that power chatbots and customer insight engines.

Activation

The act of re-engaging inactive users or encouraging first use. Activation is a key stage in the customer lifecycle — especially for product-led SaaS. A strong activation strategy prevents early churn and drives long-term value.

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)

The value of all active subscriptions over a year. ARR is a core SaaS metric used in forecasting, valuation, and tracking growth. Customer Success directly impacts ARR through retention and expansion.

Application Programming Interface (API)

A set of rules that allows two applications to talk to each other. APIs are often used to sync data between SaaS tools or trigger actions. For CS teams, they’re critical for building workflows and integrations.

Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA)

The average amount of revenue generated per customer account. It helps CS and revenue teams measure account value over time. It’s useful for spotting upsell opportunities or segmenting high-value accounts.

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)

The average revenue generated per user, often used in PLG or B2C-style SaaS. ARPU is especially helpful when user count varies across accounts. A rising ARPU often signals successful adoption and growth.

Auto-renewal

When a subscription renews automatically unless cancelled. Auto-renewals simplify revenue operations and reduce churn — but must be handled transparently. Customer Success should ensure customers see continued value before renewal hits.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

A cloud platform used by many SaaS companies for hosting and infrastructure. While not strictly a CS term, it’s relevant in onboarding, compliance, and integrations. Some Customer Success Managers collaborate with AWS partners on joint accounts.

B

Backlog

A prioritized list of tasks, bugs, or feature requests awaiting development. Customer Success often contributes to the product backlog via customer feedback. Keeping it organized ensures customer needs don’t fall through the cracks.

Business to Business (B2B)

A business model where one company sells to another. Most SaaS Customer Success teams operate in B2B environments. It affects deal cycles, onboarding depth, and stakeholder management.

Business to Consumer (B2C)

A business model selling directly to individuals. While less common in CS-heavy SaaS, some tools use B2C onboarding flows or pricing strategies. Lessons from B2C UX often influence CS design.

Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C)

A hybrid model where a business sells to another business, who serves the end-user. CS in B2B2C models often supports multiple stakeholder levels. It requires balancing value delivery between partner and end customer.

C

Case Study

A real example of how a customer used your product to succeed. CS teams often contribute by identifying stories and data. Case studies help with retention, advocacy, and inbound sales.

Chief Customer Officer (CCO)

A senior executive responsible for the entire customer journey. They oversee CS, support, and sometimes onboarding or education. A growing number of SaaS orgs now have a CCO role at the leadership table.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

The top executive responsible for company vision and performance. CS teams may interact with CEOs during EBRs or high-stakes renewals. Aligning with their strategic goals can secure executive buy-in.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Handles budgeting, pricing approvals, and ROI evaluation. The CFO often influences renewal or upsell decisions. CS should be prepared to speak the CFO’s language — especially around value delivery.

Chief Product Officer (CPO)

Leads product strategy and roadmap decisions. Close collaboration between CS and CPO helps turn customer feedback into real improvements. Many successful SaaS teams build regular CS–product syncs.

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

Owns revenue growth across sales, CS, and marketing. A strong partner for CS when aligning expansion, upsell, and churn reduction efforts. The CRO sees CS as a revenue center, not just a support function.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Manages technical direction, architecture, and integrations. May join onboarding or renewal calls for high-tech products. CS teams working with API-heavy or complex SaaS products often interact with CTOs directly.

Churn / Attrition

When a customer stops paying for your service. Churn can be measured by logos (accounts) or revenue (ARR). Reducing churn is the #1 job of most Customer Success teams.

Churn Rate

Churn rate measures the percentage of customers who stop using your product over a specific time period. It’s a key SaaS metric that reflects customer retention and overall satisfaction. A high churn rate signals deeper issues in onboarding, engagement, or product-market fit.

Churn Analysis

The process of understanding why customers leave or cancel. Churn analysis looks at behavioral, financial, and qualitative signals to identify risks. It’s a cornerstone of any proactive CS strategy.

Churn Prediction

Churn prediction uses data and behavioral signals to forecast which customers are likely to stop using your product. It helps CS teams prioritize intervention by identifying risk early. Predictive models often consider usage frequency, support activity, and product adoption trends.

Churn Prevention

Churn prevention involves proactively reducing the likelihood of customers leaving your product or service. It includes strategies like early warning systems, personalized outreach, and delivering consistent value. For SaaS Customer Success teams, it’s a core function tied directly to retention and revenue growth.

C-level

Refers to executive roles like CEO, CCO, or CFO. CS professionals often tailor messaging and value narratives when engaging C-level contacts. Understanding their priorities is critical for account health.

Corner Case / Edge Case

An unusual customer situation that breaks normal processes. Identifying and documenting these cases helps improve the product and support playbooks. CS teams often encounter edge cases first.

Cross-selling

Encouraging customers to adopt complementary products or services. CS plays a key role in identifying timing and fit. Well-executed cross-sell motions can boost Net Revenue Retention.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

The total cost of acquiring a new customer — including sales, marketing, and onboarding. While not directly controlled by CS, reducing churn improves CAC payback periods. CAC is often compared to CLTV.

Customer Effort Score (CES)

A survey-based metric that asks: “How easy was it to…?” It tracks the perceived effort required to complete a task. Lower effort = higher loyalty.

Customer Experience (CX)

The total perception of your product and brand from the customer’s view. CS teams work to ensure every touchpoint adds value. A great experience increases retention, referrals, and expansion.

Customer Journey

The complete path from initial awareness to advocacy or churn. CS takes ownership of the post-sale part of that journey. Mapping the journey helps identify drop-off points and value moments.

Customer Journey Map

A visual diagram of the key steps, emotions, and goals in the customer journey. Helps CS, product, and marketing stay aligned. Especially useful for designing onboarding and lifecycle campaigns.

Customer Lifecycle

Describes the key phases customers move through — onboarding, adoption, renewal, and expansion. Each stage needs different tactics. CS teams use lifecycle models to trigger playbooks and measure success.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)

The total revenue a customer is expected to bring over their relationship with your company. Increasing CLTV is the north star of modern Customer Success. It combines retention, upsell, and engagement into one key metric.

D

Daily Active Users (DAU)

A key usage metric showing the number of unique users engaging with your product each day. Especially relevant for product-led or high-frequency SaaS. Helps CS teams monitor engagement trends.

Dashboard

A visual interface displaying metrics, KPIs, or data trends. CS teams use dashboards to track account health, ticket volumes, or adoption. Well-designed dashboards improve alignment across teams.

Data-Driven

An approach that relies on evidence from data, not just opinions or gut instinct. CS teams use it to prioritize actions, build health scores, and make retention strategies measurable. It’s essential for proving CS impact.

Discovery Call

The first call with a customer to understand their needs, goals, and context. While often led by Sales, CS teams may join during onboarding or for expansions. A good discovery call sets the foundation for value delivery.

Downgrade

When a customer switches to a lower-priced plan or reduces usage. It affects revenue but isn’t always a bad sign if needs are still met. CS teams should identify downgrade risks early and address root causes.

Downsell

Intentionally offering a lower-priced plan to retain a customer who might otherwise churn. A strategic downsell can preserve the relationship and lead to future upsell. Often used during renewal negotiations.

Downtime

The period when a service is unavailable or non-operational. Frequent or extended downtime harms trust and increases churn risk. CS should communicate transparently during incidents and follow up post-resolution.

E

Early Warning System

A set of triggers or signals that predict churn or risk. Often based on health scores, usage drop-offs, or NPS changes. Enables CS teams to act before problems escalate.

Escalation

When an issue is elevated due to severity or lack of resolution. CS teams may escalate internally to support or externally to senior stakeholders. Managing escalations quickly protects relationships.

Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)

Commonly used in support or onboarding to set delivery expectations. Transparent ETAs help manage customer trust and reduce anxiety. CS teams should over-communicate when timelines shift.

Executive Business Review (EBR)

A strategic meeting with customer stakeholders to review performance, share value, and align on goals. EBRs are usually quarterly or biannual. They’re essential for renewals, upsell, and executive alignment.

Expansion

When an existing customer increases usage, adds users, or purchases more features. Expansion drives Net Revenue Retention. CS plays a central role in spotting and nurturing expansion opportunities.

Expansion Revenue

The additional revenue generated through upselling, cross-selling, or increased usage. It offsets churn and boosts lifetime value. SaaS companies often measure CS performance by expansion outcomes.

Exit Interview

A conversation with a customer who is about to churn. Its goal is to gather feedback, understand pain points, and leave the door open for return. Valuable input from exit interviews should be fed back into CS and product.

F

Feature Adoption

Measures how widely and frequently a specific feature is used. CS teams track this to ensure customers get full value from the product. Low adoption may signal poor onboarding or misalignment with needs.

Feature Request

A suggestion from users to improve or add functionality. CS teams often collect, categorize, and prioritize requests for product teams. Managing expectations around requests is key to trust.

Feedback

Input from customers about their experience, needs, or frustrations. It can be quantitative (surveys) or qualitative (interviews). Feedback loops help CS and product iterate quickly.

Freemium

A pricing model that offers basic access for free, with paid upgrades. Freemium models need strong onboarding and activation flows to convert users. CS may support top free users to drive conversion.

G

General Availability (GA)

The official release of a product or feature to all customers. CS teams often coordinate communication and support during GA launches. It’s a critical milestone after beta testing or limited releases.

Go-To-Market (GTM)

The strategic plan for how a company launches and sells its products. CS is often part of GTM in modern SaaS, ensuring onboarding and retention are built into the customer journey. A tight GTM-CS alignment improves activation and lifetime value.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

A cloud infrastructure provider used by many SaaS companies. While primarily technical, CS teams may interface with GCP during integration or compliance discussions.

Gross Revenue Retention (GRR)

Measures how much revenue is retained from existing customers, excluding expansion. GRR focuses purely on churn and downsell. It’s a baseline retention metric that CS directly influences.

Gamification

The use of game-like elements (badges, points, progress bars) to motivate behavior. SaaS products may use gamification to encourage adoption or training. CS teams can leverage these features to boost engagement.

H

Handoff

The transition of customer responsibility from one team to another — often from Sales to CS. A well-executed handoff includes shared context, expectations, and goals. Poor handoffs lead to misalignment and slower onboarding.

Head of Customer Success

The leader responsible for the CS function within a SaaS company. This role typically oversees onboarding, renewals, team structure, and strategy. In growing companies, they’re key in aligning CS with sales, product, and leadership.

Health Score

A composite metric that indicates the overall status of a customer. It combines usage, satisfaction, support activity, and other signals. Health scores help CS teams prioritize accounts and predict churn or upsell.

Heuristic

A simple rule or shortcut used to make quick decisions. In CS, heuristics might be used in scoring models or support triage. They help move fast but should be validated against data.

High Touch

A CS model where customers receive frequent and personalized interactions. High-touch service is common for large contracts or complex onboarding. It contrasts with low-touch or tech-touch models.

I

Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

The type of customer most likely to succeed with your product. ICPs are defined by industry, size, use case, or behavior. CS teams use them to focus effort and tailor outreach.

Identity Provider (IdP)

A service that manages user identities and authentication, such as Okta or Azure AD. IdPs are often part of enterprise onboarding flows. CS teams may get involved in SSO or permission-related issues.

Implementation

The process of setting up and configuring a product for a new customer. CS often owns or supports implementation to ensure a smooth start. Good implementation reduces time-to-value and support load.

In-app

Any message, tutorial, or feature accessed directly within the software. In-app messages are used by CS teams to guide users, promote features, or collect feedback. Effective in-app strategies drive adoption and engagement.

Internal Acceptance Testing (IAT)

A phase in testing where internal teams validate if the product works as expected. While mostly a product responsibility, CS may provide use cases or feedback. IAT helps reduce bugs before rollout.

J

Joint Success Plan

A shared document or agreement between a SaaS provider and the customer that outlines goals, milestones, and success metrics. It helps both parties stay aligned throughout the relationship. CS teams use it to proactively manage value delivery and drive renewals.

K

Key Account

A strategically important customer with high revenue, growth potential, or brand influence. These accounts often receive high-touch support. CS teams usually dedicate specific resources or custom success plans to them.

Key Account Manager (KAM)

The person responsible for nurturing and growing a key account. In some SaaS orgs, KAMs work closely with CSMs to balance commercial and success goals. This role is critical for managing executive relationships and long-term retention.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Specific, measurable metrics that indicate how well a team or company is performing. CS teams track KPIs like Net Revenue Retention, churn rate, onboarding time, and support resolution time. KPIs create accountability and focus.

Kickoff

The first official meeting after a deal is closed, often involving both the customer and internal teams. It sets expectations, introduces roles, and aligns on goals. A strong kickoff increases trust and sets the tone for onboarding.

L

Large Language Model (LLM)

A type of AI model trained on vast amounts of text — like GPT. LLMs are increasingly used in SaaS products to automate tasks, summarize conversations, or analyze feedback. CS teams may leverage LLM-powered features for productivity.

License Expiration Date

The date when a customer’s product license ends unless renewed. CS teams track this to trigger renewal playbooks and prevent service disruptions. It’s essential to communicate expiration dates well in advance.

License Registration Date

The date a customer activated or registered their license. Useful for calculating time-to-value, contract cycles, or onboarding windows. It can help CS teams measure early-stage engagement.

Logo Churn

The number or percentage of accounts lost during a period, regardless of revenue size. While not always tied to revenue, high logo churn signals broader customer dissatisfaction. It’s often tracked alongside revenue churn.

Low Touch

A CS model designed for scale, with limited human interaction and heavy automation. Ideal for smaller customers or high-volume SaaS businesses. CS still plays a role — through email cadences, product tips, or automated alerts.

M

Master Service Agreement (MSA)

A contract outlining the general terms and conditions between a vendor and a customer. It governs multiple transactions and sets the legal framework for SaaS relationships. CS teams may reference the MSA during renewals, escalations, or scope questions.

Marketplace

An online platform where software products or integrations are listed and distributed (e.g., Salesforce AppExchange, AWS Marketplace). CS teams use these to guide customers toward extensions, integrations, or partner tools that enhance product value.

MEDDIC

A B2B sales qualification framework: Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion. While primarily a sales tool, CS teams working on expansion or renewals may use MEDDIC to assess readiness.

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

A product with just enough features to satisfy early users and gather feedback. CS teams working with early-stage customers or betas often help validate MVPs. Feedback loops are crucial at this stage.

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

The predictable monthly revenue from subscriptions. MRR is often broken down into new, expansion, contraction, and churned MRR. CS impacts MRR through retention, renewals, and upsells.

N

Negative Churn

When expansion revenue outweighs revenue lost to churn and downgrades. It results in net revenue growth from the existing customer base. Achieving negative churn is a major goal of SaaS CS teams.

Net Revenue Retention (NDR)

Also known as Net Dollar Retention (NDR), it measures how much revenue is retained and expanded within existing customers. NRR over 100% means you’re growing even without new customers. A core CS performance metric.

Net Terms

The payment window a customer has after being invoiced (e.g., Net 30 = payment due in 30 days). While typically a finance concern, CS teams may handle customer questions about payment timelines during onboarding or renewals.

Net Margin

The percentage of profit a company retains after all costs. While not controlled by CS, driving efficient retention helps increase profitability over time. CS leaders may be asked to defend budgets based on margin impact.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

A customer loyalty metric based on the question: “How likely are you to recommend us?” Scores range from -100 to +100. CS teams often own NPS collection and follow-up loops.

Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

Same as Net Dollar Retention. It reflects overall account growth, accounting for churn, downsell, and upsell. A top-line SaaS metric closely tied to CS performance.

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

A legal agreement protecting confidential information shared between parties. CS may coordinate NDAs for beta features, strategic partnerships, or case studies.

O

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

A goal-setting framework used to align teams and measure progress. Many CS teams adopt OKRs to focus on outcomes like improving onboarding time or increasing NDR. Clear OKRs create accountability across the org.

One-to-Many

A scaled CS model where a single CSM supports many accounts through automation, webinars, templates, and content. One-to-many strategies enable support for long-tail accounts without sacrificing impact.

Onboarding Manager

A role dedicated to helping new customers successfully implement and start using a SaaS product. They handle handoffs, training, and early adoption. A strong onboarding manager accelerates time-to-value and prevents early churn.

P

Past-due

A subscription or invoice that remains unpaid after the due date. CS teams may be alerted to follow up with the customer, especially if access is at risk. Preventing involuntary churn often starts with addressing past-due issues early.

Partnership Marketing

A collaborative strategy where two companies co-market their solutions to mutual audiences. CS may be involved by identifying happy customers as potential partners or co-sponsors of webinars or case studies.

Personalization

Tailoring content, communication, or product experience to a specific user or account. CS teams use personalization to improve engagement, relevance, and perceived value. It’s especially effective in one-to-many outreach models.

Playbook

A predefined series of actions for recurring scenarios — e.g. onboarding, renewal risk, or upsell opportunity. CS teams use playbooks to stay consistent, efficient, and data-driven. Great playbooks balance automation with human touch.

Proactivity

Taking initiative before issues arise — a core principle of modern Customer Success. Proactive CS prevents churn, strengthens trust, and creates expansion opportunities. It often relies on good data and alerting systems.

Product Adoption

The process of customers using and embracing product features over time. High adoption signals value realization. CS monitors adoption closely and may intervene with training, education, or nudges.

Product Tour

An in-app or live walkthrough designed to guide users through key features. CS teams use product tours to accelerate onboarding and reduce support load. Tools like WalkMe or Appcues help automate this process.

Professional Services

Paid, often one-time services like implementation, training, or consulting. While not part of core CS, these services can be bundled with CS plans. CS may help position or deliver them.

Proof of Concept (PoC)

A limited trial or custom setup to prove product fit before full rollout. CS may support PoCs by setting up success criteria and tracking early usage. A successful PoC often leads to long-term conversion.

Prospect

A potential customer still in the sales funnel. While typically a Sales concern, CS may get involved if a prospect wants to evaluate onboarding, support, or outcomes before purchase.

Purchase Order (PO)

An official document confirming a customer’s intent to buy. Required for many enterprise transactions. CS teams should track whether a PO has been received to avoid billing delays.

Q

Quarterly Business Review (QBR)

A strategic check-in with a customer, typically led by the CS team. It reviews progress, KPIs, outcomes, and future goals. QBRs are key to renewals, expansion, and executive alignment.

Quote

A formal pricing offer shared with a prospect or customer. CS teams may generate or review quotes for expansions or renewals. Clear and timely quoting can reduce friction in the purchase process.

R

RACI Matrix (Responsibility Assignment Matrix)

A framework that clarifies who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed in a process. Helpful during onboarding or complex implementations. CS uses RACI to streamline coordination across teams.

Reactivity

The opposite of proactivity — responding only when problems are raised. While sometimes necessary, overly reactive CS leads to higher churn. The best CS orgs balance responsive and proactive motions.

Renewal Date

The continuation of a customer’s contract or subscription at the end of a term. CS teams are often responsible for securing renewals, especially in high-touch models. Timely communication and value alignment are key.

Renewal Rate

The percentage of contracts or revenue renewed during a given time period. It’s a core retention metric, often split into gross and net renewal rates. High renewal rates reflect strong CS execution.

Retention

The act of keeping customers over time. Strong retention means fewer customers are leaving, increasing lifetime value and reducing CAC burden. CS is built to improve retention systematically.

Retention Rate

A metric that shows the proportion of customers (or revenue) retained over time. It’s often expressed monthly or annually. It’s one of the most important KPIs for SaaS businesses.

Return on Investment (ROI)

A measure of the value a customer gets relative to the cost they pay. CS teams often help prove and communicate ROI to decision-makers. High ROI improves renewal and upsell likelihood.

Revenue Operations (RevOps)

An operations function that unifies Sales, Marketing, and CS data/processes. RevOps helps CS teams automate workflows, align KPIs, and improve forecasting. It’s gaining popularity in data-driven SaaS orgs.

Roadmap

A visual or strategic plan of upcoming product features, improvements, and timelines. CS teams use roadmaps to set expectations and gather feedback. Involving customers in roadmap discussions can improve engagement and loyalty.

S

Scope of Work (SoW)

A document that outlines the specific tasks, deliverables, and timelines for a customer project. CS teams use it to manage expectations and avoid scope creep. A solid SoW is key to smooth onboarding and professional services delivery.

Segmentation

The practice of dividing customers into groups based on size, behavior, value, or other traits. CS teams use segmentation to tailor outreach, prioritize effort, and scale effectively. It’s the foundation of one-to-many success models.

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

A formal commitment on service standards — e.g. response times or uptime. SLAs are critical for support teams but also impact CS, especially during escalations or QBRs.

Small and Medium Business (SMB)

A common customer segment in SaaS, typically defined by company size or revenue. SMBs often require different CS approaches — more automation, simpler playbooks, and faster time-to-value.

Sprint

A short, time-boxed period during which a team works to complete specific goals. CS teams may work in sprints internally or coordinate with product teams on sprint planning. It’s part of Agile methodology.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

A software delivery model where applications are hosted in the cloud and accessed via subscription. Customer Success is especially crucial in SaaS because renewals and expansions drive long-term revenue.

Silos

Departments or teams working in isolation, often leading to poor communication and duplicated effort. CS teams often act as connectors — aligning Sales, Product, and Support to ensure a seamless customer experience.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

A login method that allows users to access multiple systems with one set of credentials. Often requested during onboarding by security-conscious customers. CS teams help guide customers through SSO setup when needed.

Steps to Reproduce (STR)

A detailed description of how to replicate a bug or issue. CS teams collect STRs to help support or engineering resolve issues efficiently. Accurate STRs speed up resolution time.

Subject Matter Expert (SME)

An individual with deep knowledge in a specific area. CS teams may call in SMEs for technical questions, vertical-specific use cases, or product deep dives.

Success Plan

A documented strategy that defines how a customer will achieve their goals with your product. CS teams co-create success plans during onboarding or renewals to drive alignment and outcomes.

T

Tag

A metadata label applied to customers or users for segmentation and automation. CS platforms often support tagging by lifecycle stage, usage pattern, or persona. Tags power dynamic playbooks and alerts.

Tech Touch

A scaled Customer Success model that relies on automated emails, in-app messages, and dashboards. It’s ideal for supporting long-tail accounts. CS teams use tech touch to deliver value without human bottlenecks.

Terms of Use (ToU)

The legal agreement outlining how users can interact with a product or service. While legal leads ToU creation, CS teams may help customers understand or comply with the terms.

Ticket

A record of a support request. CS teams monitor ticket volume, trends, and resolution time — and often escalate or follow up on behalf of high-value customers.

Time-to-Value (TTV)

The time it takes for a new customer to see their first meaningful outcome from your product. The shorter the TTV, the better the chance of retention. CS teams obsess over TTV as a key onboarding metric.

Tooltip

A small pop-up or UI message that explains a feature or guides users. CS teams often use tooltips to improve feature discovery and reduce support volume. Many in-app onboarding tools support tooltip design.

Touchpoint

Any interaction between your company and the customer — email, call, meeting, or product usage. CS teams map and optimize touchpoints to ensure a seamless experience across the customer journey.

U

Unique Selling Point (USP)

The distinctive benefit or feature that sets your product apart. CS teams often reinforce USPs during renewals or competitive conversations. A strong USP makes customer retention easier.

Upgrade

When a customer moves to a higher-tier plan or adds more seats/features. CS teams often identify upgrade opportunities based on usage patterns or business growth.

Upselling

Encouraging customers to buy more advanced or higher-value versions of what they already use. CS plays a key role in upsell timing and positioning.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

The phase where the customer tests the solution to confirm it meets requirements. UAT often happens during onboarding or implementation. CS may help coordinate feedback and fixes.

Use Case

A specific way a customer applies the product to solve a business problem. CS teams use use cases to tailor onboarding, segment customers, and build advocacy materials.

User Experience (UX)

The overall experience someone has when interacting with your product. CS cares about UX because poor usability drives support tickets and churn.

User Interface (UI)

The visual and interactive elements of a product. While Product owns UI, CS teams often relay feedback about confusing designs or usability blockers.

User

Anyone who interacts with your product — not always the buyer or decision-maker. CS teams should understand how end users experience the product and ensure they’re successful too.

V

Value Proposition

A clear explanation of the value a product delivers to its users. CS teams reinforce the value proposition during onboarding, QBRs, and renewals. A well-communicated value proposition aligns customer goals with product capabilities.

Vaporware

A product or feature that is announced but never delivered. In SaaS, overpromising and underdelivering damages trust — especially for CS. CS teams must carefully manage expectations and communicate roadmap changes honestly.

VP of Customer Success

An executive role responsible for CS strategy, team performance, and alignment with company goals. The VP of CS defines how Success impacts churn, NRR, onboarding, and cross-functional initiatives.

W

Webinar

An online seminar used for customer education, feature launches, or onboarding at scale. CS teams use webinars to deliver one-to-many training and boost product adoption. Well-executed webinars can reduce ticket volume and drive upsell.

Webhook

A way for applications to communicate automatically when an event happens — e.g., “new user created.” While technical, CS teams may work with webhooks to set up alerts or integrations that improve the customer experience.

Workaround

A temporary solution to a problem before a permanent fix is available. CS often communicates workarounds during escalations or bugs. Clear documentation of workarounds reduces frustration and builds trust.

Workflow

A repeatable set of steps or automations that accomplish a process. CS teams use workflows for onboarding, renewals, playbooks, and internal coordination. Good workflows increase consistency and scale.

Z

Zero-touch

A CS model with no human interaction — fully automated journeys and support. It’s used for self-serve or low-revenue accounts. While hands-off, great zero-touch CS still delivers value through personalization and smart triggers.

Zombie Account

A customer that still pays but shows no activity or engagement. Zombie accounts are at high risk of churn and often surface during health scoring. CS teams should detect and re-engage these accounts early.