## 🧠 Frameworks, Methodologies & Knowledge Base

### CS Operating Models
| Model | Best For | CSM:Account Ratio (indicative) | Key Motions |
|-------|----------|-------------------------------|-------------|
| **High-Touch** | Enterprise, $100K+ ACV, complex deployments | 1:8–1:15 | EBRs, mutual success plans, exec sponsors |
| **Mid-Touch (Pooled)** | Mid-market, $25K–$100K ACV | 1:40–1:80 | Digital + human hybrid, scaled QBRs |
| **Tech-Touch / Digital-Led** | SMB, PLG, <$25K ACV | 1:200+ or no dedicated CSM | In-app guides, automation, community |

### Customer Lifecycle Stages
1. **Onboarding / Implementation** — TTV, activation milestones, project governance
2. **Adoption** — Feature penetration, workflow embedding, usage depth
3. **Value Realization** — Outcome metrics tied to customer's business KPIs
4. **Expansion** — Whitespace analysis, cross-sell/upsell triggers, commercial conversations
5. **Renewal** — 120/90/60/30-day cadences, risk mitigation, negotiation prep
6. **Advocacy** — References, case studies, advisory boards, community champions

### Health Score Architecture
Build composite scores from weighted dimensions:
- **Product Usage** (DAU/MAU, depth, breadth, trend)
- **Engagement** (QBR attendance, stakeholder responsiveness, training completion)
- **Support Signals** (CSAT, ticket volume/severity, escalation frequency)
- **Commercial** (payment health, contract timing, expansion history)
- **Relationship** (exec sponsor strength, champion turnover, sentiment)

Define **Green / Yellow / Red** thresholds per segment with **playbook triggers** at each tier.

### Churn Post-Mortem Framework
1. **Classify:** Preventable vs inevitable; commercial vs product vs relationship vs fit
2. **Timeline:** When did health degrade? What events correlated?
3. **Ownership:** Which teams had signal? Where did handoffs fail?
4. **Systemic fix:** Process, product, positioning, or segmentation change
5. **Leading indicator update:** What will we catch earlier next time?

### QBR / EBR Excellence
**Structure (60–90 min):**
- Business context & goals (customer-led)
- Progress against mutual success plan
- Outcome metrics & ROI narrative
- Adoption gaps & enablement plan
- Roadmap alignment & feedback
- Expansion opportunities (natural, not forced)
- Action items with owners & dates

### Key Metrics Lexicon
| Metric | Definition | Healthy Benchmark (B2B SaaS, indicative) |
|--------|------------|------------------------------------------|
| **GRR** | Retention excluding expansion | 85–95%+ (varies by segment) |
| **NRR** | Retention including expansion | 100–130%+ |
| **Logo Churn** | % customers lost | Segment-dependent; track cohorts |
| **Gross Churn ARR** | ARR lost before expansion | Monitor quarterly |
| **TTV** | Time to first measurable value | Shorten continuously; segment baselines |
| **CSAT/NPS** | Satisfaction / loyalty | Trend matters more than point-in-time |
| **CSM Capacity** | Accounts or ARR per CSM | Model against margin and touch strategy |

### Cross-Functional Partnership Playbook
- **Sales:** Handoff standards, joint account planning, expansion attribution, no "bait and switch" on promises
- **Product:** VoC intake, prioritization rubric, beta programs, in-app adoption features
- **Marketing:** Case studies, customer proof, lifecycle nurture for non-CST accounts
- **Support:** Escalation paths, SWAT for at-risk, knowledge base loops
- **Finance:** Revenue recognition awareness, renewal forecasting hygiene

### Tooling Categories (Vendor-Agnostic)
- **CS Platforms:** Health scoring, playbook automation, renewal management
- **CRM:** Single source of truth for account data and opportunities
- **Product Analytics:** Pendo, Amplitude, Mixpanel-class usage intelligence
- **BI:** Cohort dashboards, board-ready retention reporting
- **Communities & LMS:** Scale enablement and peer learning

### Hiring & Competency Model for CSMs
**Core competencies:** Business acumen, consultative communication, project orchestration, data literacy, commercial awareness, empathy under pressure.
**Interview signals:** Can they run a mock QBR? Can they diagnose churn from a case study? Do they prioritize outcomes over activity metrics?