Two Sides of the Same Coin?
I notice more and more how the terms Customer Experience (CX) and Customer Success (CS) are used interchangeably, but they represent distinct functions with different objectives. While both focus on customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention, they approach these goals from different angles. The most successful businesses don’t treat CX and CS as competing priorities, they align them strategically to create a seamless customer journey. Despite being a CX professional, the Customer Success function is almost my favorite team within an organization.
Let’s look at the key differences between CX and CS, explore why alignment between the two is crucial, and provide actionable steps for integrating them effectively.
Defining CX and CS: What’s the Difference?
Customer Experience (CX): Encompasses managing the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to post-purchase interactions. It focuses on perception, emotion, and the overall quality of interactions with a brand. CX is about designing frictionless, enjoyable experiences across all touchpoints.
Customer Success (CS): Primarily found in B2B and subscription-based businesses, CS ensures that customers achieve their desired outcomes using a company’s product or service. It involves proactive engagement, onboarding, training, and ongoing relationship management to reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value (CLV).
Key Difference: While CX is holistic and looks at the entire customer journey, CS is focused on ensuring customers derive continuous value from a product or service.
A Match Made in Heaven: Why CX and CS Need to Work Together
When CX and CS operate in silos, businesses risk fragmented customer journeys, missed opportunities for engagement, and inefficiencies in customer retention efforts. Here’s where I have seen alignment deliver best results in our work with clients:
🔹 A seamless customer journey: When CX and CS teams share insights, businesses can eliminate gaps between pre-sale and post-sale interactions. A customer who had a great buying experience shouldn’t be left unsupported once they become a paying user.
🔹 Proactive problem-solving: CS teams, which work closely with customers post-sale, gather valuable insights that can inform CX improvements. Conversely, CX teams identify pain points that CS can address with better onboarding or training.
🔹 Increased retention and advocacy: Companies that align CX and CS create consistent, high-value experiences, increasing customer loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.
Where we Saw Challenges in CX-CS Alignment
Despite the benefits of integration, many businesses struggle with misalignment between CX and CS. Common pitfalls include:
🚧 Siloed Data: CX and CS teams often use different tools and metrics, making it difficult to share insights effectively.
🚧 Conflicting Goals: CX might focus on NPS and customer sentiment, while CS prioritizes upsells and renewals. Without alignment, these priorities can clash.
🚧 Lack of Communication: Without regular collaboration, CS teams may not understand CX-driven initiatives, and CX teams may overlook CS pain points.
How to Align CX and CS for Maximum Impact
To bridge the gap between CX and CS, businesses should implement the following strategies:
- Establish Shared Goals: Align KPIs such as retention rates, customer health scores, and churn reduction to ensure both teams work toward the same business objectives.
- Integrate Data and Insights: Use a unified customer data platform (CDP) or shared CRM system to enable seamless information exchange between teams.
- Create Cross-Functional Collaboration: Hold regular meetings between CX and CS teams to discuss customer insights, identify common pain points, and strategize solutions.
- Map the Full Customer Journey: Develop a comprehensive customer journey map that includes both pre-sale (CX-driven) and post-sale (CS-driven) touchpoints to ensure a smooth transition between teams.
- Enhance Customer Communication: Ensure that messaging remains consistent across CX and CS touchpoints, preventing customers from receiving mixed signals.
Case Example: A Company That Gets It Right
Many leading companies have successfully integrated CX and CS to drive better customer outcomes. One standout example I have personally seen in action is HubSpot, which aligns CX-driven marketing and sales efforts with a robust CS framework to ensure customer success post-purchase. By creating a seamless onboarding experience, offering proactive customer education, and continuously improving based on feedback, HubSpot keeps customers engaged and reduces churn.
Getting it Right: The Future of CX and CS Alignment
From what I see, the divide between CX and CS is fading as businesses recognize that the two functions are deeply interconnected. Companies that successfully align CX and CS will create more cohesive, value-driven experiences that lead to increased customer loyalty and long-term growth.
Is your organization aligning CX and CS effectively? Share your thoughts in the comments or let’s discuss how to bridge the gap in your business.