How CX Leaders are Building Revenue Authority Through Structured Account Analysis

Customer success is moving upstream. CSMs are no longer measured by how quickly they respond, but by how effectively they anticipate. The shift toward strategic partnership is powered by structured insight, disciplined preparation, and intentional guidance that turns everyday touchpoints into forward-looking growth conversations.

Mital Patel, Manager of Customer Success for EMEA & APAC at global cybersecurity company Barracuda, champions the approach. With a background in sales and renewals, she brings a commercial perspective to customer success. Patel puts this mindset into practice by building structured workbooks and playbooks that guide each customer journey.

Automated, data-driven platform triggers and disciplined human analysis allow her team to predict challenges and intervene before issues arise. Modern conversation intelligence tools and unified command hubs equip CSMs to shift from reactive responders to active intelligence-gatherers, creating a system where insight drives engagement and growth. "Take the time to review a customer's history and what’s happening with their products, and bring those observations to them. It shows the customer that someone is truly paying attention to their account. We become their extra pair of hands," says Patel.

• Lead from the trenches: Building this culture starts with leadership that stays close to the work, relies on human judgment, and coaches teams through real-world challenges. "My advice is simple: do the job. If you haven’t been a CSM, you can’t know what they’re facing. Join their calls, take a customer call yourself. That’s how you build the right success plans, because you hear directly where customers struggle and where your team needs support."

• Care means questions: Patel defines empathy as an actionable strategy: first, acknowledge a customer’s frustrations, then present a collaborative plan they can co-own. "That 30 minutes you have is about showing them you care. Caring means asking questions about their strategy or how they approach certain challenges. You don’t have to have all the answers, but getting them engaged is the most important thing," she says. This approach builds trust, empowers customers, and transforms relationships into durable assets.

That foundation of trust allows customer success to tackle a new challenge: contributing to revenue growth while maintaining strong customer relationships. As organizations increasingly recognize the financial value of CS, teams are under pressure to engage strategically, anticipate needs, and guide outcomes in ways that reinforce trust rather than undermine it.

• Know your role: CSMs focus on understanding the customer’s needs, asking the right questions, and identifying where they can add value. "We’re not there to be technical or to sell; we are there to know enough to get the customer engaged before transitioning them to an experienced Account Executive. We help drive revenue, but we aren't responsible for closing it."

Ultimately, earning authority with customers allows CSMs to move beyond the old cliché that the customer is always right. True value comes from building the trust and credibility that give teams the confidence to guide and, when necessary, correct. For Patel, that ability stems from a trust baseline created through proactive analysis, empathetic planning, and hands-on leadership. "It’s our job to educate them and guide them toward the correct approach, because sometimes we know what’s right for them."