The Impact of AI on Customer Success and Renewal Teams

Customer success and renewal teams are no longer just about relationships and reactive support. Today, you're being asked to do more with less. And AI is changing the game. Across the tech industry, you'll see more tools aimed at boosting productivity, automating routine tasks, and creating smoother customer experiences. But what does that mean for your role—and your team's future? 

That’s what TSIA’s Research Journey, The Impact of AI on Customer Success and Renewal Teams, is here to explore. We're diving into one big question:

How is the rise of AI transforming the responsibilities of customer success and renewal teams in technology companies like yours?

This journey will help you:

• Understand the risk of inaction: Failing to adopt AI could result in lost revenue and missed opportunities for retention.
• Stay ahead of change: Learn what others in the industry are doing—and what’s working.
• Shape your strategy: Use data-driven insights to guide your AI adoption path.

This is a collaborative effort. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in key stages of discovery and learn from real-world results.

So jump in as we:

• Define the Problem: Help us pinpoint the real challenges customer success and renewal teams face in this evolving AI landscape.
• Launch Discovery: Through quick polls, in-depth surveys, and expert interviews, we’ll gather the insights that matter most.
• Develop the Theory: Our analysts will turn the data into frameworks and best practices you can apply to your business.
• Guide the Industry: Together, we’ll uncover how AI-driven changes link to business outcomes—and how you can put those learnings into action.

By joining this Research Journey, you'll get early access to findings, contribute your perspective, and gain insights to help your team thrive in a fast-moving, AI-powered future.

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Define the Problem: Why AI’s Impact on Customer Success and Renewal Teams Can’t Be Ignored

The rise of AI is creating both opportunity and uncertainty for customer success and renewal teams. It’s not just about adopting new technologies—it’s about redefining how your team works, what skills you prioritize, and how you allocate your resources.

If you're a VP, director, or manager leading customer success, renewals, or customer experience, you’re likely feeling this shift already. To move forward with confidence, you need more than guesses. You need research-backed insights that clarify what’s happening—and what’s next.

What’s Driving This Challenge?

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of significant industry changes:

• The subscription economy shifted focus from one-time sales to ongoing relationships.
• The explosion of customer data created opportunities to drive smarter decisions.
• The role of customer success has evolved from being reactive to a core driver of business growth.

Now, AI is accelerating this evolution, especially in customer success and renewal teams. It’s being used to automate repetitive tasks, deliver predictive insights, and detect churn signals earlier than ever. What used to be a high-touch, relationship-driven function is evolving into a strategic, data-driven one, critical to both revenue and retention.

Why This Matters to You and Your Team

AI is redefining the way customer success delivers impact. This shift affects more than your tools—it’s changing team dynamics, processes, and performance expectations. Those who don't evolve risk falling behind in areas that matter most: retention, efficiency, and growth.

If you don’t address this transformation, here’s what’s at stake:

• Lost revenue due to inefficiencies or missed opportunities.
• Slower operations and poor resource alignment.
• Strained or damaged customer relationships.
• Inability to scale with confidence or retain top talent.

For senior executives, this can mean missed strategic targets and competitive setbacks.

For managers and directors, it can lead to difficulties in leading teams, meeting KPIs, and demonstrating the value of their department.

This Research Journey exists to help you and your peers cut through the noise. You’ll gain a clear understanding of what’s changing, why it matters, and how to lead your team through it effectively. By grounding this work in real data, TSIA will help you balance cutting-edge innovation with the people-first mindset that customer success and renewals demand.

Related: The Impact of AI on Customer Success and Renewal Teams

How This Research Journey Will Help You Understand AI’s Real Impact on Customer Success and Renewal Teams

Understanding how AI is reshaping customer success and renewals isn’t something you can guess your way through. That’s why this TSIA Research Journey is built to deliver clear, actionable insights based on real data from companies like yours.

This is a guided process, designed to engage you at every stage:

• Quick Polls to kick things off: We’ll start with two brief polls to get a snapshot of your current experience and perceptions. These quick insights help shape the direction of deeper exploration.
• Ongoing insights and content: Throughout the journey, you’ll receive a steady stream of valuable content, including webinars, expert interviews, in-depth research papers, and published findings you can use to benchmark and guide your strategy.

By participating, you’re helping build the industry’s understanding of what it takes to integrate AI into customer success and renewal teams. In return, you’ll walk away with data-backed insights you can use to lead your team with confidence.

Related: Introducing TSIA Research Journey: The Impact of AI on Customer Success and Renewal Teams

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What You’ll Gain by Joining This Research Journey

When you participate in this Research Journey, you’ll gain insights to lead your organization through one of the most significant shifts in customer success and renewals.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Clear insights you can act on: You’ll uncover the key trends shaping customer growth and renewal in the age of AI. From what’s working to what’s falling short, you’ll see where the industry stands—and where it’s heading.
• Guidance for real-world change: You’ll get practical advice on how to rethink your team structure, job roles, and resource allocation. Whether you're preparing for new responsibilities or planning headcount changes, you'll learn how AI can enhance—not replace—your strategy.
• Strategic confidence: This journey is designed to help you lead with clarity and confidence. With evidence-backed insights, you can confidently align your customer success and renewals teams to deliver more value, drive growth, and strengthen customer loyalty in a rapidly evolving environment.

By joining us, you’re doing more than contributing to research. You’re stepping up to shape the future of your team—and your business. Let’s tackle the AI transformation together.

‍Related: The Impact of AI on Customer Success and Renewal Workforce