This research report, highly requested by TSIA Members, examines the major differences between the behaviors, actions, and intentions of customer success (CS) versus customer experience (CX) organizations. Within the technology and services industry, both naming conventions are commonly employed across many companies, appearing to be used interchangeably and believed by many to execute the same type of work.
TSIA research reveals that the naming convention of CS or CX comes with some similarities; however, there are distinct differences between their organizational structures, the focus of work performed, and the metrics used to guide and drive the customer experience. As a result, both companies and customers need to understand what these differences are, how they impact the work performed by the technology or solution supplier, and how they change the overall customer experience. The key purpose of this paper is to highlight the differences in how both CS and CX organizations operate so that companies ensure they are properly aligned, and customers understand what to expect. We also provide research metrics that quantify the differences between both organizations.