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Training 03

A customer who expands is a customer who succeeded. This training helps CSMs own that conversation.

CS and account managers who know how to spot expansion signals, introduce upsells naturally, and renew with confidence drive more revenue than any new logo motion. I train your team to make expansion feel like the customer's idea — because by the time the conversation happens, it is.

For
Customer Success Managers and Account Managers
Duration
8 hours total (split sessions)
Group size
Min 5 · Max 12
Format
Remote or on-site
Net Revenue Retention — typical client trajectory
98%
Q1
102%
Q2
101%
Q3
112%
Q4
119%
Q1+
128%
Q2+
Before training After training
500+ European SaaS sellers trained · 140+ B2B SaaS & AI teams · 1,400+ calls reviewed
What we cover

Topics built around what I find in your team

Before the training, I review your team's actual data — calls, emails, pipeline, KPIs. Every topic below is adapted to the specific gaps I find. Click each to expand.

1
Foundations of Commercial Customer Success
CS is a revenue function. Most teams have not been set up that way.

We reframe Customer Success as a proactive, commercial discipline. CSMs learn to define their role in driving expansion and retention, understand CSQLs, and clarify when CS owns commercial responsibility versus sales.

Learning goals
  • Define the commercial role of CS and where expansion ownership sits
  • Understand what a CSQL is and how to qualify one
  • Shift from reactive support mindset to proactive, revenue-driving behaviour
2
Customer Journey & Key Touchpoints
Every touchpoint is a chance to build the case for expansion.

We map the full customer lifecycle and align each phase with measurable outcomes. CSMs learn to build Joint Success Plans, identify key moments for value delivery, and track leading indicators of expansion readiness.

Learning goals
  • Build a Joint Success Plan that anchors the relationship to business outcomes
  • Identify the moments in the lifecycle where upsell conversations land naturally
  • Track leading indicators that signal a customer is ready to expand
3
Discovery & Kickoff Conversations
Onboarding is the first upsell conversation. Most teams miss it.

We turn kickoff calls into a foundation for long-term expansion. CSMs learn to run structured discovery that captures real business goals, set expectations around adoption timelines, and plant the seeds for future commercial conversations.

Learning goals
  • Run a kickoff call that uncovers desired outcomes, not just use cases
  • Capture the business goals that will justify a future upsell
  • Set adoption timelines that create natural checkpoints for value reviews
4
Driving Upsell Opportunities
An upsell introduced as a logical next step never feels like a push.

We train CSMs to identify buying signals tied to a customer's desired outcomes, frame upsells as a natural consequence of success, and build business cases that justify expansion. Includes live roleplay on upsell conversations.

Learning goals
  • Recognise buying signals before the customer raises the topic themselves
  • Frame the upsell around the customer's own goals, not your product roadmap
  • Build and deliver a business case that gets internal buy-in on the customer side
5
Renewal Strategies & Risk Management
Renewals won at the last minute are renewals nearly lost.

We build a proactive renewal process that removes last-minute surprises. CSMs learn health scoring, early risk detection, renewal playbooks, and how to run QBRs and EBRs that make renewal a formality rather than a negotiation.

Learning goals
  • Build a health score framework that flags at-risk accounts early
  • Run QBRs and EBRs that move the renewal conversation forward, not just report on usage
  • Prepare for renewal negotiations with a clear value story and stakeholder map
6
Saving Customers at Risk
Churn is usually visible weeks before it happens.

We equip CSMs with early warning systems and escalation playbooks to rescue at-risk accounts before churn happens. Covers how to re-engage disengaged champions, communicate value under pressure, and retain accounts even when sentiment has dropped.

Learning goals
  • Detect early churn signals and act before the customer has made a decision
  • Use an escalation playbook that brings in the right people at the right moment
  • Re-engage a disengaged champion without making the conversation feel desperate
Optional add-ons
Included based on team needs
After the baseline analysis I propose which add-ons make sense for your specific team. They are part of the engagement — not extras to upsell.
Customer Health Scoring
A dedicated module on building and applying health scores that actually predict churn and expansion, not just measure product usage.
Objection Handling
How to handle common pushback in renewal and upsell conversations, including price sensitivity, stakeholder changes, and "we need to think about it."
From the benchmark data

What the data shows about upsell and retention

Across CS teams I have worked with, the gap between top performers and the rest comes down to one thing: proactivity. The CSMs who drive NRR do not wait for the customer to raise expansion. They create the conditions for it.

~50%
Of accounts without an upsell do not renew
+50%
Increase in upsell revenue within 6 months
+25%
Increase in CSQLs within 3 months
Read the full European B2B SaaS & AI Sales Benchmark 2026 →
Outcomes

What your team walks away with

Higher NRR

CSMs who spot expansion signals early and frame upsells as natural next steps — not commercial interruptions.

Proactive renewals

A renewal process that starts at onboarding, not 30 days before contract end.

Lower churn

Early warning systems and escalation playbooks that rescue at-risk accounts before the customer has already decided.

Is this for you?

This training is for you if any of this sounds familiar

NRR targets are being missed
Upsell numbers are low and the team is not sure why — the accounts are healthy, but expansion conversations never happen.
CSMs feel caught between helping and selling
They know how to support customers but hesitate to introduce commercial conversations for fear of damaging the relationship.
Upsells feel forced or come too late
When expansion is finally brought up, it feels like a commercial push rather than a natural next step — and the customer senses it.
Renewals are reactive
The team scrambles in the final weeks before contract end rather than building toward renewal from day one of the relationship.
There is no shared framework
Different CSMs approach accounts differently, making coaching inconsistent and results unpredictable across the team.
What clients say

Results that speak for themselves

"
Nils listened to our struggles, designed a custom program with direct impact on our customer communication, and helped us shift mindset toward closer customer partnerships. Highly recommend for any SaaS team going to the next upsell level.
RB
Rocío Bracero
Customer Success Lead at Teamleader
"
Nils trains with conviction and deep knowledge of the CS domain. A breath of fresh air to bring in a true thinking partner in this space, helping CSM teams focus on what truly adds value.
WH
Wietske van Hees
VP of Customer Success · Visma | Raet
"
I really loved how real-world examples were brought forward in the training. The team applied the frameworks within the next quarter and we saw the impact in our pipeline.
MW
Matthias Wolf
CCO / Co-Founder · Firstbird
Why Nils

How this training is different

AreaMy approachTypical training providers
GoalFix the specific bottlenecks holding your team backBroad training that could be "press play" for any team
MethodologyRooted in science, psychology, and behaviour changeSilver bullets, hacks, or volume-based formulas
Training designCurriculum, exercises, and homework built around your team's real contextStandardised content with minimal adaptation
Audience fitBuilt specifically for B2B SaaS and AI sales teamsPositioned for "all sales teams" regardless of context
GeographyDesigned for European teams and their market realitiesMostly American techniques that often do not translate to Europe
LanguagesGerman, Dutch, and EnglishEnglish only
ScopeHolistic: management, coaching, process, and executionIndividual skill improvement only
Examples usedYour team's own calls, deals, and workflowsGeneric examples and abstract best practices
FAQ

Frequently asked about this training

Is this for Customer Success Managers or also Account Managers?
Both. Account Managers should be comfortable embracing customer success as the north star of their work — this focus is what ultimately creates upsell opportunities. The training is designed to work for anyone who manages ongoing customer relationships with a commercial dimension.
Should CSMs own upsell, or only renewals?
CSMs should view upsells as a primary objective in customer interactions. A successfully upsold client is far more likely to renew — whereas a client without an upsell has roughly a 50% higher likelihood of not renewing. Proactively guiding customers toward expansion is the strongest predictor of renewal success.
Do participants need prior Customer Success experience?
No. Beginners can take this training and use its principles as a foundation for effective CS work. We cover most facets of the CSM role, always with a focus on maintaining a commercial and proactive approach that ultimately benefits both the customer and the company.
How are the sessions structured?
Remote training is delivered across three sessions of 2.5 hours each, typically spread over two weeks. On-site training is split into two blocks of 3.5 to 4 hours. Between sessions, participants complete short practical assignments to reinforce learning and prepare for the next module.
How many participants can join?
The minimum is 5 and the maximum is 12. For larger groups, I split into separate sessions to maintain the quality of the roleplay and discussion.
How should we measure results after the training?
Past participants have tracked: more than 75% of participants agreeing that training increased their upsell confidence; more than 50% of key accounts having clear desired outcomes and white space maps by year end; 25% increase in CSQLs within three months; and 50% increase in upsell revenue within six months.
Are sessions recorded?
Yes, upon request. Recordings and all training materials are shared with participants at the end of the programme.
Can I get an untailored training, or as an individual rep?

If you're a sole rep looking to sharpen your craft, that's admirable — and there are great open courses out there for you. My training philosophy considers the reality you're selling in (your company, your buyer, your data) as a whole. Best technique in the world won't carry you if you're operating in a misaligned environment. This training tackles both. So I only run it for teams within a single company.

What does it cost?

Investment scales per team and duration. Day rate is independent of how many reps participate (up to the cap of 12). Minimum engagement is 2 days — one for preparation and tailoring based on your actual calls, one for delivery. Reach out for a tailored quote based on your team and goals.

Let's find what's holding your team back

Send me one call from your top rep and one from a mediocre performer. I'll show you the exact gap and how to close it.