Co-Host Value Workshops with Customers: A Strategic Playbook for CSMs

Value Workshops
Customer Success
 1, Sep 2025 4 minutes

In today's SaaS world, where results matter, value realization isn't just a number; it's the goal. Co-hosting Value Workshops with customers is a great way for Customer Success Managers (CSMs) to make sure everyone is on the same page, find new ways to grow the business, and move relationships from tactical to strategic. If done right, these workshops can change how customers see you from a vendor to a value partner.

Strategic guide for CSMs to co-host impactful Value Workshops

This is a strategic guide for CSMs to co-host Value Workshops that are useful and help keep customers, grow the business, and build trust.

1. Define the Strategic Purpose

Before you start planning the logistics, make sure you know what the workshop's goal is. It could be anything from:

  • Setting expectations for ROI

  • Finding holes in adoption

  • Making plans for growth or renewals

  • Revalidating success metrics with new stakeholders

CSM’s Role: CSM's job is to make this meeting a "mutual value checkpoint" instead of a performance review. This supports working together instead of judging.

2. Involve the Right Stakeholders

Cross-functional participation is key to a successful Value Workshop. Bring in product experts, solution architects, or account executives from within the company. For the customer, include:

  • People who make decisions (those who hold the budget)

  •  

    Users with a lot of power and champions

  • People who have an impact on business and IT teams

     

CSM’s Role: CSM's job is to use your relationship capital to make sure that both sides show up. Set the story: "We're making a value roadmap together."

3. Co-Create the Agenda

Don't force a pre-made template on anyone. Instead, ask your champion to help plan the agenda. Some sections that could be helpful are:

  • A Quick Review of Success Metrics

  •  

    Results and Wins Delivered

  • Problems or Gaps

  • Plans for the Future

  • Planning for new ideas and growth

CSM’s Role: CSM's job is to make things clear while still being flexible. Give structure while also making it feel personal and helpful.

4. Bring Visualized Data, Not Just Slides

Telling a story with data is more convincing than just giving the facts. Use dashboards, ROI metrics, and usage trends to tell the story of how things have gone so far.

CSM’s Role: The CSM's job is to connect analytics with results. Turn numbers into stories that are important to the business goals of everyone in the room.

5. Facilitate, Don’t Dominate

It's tempting to show off wins, but keep in mind that this is a co-hosted session.

  • Ask questions that don't have a clear answer.

 

  • Get customers to think about what's working
  • Let them tell their own stories of success.

CSM’s Role: CSM's job is to keep the conversation going without taking sides. Your worth is in how you bring insights to light, not just how you share them.

6. Identify and Prioritize New Opportunities

Workshops are great places to find out about unmet needs. Listen for:

  • Features that aren't used enough

 

  • Pain points in workflows that are next to each other
  • New strategic plans

CSM’s Role: Use this time to suggest next steps that will fix real problems. Don't pressure people to buy more; lead with value.

7. Summarize with a Joint Success Plan

At the end of the workshop, work together to write a Success Plan:

  • Clear goals

 

  • Important owners
  • Dates and milestones
  • Metrics that everyone agrees on for future reviews

CSM’s Role: As a CSM upi can keep the documents, but they should be seen as a shared responsibility charter. This makes ongoing engagement stronger.

8. Follow-Up Strategically

Send a summary within 24 to 48 hours:

  • Summary of the workshop
  • Important things to remember
  • Things to do
  • Plan for the next sync

CSM’s Role: Show responsiveness,  remind people of the value, and keep things going.

Final Thoughts: It’s a Strategic Ritual, Not a Checkbox

In the end, it's a strategic ritual, not a checklist.

Value Workshops are more than just meetings when they are co-hosted with care and interest. They build trust. For CSMs, they are a strategic way to strengthen their influence, get everyone on the same page, and start customer-led growth.

Remember: customers don't leave vendors; they leave value gaps. Value Workshops are a way to protect yourself from that.

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

4 minutes
Customer Success