Stop Dual Ownership In Renewals: The Single-Owner Renewal System (SORS)
TL;DR: Dual ownership slows customer success renewals and confuses buyers. Use SORS: one owner (CSM or AM), one system, one 90-day rhythm to reduce churn and protect ARR.
To see benchmarks that prove this rhythm works in practice, skim my 90-Day Renewal System breakdown next. Read it here.
The Mistake Most Teams Make
Leaders add more people to “save” renewals. It feels safe. It isn’t.
Two owners → two notes → slow calls
More “alignment” time → less customer time
Buyers get mixed messages and stall
If you’re seeing this pattern, your governance is off. Use this renewals scorecard to see where your process leaks. Open the Renewals Scorecard.
The SORS Rule: Who Owns The Renewal
The Single-Owner Renewal System:
If price, term, or legal is medium/high → the AM owns the renewal
If it’s a straight renewal with a light change → the CSM owns it
One owner. Others support.
Mini-RACI (Preview)
R (Owner): AM or CSM (per SORS rule)
A (Accountable): Segment lead (Head of CS/Revenue)
C (Consulted): Legal, RevOps, Product
I (Informed): Exec sponsor, Support
Policy: One owner in CRM. If two names appear, escalate.
Why This Works
Clear Contact: One face to the customer → faster cycles
Clean Data: One source of truth → fewer misses (automate alerts for risk). Use my Alerts Playbook to catch warning signs early. Install the alerts.
More Time With Customers: Fewer meetings → more value work
What “Good” Looks Like
One Owner In CRM. No exceptions
One 90-Day Rhythm.
No last-minute scramble. Run the renewal like a project with defined stages. See the 90-Day system.
One Value Story. Link use → outcomes in one line; grab my Value Discovery template if you need a fast way to pull proof. Use the template.
Common Pushbacks (And Answers)
“Big logo needs both.” → Support is fine. Ownership stays single
“We need more coverage.” → Coverage without clarity creates churn—automate the routine; here’s the Lifecycle Automation Playbook. Automate your CS lifecycle.
“Our data lives in many tools.” → First job: make the data boring and central; then track NRR the right way.
Below you’ll get the plug-and-play assets (install in 30 minutes):
1-Page Renewal Brief
CRM Field List
Weekly Stand-Up Agenda
Call Scripts
Want ready-to-ship Customer Success Plan and QBR assets too?
Upgrade to Premium to steal the full system proven to reduce renewal cycles by 40% and start closing renewals faster.