Smartsheet Names New Chief Customer Officer to Lead AI-Driven Customer Success
Smartsheet named Stephanie Berner as Chief Customer Officer (CCO), signaling a clear bet: customer success will power growth as AI becomes core to the product and the customer journey.
Berner, whose background spans Atlassian and LinkedIn, steps in to scale global programs, deepen value across the lifecycle, and build advocacy at enterprise level.
That’s the playbook many CS leaders are running right now—tight handoffs, faster time‑to‑value, and proactive expansion motions.
Why this matters to Customer Success leaders
CCO influence is rising.
When CS sits at the top table, the conversation shifts to revenue architecture and executive alignment. If you’re building that muscle, use my Revenue Physics framework to translate customer outcomes into board‑level metrics. Read the CS Leadership Revenue Physics Framework →.
AI is becoming the differentiator.
Smartsheet’s move underlines a simple truth: AI + CS is no longer optional. If you’re mapping where to start, begin with this field guide to practical use cases, from onboarding to risk alerts: AI Customer Success Guide →.
Scale without losing the human touch.
Enterprise growth demands digital programs that keep experiences personal at volume. If you’re building a 90/10 model (digital‑led for most, high‑touch for a few), this walkthrough will help: Digital CSM Portfolio Management →.
What to do next (simple, practical)
1) Wire AI into your core workflows.
Start small with automations where data is already strong—docs, tickets, and training. This playbook shows how to turn knowledge bases and product docs into activation engines: AI Customer Success Video & Docs Playbook →.
2) Tighten your CRM + CS integration.
Make events (provisioning, usage drops, stakeholder changes) trigger messages and tasks automatically so CSMs work on exceptions, not alerts. Use the wiring patterns in the AI + CRM Integration Customer Success Playbook →.
3) Refresh health scoring with exec‑ready signals.
Move beyond vanity metrics and align health to leading indicators you can defend in QBRs and forecasts. Steal the structure here: How to Build a Customer Health Score in HubSpot →.
4) Upgrade your QBRs from “reporting” to “revenue.”
If QBRs still feel like status updates, rebuild them around growth levers and mutual commitments. Here’s a tested format with examples: Strategic QBR Frameworks (Gong, Snowflake, more) →.
5) Choose the right CS stack for your motion.
As AI features blur lines across platforms, evaluate tools against your lifecycle strategy, not just feature lists: Gainsight vs HubSpot vs Salesforce for CS →.
6) Put numbers behind your plan.
When you need quick, defensible math for NRR/GRR or coverage modeling, use these plug‑and‑play tools: CS Calculators →.
Bottom line
Smartsheet’s CCO appointment is another proof point: the next wave of growth will come from AI‑powered, customer‑centric leadership. If you can tie customer outcomes to revenue—at scale—you’ll win bigger budgets and bigger roles.
Final word: Smartsheet’s move shows that AI-powered, customer-centric leadership is the new playbook for growth.
The smartest CS pros will start building that capability now — before it becomes the industry standard.
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