CSM Operating Model
A scalable capability network
A scalable capability network
Exiger OS is how Exiger deploys people, Plays, specialized expertise, capacity, and Agents around customer objectives. One accountable CSM maintains continuity while the right capability joins at the moment of need.
1ExigerAI is the platform we deliver. Exiger OS is how Exiger operates to deliver it.
CONTINUITY
The Primary CSM owns customer continuity, context, and the renewal outcome.
EXPERTISE
Major and Minor capabilities determine which CSM can temporarily execute a specialized Play.
LEVERAGE
Standard Plays, protected specialist capacity, and Agents make execution more consistent and scalable.
Objective → Play → Team → Proof
Customer demand changes. Capability must move with it.
Why
Customer needs arrive as specific, changing problems, while traditional account coverage assigns broad responsibility to fixed roles and portfolios. This mismatch overloads CSMs, obscures accountability, and makes customer outcomes dependent on individual heroics.
What We Designed
A scalable capability network that preserves continuity through one Primary CSM while deploying the right Play, specialized expertise, and capacity at the moment of need.
Build Primary CSM Capability
Develop the strategic, technical, and operational capabilities required of the future CSM.
Deploy Specialized Coverage
Specialized CSMs meet immediate customer needs while their expertise is captured and standardized into Plays and Agent workflows.
Scale Through Agents
Agents execute repeatable specialist work under the direction of the Primary CSM, reducing the need for Specialized CSM coverage as a permanent operating layer.
Business Outcome: Meet customer demand today while building a more capable and scalable model without requiring headcount to scale linearly with customer demand.
Build the capability with people. Capture it in Plays. Scale it through Agents.
Table of Contents
Exiger OS | CSM Operating Model
01 — Our Customer Journey
02 — CSM Role Charter at a Glance
03 — Every Play Follows a Consistent Lifecycle
04 — Core CSM Plays
05 — Team Accountability
06 — Critical Work RACI
07 — Critical Handoffs
08 — Customer Capability Path & Systems of Execution
09 — Renewal Accountability
10 — CSM Scorecard
11 — Coverage & Resourcing Model
12 — Primary and Specialized CSM Model
13 — Assignment Process & Resourcing Plan
14 — Initial Implementation Priorities
Appendix A — Play-Based CSM Candidate Profile
Appendix B — Major & Minor Capability Framework
01 — Our Customer Journey
How Exiger OS operates
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
02 — CSM Role Charter at a Glance
The CSM turns customer objectives into adoption, measurable value, renewal, and qualified growth.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
03 — Every Play follows a consistent lifecycle
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
04 — Core CSM Plays
Customer signals activate standard Plays. Each Play defines the objective, actions, participants, evidence, and completion criteria.
Signals activate Plays. Plays create customer movement. Evidence determines what happens next.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
05 — Team Accountability
The CSM leads the customer experience end to end, completes standard work directly, and facilitates Exiger expertise. Each partner remains accountable for its work.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
06 — Critical Work RACI
Who is Accountable, Responsible, Consulted, or Informed for each critical work area.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
07 — Critical Handoffs
The contributing role owns its work. The CSM owns customer continuity.
Trigger
A signal or milestone requires expertise.
Clarify
CSM confirms the objective, impact, urgency, context, and evidence.
Engage
CSM facilitates the appropriate expert.
Execute
Roles work together with clear responsibilities and timing.
Validate
Evidence confirms completion. CSM communicates the outcome and continues ownership.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
08 — Customer Capability Path & Systems of Execution
CSMs administer, configure, and train while building customer independence. They remain accountable for adoption, value, renewal, and continuity.
Where Exiger OS executes
CSM does for → CSM does with → Customer does
EVR / Success Plan
Objectives, completed work, value, and priorities
Gainsight
Sentiment, health, risk, and customer context
Salesforce
Ownership, contracts, renewals, spend, and pursuits
Jira
Play and project execution
ServiceNow
Support incidents
Replit
Dashboards and exceptions
Agents
Context, recommendations, monitoring, and follow-through
PlayLab
Standard Plays, responsibilities, evidence, expertise, and capacity assumptions
Core data flow: Gainsight → Salesforce → Replit
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
09 — Renewal Accountability
The CSM owns whether the customer renews. Sales owns how Exiger commercially closes it.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
10 — CSM Scorecard
KPIs determine bonus. Measures inform performance, development, and career progression.
Guardrails
- Count value only when an agreed EVR Success Plan objective is supported by evidence.
- Count growth only when AE / CG accepts a sourced qualified opportunity.
- Adjust targets for Primary and Pooled portfolios and account opportunity.
- Use Measures for performance reviews, development, portfolio assignments, and promotions.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
11 — Coverage & Resourcing Model
The model matches customer demand to the required capability and capacity.
Capacity Logic
Coverage Model
Every customer has an accountable CSM. Specialist Play Coverage adds temporary expertise when needed.
Resourcing Logic
Customer Demand → Required Capability → Available Capacity → CSM Assignment
Initial ratios and Play Coverage limits remain subject to capacity validation.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
12 — Primary and Specialized CSM Model
Every CSM owns assigned customers and can temporarily apply their Major or Minor expertise to a defined Play for another account.
Primary CSM Function
- Accountable CSM for assigned customers in a Primary or Pooled portfolio
- Owns customer objectives, adoption, value, renewal outcome, and Play orchestration
- Maintains customer continuity and account context
- Continues ownership during specialist engagement
Ongoing responsibility
Specialized CSM Function
- Temporarily joins another account as a secondary contributor
- Executes a defined Play aligned to their Major or Minor
- Owns the scoped deliverable and documents the evidence
- Transfers next actions and returns to their assigned portfolio
Temporary responsibility
Every CSM Develops
Core Fluency
Customer strategy, product, administration, training, renewal, and growth fundamentals
Major
The CSM's deepest validated expertise aligned to the CSM Playbook
Minor
At least one additional validated area of expertise aligned to the CSM Playbook
The Primary CSM retains customer and renewal ownership. A customer signal activates a time-bound Play, and Major or Minor expertise determines the specialist engaged.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
13 — Assignment Process & Resourcing Plan
People leaders apply Exiger OS to actual customers and CSMs, producing named portfolios and a current view of customer demand, capability, capacity, and workforce deployment.
Assignment Process
- Classify the customer and coverage type. 1.
- Assign the Primary CSM based on fit, capacity, and continuity. 2.
- Record each CSM's Major, Minor, location, and available capacity. 3.
- Match activated Plays with qualified specialists and record the engagement. 4.
- Review portfolios, capacity, and specialist demand monthly. 5.
Resourcing Plan
Model = how assignments are made. Plan = who covers whom.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
14 — Initial Exiger OS Implementation Priorities
These priorities begin operationalizing Exiger OS within Customer Success and will evolve as customer results, capability, capacity, and Agent data improve.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
Appendix A — Play-Based CSM Candidate Profile
We hire customer operators for the capabilities required to execute our Plays. Demonstrated judgment, technical aptitude, curiosity, and problem-solving ability matter more than a prior Customer Success title.
How We Evaluate Candidates
- Interview against realistic Plays they may execute.
- Use scenarios and simulations to test judgment and capability.
- Identify a potential Major and Minor from demonstrated strengths.
- Capture development needs against the same capability model.
Vibe coding provides an additional signal of curiosity, technical confidence, and a builder mindset.
Hire for Play capability. Develop through Major and Minor expertise. Promote based on outcomes.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
Appendix B — Major & Minor Capability Framework
Every CSM develops fluency across the CSM Playbook, a Major representing their deepest validated expertise, and at least one Minor representing additional Plays they can execute independently.
Core Fluency
Every CSM understands the purpose, workflow, responsibilities, and evidence requirements for all standard CSM Plays.
Minor
The CSM is validated to independently execute defined Plays within a specialization domain.
Major
The CSM is validated to lead complex Plays, coach other CSMs, and improve the standard Play.
Initial Specialization Domains
Validation Progression
Observe
Completes training and shadows the Play
Support
Contributes under a validated Play lead
Execute
Completes the Play independently with documented evidence
Lead
Delivers repeatable outcomes and manages greater complexity
Teach
Coaches others and improves the standard Play
Validation & Governance
People leaders and Play owners validate proficiency using training completion, simulations, observed execution, and documented customer outcomes. PlayLab records each CSM's proficiency level, Major, Minor, supporting evidence, and specialist eligibility.
Deployment
Customer need, validated expertise, and available capacity determine the Specialized CSM engaged. The Primary CSM retains customer and renewal ownership.
Recognition
Play outcomes and capability progression inform performance reviews, portfolio assignments, development, and career opportunities.
Hire for Play capability. Develop through Major and Minor expertise. Deploy it when the customer needs it.
EXIGER OS | CSM OPERATING MODEL
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