A newly released Gartner survey found 73% of CSOs are prioritizing growth from existing customers for 2025. The findings were revealed during the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference, taking place in Las Vegas May 21 and 22.
Additionally, 57% of CSOs see account retention and growth as a top-3 priority. Despite the importance of retaining and growing existing customers, many organizations are hindered by a customer value gap— as suppliers struggle to convert the promise of their value proposition into realized customer value. The results are from a survey of 243 CSOs and senior sales leaders.
Daniel Hawkyard, Director Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice, offered that in today’s competitive market, retaining and expanding relationships with current customers is essential for sustainable growth.
“As sales organizations strive to retain and grow their customer base, they must address the value gap, which will lead to lower retention, advocacy, and growth if not managed effectively,” said Hawkyard in a statement.
Aligning on Customer Value
Sales organizations must align cross-functional teams around why customers choose to partner with them, according to Hawkyard. This key is recognizing the value proposition that initially attracts customers and ensuring that this promise aligns with their strategic goals.
“Customers are not just buying a product; they are buying the promise of value realization,” said Hawkyard. “Sales leaders must focus on helping customers realize this value, rather than trying to drive value proposition utilization.”
Customer feedback must be a priority in this process. By capturing and sharing qualitative feedback from customers, organizations can illustrate the value realization journey, ensuring that customer needs are met and expectations are exceeded.
Creating a Unified Approach Across Teams
CSOs play a leading role in a company’s ability to close the value gap, making sure to align the organization around a vision and understanding of their value proposition, and their customers’ value realization. This is accomplished by articulating the value proposition consistently and aligning it with the customer’s journey.
“A unified, cross-functional approach is essential,” said Hawkyard. “CSOs must ask themselves and their teams what truly differentiates their value proposition, and how it helps customers achieve their business objectives.”
Transforming Customer Engagement into Success
Delivering value that drives both retention and growth requires a structured approach, a key theme at the Garter Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference that provides sales leaders with the latest research on AI as well as sales talent and leadership.
CSOs must enable their teams with clear guidance around the path to realize customer value, said Hawkyard. This begins with onboarding programs that acclimate customers to the partnership, followed by personalized learning experiences that enhance understanding.
“The goal is to transform knowledge into action,” concluded Hawkyard. “By providing contextualized experiences, sales leaders can help customers increase proficiency and confidence, ultimately leading to full adoption of the seller’s solutions.”
