Most Customer Success dashboards are full of noise.

“We resolved 500 tickets.”

Cool.

“Our average response time is two minutes.”

Great.

But here’s the real question:Is Customer Success helping us grow?

Speed and volume sound impressive. But they don’t tell you if CS is driving retention, expansion, or ARR.

The best CS teams focus on the metrics that move revenue. Here’s how to separate impact from activity.

Stop Tracking Vanity Metrics

Activity metrics might look good in dashboards, but they rarely tell the full story:

• Ticket resolution counts

• First response times

• CSAT scores after support calls

These are signals of service, not growth. What you need are metrics tied to revenue outcomes.

The 5 Customer Success Metrics That Actually Matter

1. Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

Why it matters: NRR is the single most important number in SaaS. It shows how much recurring revenue you keep and grow from your existing base.

• NRR over 100 percent means your base is growing

• NRR below 100 percent means churn is dragging down your growth

Benchmark: Companies like Snowflake and HubSpot run at 120 percent or higher.

2. Gross Revenue Retention (GRR)

Why it matters: GRR strips out expansion and shows pure customer retention.

• GRR above 90 percent indicates strong retention

• GRR below 80 percent points to deeper churn or product issues

Reminder: You can’t scale if your base keeps slipping away.

3. Time to Value (TTV)

Why it matters: Customers who don’t see value early often don’t renew.

What to track:

• The time from signup to first meaningful outcome

• The number of steps it takes to get there

Benchmark: Customers who reach value within 30 days are three times more likely to stay.

4. Customer Health Score

Why it matters: Your health score should act like radar—it should warn you before churn hits your numbers.

Inputs to include:

• Product usage frequency and depth

• Support ticket volume and trends

• NPS responses and customer sentiment

5. Expansion Revenue

Why it matters: Expanding existing customers is more efficient than landing new ones.

What to track:

• The percentage of customers who grow their contracts

• The share of total revenue from upsell and cross-sell

Watch for: Flat expansion signals missed opportunities. CS and Sales should partner here.

Final Thought: Measure What Moves Revenue

This is the scorecard that matters:

• NRR and GRR reflect your retention and customer value

• TTV and health scores help you predict churn

• Expansion revenue shows whether CS is driving growth

If you want to turn Customer Success into a profit center, start with better metrics. Measure impact, not just activity.

Ready to See Where CS Can Actually Drive Growth?

If you are unsure whether your CS team is set up to retain and grow revenue, let’s talk.

On our first strategy call, we will:

1. Compare your current CS metrics to industry benchmarks

2. Identify where expansion revenue might be slipping through the cracks

3. Build a simple, 90-day plan to turn CS into a measurable growth driver

Just shoot me a message or grab time directly. I’d love to connect.

👉 [Book a strategy call]