The specialized generalist CSM

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GitHub's SVP of Customer Success Abbas Haider Ali reveals why post-sales investment should drop from 10% to 7% of revenue, breaks down the 6-layer customer health model used by Fortune 100 companies, and introduces the "specialized generalist"—the AI-native CSM role that's redefining customer success in 2026. Learn the frameworks CS leaders need to prove ROI, restructure teams, and solve the 80-20 problem in AI adoption.

From playbook evolution to knowledge management, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for CS leaders navigating rapid technological change while proving ROI to increasingly demanding CFOs. Whether you're structuring your CS organization, defending your budget, or preparing your team for AI transformation, this episode delivers the frameworks and benchmarks you need.

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Timestamps

0:00 - Preview & Introduction

2:05 - Meet Abbas Haider Ali & GitHub's Scale

3:40 - The 500-Pound Zoom Background Story

8:40 - The Customer Hierarchy of Needs Framework

17:50 - Why CS Playbooks Must Constantly Evolve

21:00 - How Abbas Discovered the CS Budget Benchmark (Surveying 100+ Companies on Post-Sales Investment)

25:50 - The Journey from 10% to 7%: AI's Impact on Post-Sales Economics

27:40 - Should You Aim for 7% or 10%?

28:58 - CFO Reactions & Proving ROI in a Post-ZIRP World

33:33 - Under-Investing vs. Over-Investing in Support

38:05 - Return on the 10% - 7% Investment

46:46 - Introducing the "Specialized Generalist" CSM Role

51:27 - Why AI-Native Organizations Scale Faster

53:00 - Abbas's 2026 CS Resolution

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What You’ll Learn

* Why post-sales investment should be 7% of revenue and how AI is driving this shift

* The ROI framework CS leaders need to defend their budgets to CFOs in a capital-constrained environment

* Why customer health models need constant evolution (not static playbooks)

* Why specialist roles will move up the value chain in AI-powered organizations

* The T-chart model for CSM skills with AI proficiency as the critical vertical capability

* Why CS leaders should come from multidisciplinary backgrounds (product, engineering, sales)

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Where to Find Abbas Haider Ali:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbashaiderali/

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Where to Find Josh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

Unchurned Substack: https://unchurned.substack.com/

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Resources Mentioned:

- CS operating model

- ROI of Customer Success (original)

- ROI of Customer Success (updated)

- Rise of the Specialized Generalist

- The future of CSMs is more generalized