

[Un]Churned – The No. 1 Podcast for Customer Retention
Gainsight
Retention is the new growth & AI is rewriting the rules. Hosted by Josh Schachter, SVP of Atlas at Gainsight, [Un]Churned—the No. 1 podcast for retention and Customer Success leaders—features real talk with the sharpest minds in the Customer Success space. We dig into how teams are scaling smarter, activating AI agents, and redesigning the customer journey for lasting impact.
If you're experimenting with automation, questioning the traditional post-sales model, or trying to drive more value with less headcount, you're in the right place. AI won’t fix churn, but these conversations might.
If you're experimenting with automation, questioning the traditional post-sales model, or trying to drive more value with less headcount, you're in the right place. AI won’t fix churn, but these conversations might.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 24, 2024 • 55min
Balancing efficiency and human touch in customer interactions ft. Julio Franco (Zappi)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Hosts Kristi Faltorusso, Jon Johnson and Josh Schachter are joined by Julio Franco, Chief Customer Officer of Zappi. They discuss the hurdles of educating customers on best customer success practices, the struggle to invest in customer education and consulting services, and the need for systematizing and reboarding customers. Join us as we uncover the complexities of balancing efficiency and maintaining a human touch in customer interactions while driving operational efficiency and growth in customer success.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
8:00 - Simplified market research for quick, inexpensive feedback
11:55 - Improving efficiency & re-onboarding customers
17:45 - Working with customers that "Get It" & those that don't get it
28:05 - CSMs need to do better with what they have
31:54 - The challenge of maintaining a human touch while being efficient
37:42 - Incentivising overstretched CSMs
41:50 - Digital CS is a program, not a segment
45:20 - Reboarding & educating long-time customers
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Julio Franco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliocfranco/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
_____________________________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jul 10, 2024 • 42min
Dating, CS & Banter ft. Ben Winn (FirstMark)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Ben Winn, Director of Community at FirstMark, joins Kristi Faltorusso & Josh Schachter to explore the dynamic landscape of venture capital, AI in customer success, and the challenges faced by early-stage companies. They also banter about their grades, dating apps, and much more.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
- Biggest challenges faced by companies
12:36 - Ben's contribution to CS
22:30 - Navigating a career shift
23:45 - Josh & Kristi discuss grades
26:05 - What's up with CS & SaaS?
28:00 - Dating stories & apps
36:15 - The AI buzz in CS
40:56 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Ben Winn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwinn/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
____________________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jul 3, 2024 • 51min
Demystifying Customer Needs ft. Alex Turkovic (The Digital Customer Success Podcast)
Alex Turkovic joins Jon Johnson, and Kristi Faltorusso to delve into the intricacies of customer success management (CSM), the disconnect between customer experience strategies and practical implementation, the role of emotional intelligence in business decisions, tackling data quality and management & much more.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intros
4:57 - Practically implementing concepts and frameworks
8:50 - Put the customer first
10:00 - We need emotional intelligence in CS
13:03 - Tracking actions vs real outcomes
16:18 - Tracking metrics that matter
19:27 - Trust, Journey Map, & Clean Data
31:40 - The correlation of CS, Product & Marketing
34:10 - Central CSM
35:35 - Consolidation and management of SaaS applications
39:10 - Validating project success
46:00 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Alex Turkovic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexturkovic/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

Jun 26, 2024 • 44min
Is Prioritizing CSM Health the Key to Customer Happiness? ft. Paulina Staszuk
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Customer success leader, Paulina Staszuk joins hosts Jon Johnson and Josh Schachter to delve into the critical importance of a structured onboarding process for new employees and its impact on successful customer relationships. They also share humorous banter and insights about creating a positive employee experience, the value of customer success in the tech industry, and the significance of taking a break to recalibrate.
Timestamp:
0:00 - Preview, Intros & BS
5:50 - Reflect, Recalibrate & Refuel
13:00 - Perfection isn't a reality
17:08 - People. Process. Product
18:20 - Employee onboarding is broken
23:03 - Happy CSMs Happy Customers
25:00 - What should employee onboarding look like?
30:20 - Tools for onboarding employees
39:20 - BS & Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Paulina Staszuk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinastaszuk
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
________________
Keywords:
new employees, customer success, CS motion, onboarding, structured onboarding, customer relationships, employee experience, Slack, Notion, Loom, GIF creators, Clockwise app, work relationship, support tickets, remote work, AI-based support, NPS scores, customer experience
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jun 19, 2024 • 51min
Can Revenue-Driven Practices Lead to Customer-Centric Growth? Ft. Aaron Thompson (SuccessHACKER)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Customer success roles fall short of true value creation.
The industry has inadvertently boxed itself into creating safe, activity-based roles rather than ones driven by tangible outcomes and accountability.
It's time to rethink and reinvent the essence of customer success.
Aaron Thompson, CRO, SuccessHACKER, joins our hosts, Josh Schachter, Kristi Faltorusso & Jon Johnson to discuss the need for a crucial shift in the customer success model from being a cost center to a revenue driver. Aaron brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective, discussing the impact of tracking post-sale activities, aligning team incentives, and the challenges of transitioning from a "sales-led" to a "revenue-led" organization and the essential role of renewals, expansions, and customer retention in driving revenue growth.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intro
6:12 - Revenue Acquisition Cost
14:39 - Tracking & calculating costs
18:00 - Revenue is cheap to lose, expensive to maintain
26:55 - Focus on being revenue-led
30:04 - Rewiring to become customer-centric
35:50 - The starting point to being customer-centric as an individual contributor
43:05 - CSMs need to have a revenue-focused mindset
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Aaron Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/athomps/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
________________
Keywords:
Customer success, Revenue-led growth, Success criteria, Renewals, Customer retention, Revenue growth, customer centricity, Revenue acquisition cost, Cross-sell, Upsell, Customer-centric approaches, Recurring revenue approaches, Customer success managers, Revenue-based accountability, Customer-driven revenue, Predictable renewals, Additional revenue opportunities, Success planning, Onboarding process, Client success tools, Business growth strategy, Customer expectations
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jun 12, 2024 • 48min
Can AI Insights Transform Tech Touch Customer Success? ft. Sam Loveland (Salesloft)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Sam Loveland, Chief Customer Officer at SalesLoft, joins Jon Johnson, User Testing and Michael Forney, VP of CS at Responsive to delve into the intersection of AI and customer success. From leveraging generative AI to the challenges of managing multiple AI tools, the conversation unravels key insights and practical strategies for achieving customer success metrics.
Timestamp
0:00 - Preview & Intro
7:50 - Human touch in the AI world
13:10 - Using AI for CS insights
22:30 - Challenges for integrating tools & systems
25:53 - How does leadership evaluate CSMs
29:47 - Automating customer onboarding
33:40 - Enhancing productivity & generating value using AI
39:44 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Michael Forney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-forney/
Sam Loveland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-loveland-b19775/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jun 5, 2024 • 47min
Bosses Don’t Understand the Role of CSMs Ft. Alok Shukla (FunnelStory)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Alok Sharma, CEO of Funnel Story AI, joins Josh Schachter, Founder & CEO of UpdateAI, and Jon Johnson, Principal CSM of UserTesting, to discuss the strategic role of CSMs in using technology to drive business outcomes. With a blend of humor, insightful discussions, and practical takeaways, Alok shares his insights on the shortcomings of traditional customer success platforms, the generational shift in technology adoption, and the evolving role of customer success teams in leveraging data insights for strategic decision-making.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Preview
1:56 - BS & Intros
7:20 - Overlap of Cybersecurity & CS
11:54 - 80% of AI is Getting Data in the Right Format
18:52 - Business Intelligence for CS Teams
20:30 - Do CSMs Need a Data Mindset?
22:45 - Pendo Isn't Designed for CSMs
26:40 - Importance of Understanding Personas
28:40 - Good Food. Good Business. Good Life.
34:34 - Do Traditional CS Platforms Solve Real Problems?
46:46 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Alok Shukla: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshukla/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
________________
Keywords:
How to keep your customers happy , customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Pendo, FunnelStory, Data mindset, Customer success platforms, Alok Sharma, customer progression, technology adoption, cybersecurity, big data analysis, human interactions, behavioral insights, business intelligence, data mindset, customer relationships, in-person meetings, post-COVID era
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 29, 2024 • 29min
Using Data-Driven Content to Serve Customers ft. Nikola Mijic (Founder, Matik)
In this unchurned conversation, Nikola Mijic, the Founder of Matik joins Josh Schachter. Both of them dive into how Nikola got into the world of CS, and his experience working at LinkedIn and also discuss:
0:00 - Meet Nick & how health scores help predict customer churn risk
7:00 - Working at LinkedIn inspired Nick's startup journey
13:03 - Nick's experience as an immigrant
17:45 - The role of core values in guiding operations and solving conflicts
23:10 - Finding early customers who understand the startup mentality
26:00 - Using data-driven content can enable scaling
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Nikola Mijic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikola-mijic-9012201b/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 22, 2024 • 48min
CS Meetups, Post-sales Success and Future of Work Ft. John Gleeson (Success Venture Partners)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
John Gleeson, the founder of Success Venture Partners joins Josh Schachter, founder of UpdateAI to share his startup investment thesis, the need to deeply understand customers and the potential for software to enter underserved spaces. The conversation also delves into the future of technology, job prospects, and the excitement around AI advancements.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, Intros & Leading an Ice Hockey team
9:15 - Playing with the winning team
15:02 - Creating a venture firm for post-logo entrepreneur support
20:10 - Investment thesis
24:44 - Investing in Loamy
30:25 - CS Meetup
35:20 - The future of work with AI
______________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
John Gleeson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngleeson10/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 15, 2024 • 24min
How to Gain Control of Your Customers and Win Trust ft. Damien Howley
In a captivating discussion, customer success expert Damien Howley shares insights from his extensive 20-year career and his book, 'Control Your Customer'. He introduces the STO framework for effectively segmenting customer contacts. Damien also argues that customer happiness might be overrated, stressing the need to focus on quantifying the value delivered to customers. He emphasizes the importance of celebrating wins, no matter how small, to build trust and strengthen relationships. A fresh perspective on customer engagement awaits!