Our friend Chad Horenfeldt recently wrote about killing the CSM role at Avoca.
They didn't do it because customer success doesn't matter. They did it because the traditional model is too slow for the AI era.
At an AI-native company, the product changes by the minute. Problems are harder to diagnose. The opportunity to build a custom solution can be scoped and pushed in a single afternoon.
Consider the multi-step process of passing feedback around from relationship managers to product, then back to engineering… the old org structure can’t keep up with that level of velocity.
The Technical Orchestrator
Avoca replaced the generalist CSM with a Technical Account Manager (TAM) and a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE).
The TAM is obsessed with outcomes but is also technically fluent. They can distinguish between a configuration error and a model hallucination. They partner with the FDE to unlock integrations that used to take months of roadmap planning.
This shifts the role from "checking in" to "engineering value."
The commercial motion lives elsewhere. By separating the contract negotiation from the technical implementation, they avoid the trap of mediocrity. One person is no longer asked to be a master of the spreadsheet and a master of the code.
The Great Role Collapse
We are seeing a massive consolidation across the industry.
Companies are collapsing the silos between CSM, TAM, Sales Engineer, and Professional Services. This collapse is good for driving immediate adoption and tightening the product feedback loop.
When your product is evolving this fast, you can’t afford the friction of handing a customer off between four different departments.
You need one technical motion that moves at the speed of the customer’s problem.
The Specialty Cycle
But this collapse doesn’t mean that specialized skill sets are gone forever.
In the early stages of a technological shift, generalist technical talent is the most valuable asset. You need people who can do a bit of everything to get the engine running.
But as the AI space matures, we will likely see the return of the specialist.
The mistake most leaders make right now is hiring for "relationship vibes" when they actually need "technical velocity." They are still looking for people to manage the account when they should be looking for people to build the account.
Audit Your Architecture
Look at your current job descriptions this week.
Are you hiring people to learn the product, or are you hiring people to orchestrate the solution? Are your CSMs empowered to diagnose technical blockers, or are they just human routers for the engineering team?
If you are still operating in the old model, you’re likely creating a bottleneck that your customers can no longer afford.
The role is changing because the work is changing.
Are you building a relationship team or an engineering team?
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