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What to Fix in 2026
[Un]Churned Chapter 004
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From shifting CS roles to the foundations that make AI actually work at scale, this week’s conversation was a grounded look at what’s really changing as we head into 2026.
Here’s what’s been on my mind this week.
3 CS Trends That Will Define 2026 & Kristi’s Next Chapter ft. Kristi Faltorusso (This Week’s [Un]Churned 🎙️)]
I had Kristi Faltorusso on Unchurned this week, and honestly, this one was just a lot of fun to record. Every time Kristi comes on, it feels less like an interview and more like catching up with someone who actually gets it. We laughed, we challenged each other, and we ended up covering way more ground than I expected going in.
Kristi came on at an interesting moment in her career. After five years in her role as CCO at ClientSuccess, she decided it was time for something new, even though things were going well. That decision set the tone for a candid discussion about leadership, timing, and choosing change before it’s forced on you.
From there, we dug into the trends she thinks will shape Customer Success in 2026. We spent a lot of time on why CS Ops is becoming one of the most important roles in post sales, especially as AI starts to separate teams that can scale from teams that can’t. We talked about tech stack consolidation, why it’s inevitable, and what that means for CS leaders who’ve been living with tool sprawl for years. And we got into how CS roles are changing faster than job descriptions can keep up.
This episode isn’t a polished theory or hot takes for the sake of it. It’s a real conversation between two people who’ve been in the work and are trying to make sense of what’s coming next. If you want something thoughtful, honest, and genuinely enjoyable to listen to, this one’s worth your time.
Retention Is Invisible Until You Put a Number on It
Kelly McGuire calls out a quiet risk heading into 2026. A CSM can do everything right on retention and still look replaceable if they can’t speak to revenue impact. When churn doesn’t happen, ARR stays flat, and on paper it looks like nothing changed.
This becomes even more important as AI reshapes Customer Success. As automation raises the bar, leaders will prioritize roles that can clearly explain what revenue was protected and what risk was removed. Retention is risk management, but only if you can quantify it.
The takeaway is simple. If retention work stays invisible, it won’t be rewarded. Every save needs a number, and every leader needs a story finance they can repeat.
The Part of SaaS That Survives AI
Glen McCracken pushes back on the idea that agentic AI means the end of SaaS. The confusion, he argues, comes from treating the interface as the product. Screens were never the core of SaaS. They were simply the most visible layer.
As AI agents take on more execution, the real work moves underneath. Data models, permissions, auditability, contracts, and integrations matter more, not less. Agents don’t remove the need for SaaS foundations. They raise the bar for governance, accountability, and control.
What’s useful here is the reminder of where the real complexity actually lives. As the interface fades, systems of record, trust, and accountability do more of the heavy lifting, even if they’re no longer front and center.
A Reality Check on CS in 2026
A lot of the conversations about 2026 are starting to converge, and this article from SuccessCOACHING reflects that shift. Customer Success is being pushed to grow up fast, with clearer ownership of outcomes, tighter ties to revenue, and far less tolerance for vague value statements.
AI shows up throughout, but not as a shortcut. The expectation is that automation raises the bar rather than lowering it. Teams with strong fundamentals will scale faster. Teams without them will struggle to explain their role. It’s a solid pulse check on where Customer Success is headed as we move into 2026.
Wrapping Up
Across the episode and both posts, the throughline is clear. As AI changes how work gets done, the teams and leaders who last will be the ones who can explain impact, manage complexity, and make the invisible parts of the business visible.
See you next Monday 🧠
— Josh
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