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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Cisco
Exam Format
90 min
55-65
70%
Specialist
Registration
$250 USD
Pearson VUE or online proctoring
Validity
3 years
Retake and pass the current exam before expiration; Complete continuing education activities; Combination of education activities and exams
820-605 Exam Topics and Domains
820-605 is organized into 5 weighted domains.
1
Customer Success Industry
15%
Explain the key drivers creating the need for Customer Success
- Why companies implement customer success programs
- Market factors driving customer success adoption
- Business benefits of customer success initiatives
- Understand market shifts driving customer success adoption
- Identify business drivers for customer success programs
- Recognize technology trends impacting customer success
Define customer success (expected and unexpected value)
- Definition of customer success
- Expected vs unexpected value delivery
- Value realization concepts
- Differentiate between expected and unexpected value
- Define customer success in business context
- Identify value creation opportunities
Explain the customer lifecycle journey
- Customer lifecycle stages
- Key milestones in customer journey
- Lifecycle progression indicators
- Identify stages of customer lifecycle
- Understand transitions between lifecycle stages
- Map customer activities to lifecycle phases
Compare customer success, customer support and sales
- Role distinctions between functions
- Responsibility boundaries
- Collaborative touchpoints
- Differentiate roles and responsibilities
- Understand functional boundaries
- Identify collaboration points
Explain the value proposition for customer success
VendorCustomer
- Articulate value for both vendor and customer
- Identify mutual benefits of customer success
Explain different IT purchasing and consumption models
Software licensingService subscriptionsEnterprise agreementsCapEx vs OpEx
- Understand various purchasing models
- Differentiate between CapEx and OpEx
- Identify appropriate models for customer scenarios
Identify the key metrics for customer success
Leading indicatorsLagging indicators
- Differentiate leading vs lagging indicators
- Select appropriate metrics for measurement
- Interpret metric trends
Explain the financial implication of the following metrics
ChurnExpandRenewal (MRR, ATR, LTV, ACV)
- Calculate financial metrics
- Understand revenue implications
- Forecast based on metrics
Describe customer engagement models based on customer segmentation
High touchVirtual touchDigital touch
- Match engagement models to customer segments
- Design appropriate engagement strategies
- Scale customer success programs
Describe the objectives of the Customer Success Manager
- CSM role definition
- Key responsibilities
- Success metrics for CSMs
- Define CSM role objectives
- Understand CSM responsibilities
- Identify success criteria for CSMs
2
Success Plan Creation
25%
Identify the product or solution purchased
- Product identification
- Solution mapping
- Purchase analysis
- Understand customer purchase details
- Map products to customer needs
- Identify solution components
Identify key stakeholder roles
- Stakeholder mapping
- Role identification
- Influence analysis
- Map stakeholder hierarchy
- Understand stakeholder interests
- Identify decision makers
Validate the desired business outcome based on information obtained from key stakeholders
- Business outcome validation
- Stakeholder alignment
- Objective verification
- Gather stakeholder requirements
- Validate business objectives
- Align outcomes with expectations
Identify critical success factors to connect to business outcomes
- CSF identification
- Outcome alignment
- Success criteria
- Define critical success factors
- Link CSFs to outcomes
- Prioritize success factors
Analyze the account baseline to identify gaps
ToolsProcessPeople
- Conduct gap analysis
- Identify improvement areas
- Prioritize gaps for resolution
Analyze a customer health score
Product UsageProduct QualityCustomer SentimentCustomer Financials
- Calculate health scores
- Interpret health indicators
- Identify risk factors
Describe the common elements of a customer success plan
- Success plan structure
- Key plan components
- Documentation requirements
- Understand success plan components
- Structure success plans effectively
- Document plan elements
Explain the purpose of targeted use cases
- Use case development
- Targeting strategies
- Success measurement
- Define use case objectives
- Develop targeted use cases
- Measure use case success
Identify the individuals and responsibilities within a RACI
- RACI matrix creation
- Responsibility assignment
- Accountability frameworks
- Create RACI matrices
- Assign responsibilities
- Clarify accountability
Explain how outcomes, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and metrics contribute to customer value achievement
- KPI selection
- Metric alignment
- Value measurement
- Link KPIs to outcomes
- Define value metrics
- Track value realization
3
Barrier Management
25%
Identify types of customer barriers
BusinessOperationalTechnicalCorporate Culture
- Categorize barrier types
- Identify barrier indicators
- Assess barrier impact
Describe sources used to identify customer barriers
Tools (telemetry, consumption data)ProcessPeople
- Utilize multiple sources for barrier identification
- Analyze data for barrier insights
- Gather stakeholder input
Identify customer barriers
ObservationConversationData
- Apply identification methods
- Combine multiple approaches
- Validate barrier existence
Identify actions that impact time to value for common customer barriers
Stalled or prolonged implementationLoss of a project sponsorLack of product featuresProduct quality or performance issuesProduct is not the right fit for the customer
- Develop mitigation strategies
- Accelerate time to value
- Remove adoption barriers
4
Customer Success Management
20%
Explain the elements of customer onboarding
Deployment planningPriority success focusTimeline to valueFeature matrix utilization
- Design onboarding programs
- Accelerate customer adoption
- Track onboarding success
Explain the purpose of essential customer management activities
Customer and industry observationsCustomer conversations and interactionsAccount data and scoreboard reviewCapturing moments of successSuccess Plan review
- Execute management activities
- Track customer progress
- Document success stories
Explain communication needs of stakeholders
Customer ExecutiveAccount ManagerCustomer UserServicesBusiness Unit
- Tailor communication to stakeholders
- Develop communication plans
- Manage stakeholder expectations
Describe the Quarterly Success Review process
- QSR structure
- Review preparation
- Meeting facilitation
- Structure QSR meetings
- Prepare QSR content
- Facilitate effective reviews
Identify outcomes from a Quarterly Success Review
- QSR results
- Action planning
- Follow-up activities
- Define QSR outcomes
- Track action items
- Measure review effectiveness
Identify opportunities for customers to act as advocates
- Advocacy identification
- Reference programs
- Success story development
- Identify advocacy opportunities
- Develop advocate programs
- Leverage customer success stories
5
Expand Opportunities and Renewal
15%
Describe types of expand opportunities
Additional featuresNew use casesAdditional User groupsNew solutionsChange management services
- Identify expansion opportunities
- Develop expansion strategies
- Quantify expansion potential
Identify potential expansion opportunities across the customer lifecycle from a customer success plan
- Lifecycle-based expansion
- Opportunity timing
- Success plan utilization
- Map opportunities to lifecycle stages
- Time expansion discussions
- Leverage success plan insights
Create an adoption campaign to identify expand opportunities
- Campaign development
- Adoption strategies
- Lead generation
- Design adoption campaigns
- Drive feature utilization
- Generate expansion leads
Update customer success plan with expand opportunities
- Plan updates
- Opportunity tracking
- Progress monitoring
- Document expansion opportunities
- Integrate expansion into planning
- Track opportunity progress
Explain the elements of a renewal risk analysis
- Risk identification
- Risk assessment
- Risk prioritization
- Identify renewal risks
- Assess risk severity
- Prioritize risk mitigation
Create mitigation plans that address risk factors
- Mitigation planning
- Strategy execution
- Effectiveness measurement
- Develop mitigation strategies
- Execute risk mitigation
- Track mitigation effectiveness
How do I earn this certification?
Current Level
820-605 CSM
Practice with Precision
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How to study for this exam?
Use the official PlanetCert Practice Test alongside the study plan below to prepare efficiently for 820-605.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2021-03-01
Updates
- Customer Success Platforms Latest Platform knowledge increasingly important • Release date: 2025-Q2
- Data Analytics for CS Current Data analysis skills now critical for CSMs • Release date: 2025-Q1
Who should take this exam?
This exam is typically taken by Customer Success Managers and Account Managers.
- Understanding of customer success management principles
- Experience in managing customer relationships
- Knowledge of technology adoption frameworks
- Familiarity with SaaS and subscription business models
- Experience with customer lifecycle management