Gainsight recently announced that we were named a Leader in the first-ever Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Customer Success Management Platforms; Gainsight was positioned highest on the Ability to Execute axis and furthest on the Completeness of Vision axis.
But before we talk about why we believe the Gartner recognition is such an iconic moment for Gainsight and the Customer Success space, let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Gainsight’s Journey: From Boba Shops to Industry Leadership
When “Customer Success” first became a tech category over a decade ago, Gainsight’s CEO Nick Mehta knew it would change how businesses operate. Over the years, the Customer Success space evolved from being a Salesforce-coined term into a full-on movement.
In March 2013, Mehta realized something big was happening. The SaaS world was moving to the cloud, and companies needed to focus on retention, not just acquiring new customers. It was a novel idea at the time. While Salesforce had coined the term “Customer Success Manager” (CSM) in 2013, it wasn’t widely known. In fact, there were only about 1,000 CSMs globally, which made the total addressable market (TAM) look almost nonexistent.
Gainsight needed to determine whether a genuine community existed around this emerging role. So, in March of that year, the then-scrappy startup decided to run an experiment. Mehta hosted a meetup for Customer Success leaders at Gainsight’s Mountain View office—which, according to company lore, was a former boba tea shop. They grabbed the cheapest party supplies they could find at the local grocery store, sent out invites, and hoped for the best.
To Mehta’s surprise, about 100 people packed into that tiny space. It became clear they weren’t there for the refreshments—they were there to meet each other. That was the moment Gainsight realized it had something special: a community that needed to be brought together.
That little meetup inspired the first Gainsight Pulse conference later that year in San Francisco. About 300 people attended, including early believers like Aaron Levie from Box, a true indication that Gainsight was onto something bigger. Today, Pulse has grown into a global event with thousands of attendees, and Customer Success has become more than just a role—it’s a movement that’s reshaping how businesses think about their customers.
Now, the world-renowned market research company Gartner recognized the Customer Success space in a way it never has before—and we couldn’t be more excited for this defining moment in the CS movement.
Why the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Customer Success Management Platforms Is Important for Businesses, in Every Sector
Sure, while we feel Gainsight’s ranking on the Gartner Magic Quadrant is impressive, the real story is what it means for businesses everywhere. At Gainsight, we believe that Customer Success has gone from being a niche player in SaaS to becoming a driving force in virtually every industry.
From healthcare and manufacturing to retail and banking, every sector must recognize that sustainable growth hinges on nurturing ongoing customer relationships. In a world where businesses are shifting to subscription and as-a-service models, delivering real value to customers is the ultimate differentiator. So, no matter your industry, it’s no longer enough to just deliver a product. You’ve got to make sure your customers find real value and fall in love with your brand over and over again.
We at Gainsight believe the Gartner recognition reflects Gainsight’s unwavering commitment to this evolving landscape. From the beginning, Gainsight has been focused on more than just delivering a great product: We’ve created a comprehensive solution that empowers businesses to build long-term, meaningful relationships with their customers. Our strong market presence, bolstered by our vibrant community-building initiatives, has also made Gainsight a go-to platform for professionals across industries. Additionally, Gainsight’s ability to scale and support large enterprises underscores our position as a trusted partner for businesses of all sizes.
A Look Ahead: Customer Success in 2025 and Beyond
It’s amazing to see how far Gainsight has come—from a boba shop with cheap cheese trays to publishing books on Customer Success, hosting massive conferences, and seeing customer success turn into a vital strategy for companies around the world.
While we feel this Gartner recognition is a full-circle moment for Gainsight, we’re far from done. With a deep commitment to innovation, Gainsight will continue to leverage emerging technologies like AI to enhance productivity for Customer Success teams. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what Customer Success can achieve—like bringing to life our vision for a Customer OS, Gainsight’s cohesive ecosystem that unifies the fragmented post-sales experience to better serve the future of Customer Success.
So what’s next? According to newly appointed CMO Keith Pearce, “The vision for a Customer OS feels like a wake-up call to the industry to redefine how businesses connect with customers in a way that’s both efficient and meaningful. Together, we’ll build bridges across the fragmented customer journey, bring our Customer Success expertise into new markets, and help businesses unlock new, profitable growth.”
We look forward to more groundbreaking solutions, more unforgettable moments, and more customer success wins in 2025 and beyond.
Learn More: Download the Report
Want the full scoop on the state of the Customer Success Management Platform market? Read the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Customer Success Management Platforms.
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GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Customer Success Management Platforms, Michael Maziarka, Maria Marino, Jennifer MacIntosh, John Quaglietta, Daniel Hawkyard, 28 October 2024.
