Experts Explored How to Align Value Propositions with Customer Expectations at the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference, May 20-21 in Las Vegas

Seventy-three percent of CSOs are prioritizing growth from existing customers for 2025, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

In a survey of 243 CSOs and senior sales leaders conducted from October through November 2024, Gartner found that 57% of CSOs see account retention and growth as a top-3 priority. Despite the importance of retaining and growing existing customers, many organizations are hindered by a customer value gap - as suppliers struggle to convert the promise of their value proposition into realized customer value.

Experts revealed the findings today during the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference, which is taking place in Las Vegas.

"In today's competitive market, retaining and expanding relationships with current customers is not just a priority—it's essential for sustainable growth," said Daniel Hawkyard, Director Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice. “As sales organizations strive to retain and grow their customer base, they must address the value gap, which will lead to lower retention, advocacy, and growth if not managed effectively.”

Aligning on Customer Value: Building the Foundation for Lasting Partnerships

Sales organizations must first align cross-functional teams around why customers choose to partner with them. This involves recognizing the unique value proposition that initially attracts customers and ensuring that this promise aligns with their strategic goals.

"Customers are not just buying a product; they are buying the promise of value realization," said Hawkyard. "Sales leaders must focus on helping customers realize this value, rather than trying to drive value proposition utilization.”

Customer feedback plays a crucial role in this process. By systematically capturing and sharing qualitative feedback from customers, organizations can illustrate the value realization journey, ensuring that customer needs are met and expectations are exceeded.

CSOs Role in Closing the Value Gap: Creating a Unified Approach Across Teams

CSOs play a critical role in closing the value gap by taking a leading role to align the broader organization around a vision and understanding of the organization's value proposition, and their customers' value realization. This involves articulating the value proposition consistently and aligning it with the customer's journey.

"A unified, cross-functional approach is essential," said Hawkyard. "CSOs must ask themselves and their teams what truly differentiates their value proposition, and how it helps customers achieve their business objectives."

Executing on the Value Path: Transforming Customer Engagement into Tangible Success

Delivering value that drives both retention and growth requires a structured approach. CSOs must enable their teams with clear guidance around the path to realize customer value. The value path begins with onboarding programs that acclimate customers to the partnership, followed by personalized learning experiences that enhance understanding.

"The goal is to transform knowledge into action," concluded Hawkyard. "By providing contextualized experiences, sales leaders can help customers increase proficiency and confidence, ultimately leading to full adoption of the seller’s solutions."

About the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference

The Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference is taking place May 20-21, 2025 in Las Vegas, providing sales leaders with the latest research on AI, sales talent, and transformative sales leadership. Follow news and updates coming out of the conference on the Gartner Newsroom and on X and LinkedIn using #GartnerSales.

About Gartner for Sales Leaders

Gartner for Sales Leaders provides heads of sales and their teams with the insights, advice and tools they need to address mission-critical priorities amid mounting pressures to drive growth through new and existing customers. With extensive qualitative and quantitative research, Gartner for Sales Leaders helps sales teams combat commoditization and price-based purchasing, develop critical manager and seller skills, elevate the value of sales interactions, unlock existing growth potential, and optimize sales force enablement. Follow news and update from the Gartner Sales practice on X and LinkedIn using #GartnerSales. Members of the media can find additional information and insights in the Gartner Sales Newsroom.

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) delivers actionable, objective insight that drives smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization’s mission-critical priorities. To learn more, visit gartner.com.

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