If your customer calls feel stiff, boring, or like both of you are counting down the minutes until it’s over, you’re not imagining it, and it’s costing you more than you think. That’s why in this episode, I’m breaking down the simple shifts that turn awkward, check-the-box customer calls into conversations your customers actually want to show up to. You’ll learn why leading with the wrong metrics kills trust instantly, how to frame topics in a way that gets customers leaning in instead of zoning out, and the exact conversational tactics top-performing CSMs use to sound confident, human, and in control (without following a rigid script).By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to run customer calls that feel natural, valuable, and genuinely strategic — the kind that deepen trust, uncover expansion signals, and make your job a whole lot easier. If you’re ready to stop filling airtime and start leading calls that actually move the needle, hit play and let’s dive in.0:44 – Why “Check-the-Box” Customer Calls Are Sabotaging Engagement3:01 – Why Starting with Product Metrics Makes Customers Zone Out (And How to Fix It)6:46 – How to Introduce Topics So Your Customer Actually Wants to Participate10:35 – Three Easy Tactics to Make Every Call Feel More Human and Less Scripted14:44 – How “Tell Me More About That” Instantly Changes the Whole Conversation16:45 – How Just One Small Change Per Month Can Make You the CSM Everyone Loves to Talk To🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES:Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resumeLearn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourselfLearn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/coaching♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected]➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode99🌟 FOLLOW & REVIEW:Are you loving the podcast? I'd appreciate it if you could take a few seconds to do these two things:hit the FOLLOW button so you don't miss out on any new episodes when they dropand either leave a review on Apple Podcasts or let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment over on Spotify! This helps me reach more customer success pros who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to the Customer Success Career Coach podcast! I'll catch you next week. 🎙️ New episodes drop every Wednesday! Mentioned in this episode:🚨Don’t wait – grab my high-converting, cold outreach Email Templates today to start landing interviews fast: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/emails