Restructure the public CSE handbook pages

    1. CSE_APAC_1

    1. CSE_PUBSEC_1

Generally speaking there is no direct assigment to a specific CSE like an account was assigned to a CSM. The CSE team will be best involved by letting the AE or SA opening a [CSE help request](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-operating-rhythm/), in which the CSE can introduce their role to the customer and how CSE team works. Going forward, CSE help requests should be used again and again by the AE / SA / RM, when a situation at the customer arises, which needs help by a CSE team member.

Generally speaking there is no direct assigment to a specific CSE like an account was assigned to a CSM. The CSE team will be best involved by letting the AE or SA opening a [CSE help request](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/pooled/), in which the CSE can introduce their role to the customer and how CSE team works. Going forward, CSE help requests should be used again and again by the AE / SA / RM, when a situation at the customer arises, which needs help by a CSE team member.

**CSE Organization to CSM/A**

## Frequency

- **CSMs**: Cadence calls should be weekly during onboarding and otherwise at least biweekly, considering specific customer needs and stage in customer lifecycle.

- **Scale CSEs**: Cadence calls are not scheduled on an ongoing basis for Scale CSE customers. Calls with customers are offered programmatically based on the key points defined in the [Scale CSE customer lifecycle](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/#cse-operating-rhythm).

- **Scale CSEs**: Cadence calls are not scheduled on an ongoing basis for Scale CSE customers. Calls are offered quarterly for CSE-assigned customers and ad hoc when relevant for Pooled cases.

Cadence calls should be [captured in Gainsight](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/gainsight/timeline/#how-to-log-activities-in-timeline), which [drives the Engagement scorecard metric](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/health-score-triage/).

---

title: "CSEs"

title: "Customer Success Engineering"

description: "The Customer Success Engineering (CSE) team: what CSEs do, the three CSE motions, and how CSEs work with the account team."

---

View the [CSM Handbook homepage](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/) for additional CSM-related handbook pages.

Customer Success Engineers (CSEs) deliver GitLab's **On-Demand Success tier**: technical product expertise and

best-practice guidance to GitLab customers. CSEs work at scale: one-to-one engagements and onboarding for customers

who do not have a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM) or Customer Success Architect (CSA), and webinars and

hands-on labs open to everyone.

---

## Success On-Demand Tier

The CSE team delivers GitLab's **On-Demand Success Tier**, providing technical product expertise and best-practice guidance to all GitLab customers through webinars, hands-on labs, office hours, and on-demand engagements. CSEs work in a pooled model and are not dedicated to specific accounts.

For customers who want a dedicated, named resource, GitLab offers paid Success Tiers:

- **Essentials** — a designated [CSM](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/) for adoption, success planning, and renewal strategy

- **Advanced** — a designated [CSA](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/csa/) for deep technical enablement and Accelerator programs

- **Signature** — a designated CSA plus an [Assigned Support Engineer (ASE)](/handbook/support/enhanced-support-offerings/offering-assigned-support-engineer/) for the highest level of white-glove support

For an overview of all tiers, see the [Success Tiers page](/handbook/customer-experience/success-services/).

---

**Overview**

At GitLab, we take customer success seriously, and our Customer Success Engineer (CSE) team plays a pivotal role in ensuring our global customer base receives unparalleled support and assistance throughout their journey with us. As a team, we oversee key processes (listed below) that are designed to empower our customers, enable our sales counterparts, and drive overall customer satisfaction. This aligns perfectly with the common pattern of being customer centric across our company strategy.

1\. **[Customer Enablement Webinar Program](https://university.gitlab.com/pages/gitlab-user-webinars):**

- Informative and interactive webinars for customers.

- Empowers customers with GitLab knowledge and skills.

- Live Q&A session providing immediate answers to customer questions.

2\. **[Customer Enablement Hands-on Lab Program](https://university.gitlab.com/pages/gitlab-user-webinars):**

- Help customers gain practical experience with GitLab's features.

- Interactive sessions with Live Q&A.

- Enhances adoption, productivity, and business goals.

- Direct interaction with CSEs fostering trust and collaboration.

3\. **[Pooled CSE Model:](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-operating-rhythm/)**

- Collaboration with Account Executives and Renewal Manager on how the customer is adopting the platform, including any potential risks or areas for improvement.

- Offers technical expertise and support for high-risk or expansion accounts.

- Ensures top-tier attention, leading to retention and expansion.

- Drives ultimate customer success.

4\. **[CSE Assigned](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-assigned/)**

View the [CSM Handbook homepage](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/) for other Customer Success pages.

- Proactive, named-CSE coverage for qualifying accounts without a CSM or CSA.

## What a CSE does

- Covers roles & responsibilities (RACI), operating rhythm, health assessments, and CTAs.

A CSE shows up with deep technical expertise, solves a specific problem or fills a specific knowledge gap, and hands

the customer back to their account team better equipped than before. As a CSE you are:

5\. **Automated Email Campaign Process:**

- **Technically focused.** The value you bring is product expertise, adoption guidance, and early sight of technical

  risk. Commercial strategy and renewals stay with the Account Executive (AE) and Renewals Manager (RM).

- **A named contact in the Assigned motion.** There, the CSE is the account's named technical contact and carries an

  ongoing relationship with the customer; commercial strategy and renewals still stay with the AE and RM.

- **Bounded in scope.** An engagement covers one topic and typically takes one to three interactions. CSEs do not run

  Executive Business Reviews (EBRs) or Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), and do not own success plans.

- **Working at scale.** One CSE covers many customers, so the work is built to scale: focused, repeatable

  engagements, usage data to see where help is needed most, and one-to-many webinars and labs alongside one-to-one

  work.

- **Part of the account team.** CSEs work with the AE, RM and Solutions Architect (SA), not instead of them.

- Timely automated emails at key customer lifecycle points.

### How CSE differs from CSM

- Provides valuable insights, tips, and resources.

A CSM builds and maintains a customer relationship over time, with a regular cadence, a success plan and business

reviews. That depth is part of GitLab's paid [Success Tiers](/handbook/customer-experience/success-services/):

- Supports customer success and keeps customers engaged.

- **Essentials:** a designated [CSM](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/) for adoption, success planning and renewal

  strategy.

- **Advanced:** a designated [CSA](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/csa/) for deep technical enablement and

  Accelerator programs.

- **Signature:** a designated CSA plus an

  [Assigned Support Engineer (ASE)](/handbook/support/enhanced-support-offerings/offering-assigned-support-engineer/)

  for the highest level of white-glove support.

- Enhances communication and customer satisfaction.

CSE coverage is included in the customer's subscription and does not replace a Success Tier. When a customer wants

ongoing advisory, recurring cadence calls or business reviews, the CSE flags it to the AE and RM as a Success Tier

conversation.

6\. **[CSM to CSE+ Account Transition Process](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/csm-to-cse-handover/)**

## The three CSE motions

- Standardized process for transitioning accounts from dedicated CSM to CSE+ pooled support.

CSEs cover customers through three motions.

- Ensures consistent handovers with comprehensive documentation and approval gates.

| | [Assigned](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-assigned/) | [Pooled](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/pooled/) | [Onboarding (First Order)](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/customer-onboarding/) |

| --- | --- | --- | --- |

| **Who it covers** | Qualifying accounts without a CSM or CSA | Qualifying accounts without a CSM or CSA, on request | Eligible new customers in their first year |

| **How it starts** | Proactively, no request needed | The account team requests a CSE | With a welcome email when the first purchase closes; the customer books their kickoff |

| **Relationship** | A named CSE for each account | The next available CSE from a shared team | A CSE through the first year |

| **Cadence** | A quarterly health assessment and at least one customer touch each quarter | Per request | Kickoff, then check-ins at 30 days, 90 days, 6, 9 and 12 months |

| **Mode** | Proactive | Reactive | Proactive |

- CSM-led customer communication emphasizing AE as primary contact and on-demand CSE support.

Alongside the three motions, the team participates in hosting [webinars and hands-on labs](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/webinars-and-labs/).

- Maintains customer success continuity during engagement model changes.

Assigned was previously called CSE+, and Pooled was previously called the Pool or case-based motion. "First Order" and "Onboarding" refer to the same motion.

### **CSE Operating Rhythm**

## Where CSE fits in Customer Experience

The [CSE operating rhythm](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-operating-rhythm/) outlines procedures CSEs use to engage with customers as well as how account owners can request CSE engagement outside of the normal operating rhythm during the customer lifecycle.

CSE is part of GitLab's Customer Experience (CX) organisation. GitLab's One CX model places customer value at the

centre and groups the customer-facing motions into four areas that work together rather than competing:

[For the ARR thresholds for the CSE customer segment please reference this Wiki page](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/customer-success/csm/-/wikis/CSM-Segments) (GitLab Internal).

- **Customer Success (CSM and CSA):** proactive adoption, consumption and risk mitigation for customers on paid Success

  Tiers.

- **Scale (CSE and Digital Success):** technical, just-in-time adoption, consumption and risk mitigation at scale. This is the CSE team, plus free

  self-serve enablement for all customers.

- **Professional Services and Education:** paid, hands-on delivery such as migrations, implementations and

  instructor-led training.

- **Renewals:** retention and the contract lifecycle, owned by the RM.

![Customer Lifecycle Journey CSE](/images/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/customerlifecyclejourneywithmetrics-scalecse_nov-2023.png)

## Working with the account team

The [CSE DCI matrix](/handbook/people-group/directly-responsible-individuals) provided below is designed to serve as a guiding framework to improve collaboration across teams. Please note that this is applicable only to accounts interacting with a CSE. For accounts managed by a CSM or CSA, refer to the [CSMA's DCI](/handbook/customer-experience/account-team/#customer-success-manager-csm) on Rules of Engagement.

The DCI matrix below shows who is the Directly Responsible Individual (DRI), who contributes (C), and who is kept

informed (I) at each stage of the customer journey. It applies only to accounts covered by a CSE. For accounts with a

CSM or CSA, see the [CSM and CSA rules of engagement](/handbook/customer-experience/account-team/#customer-success-manager-csm).

#### **Journey Stage: Pre-Sales & Alignment**

### Pre-sales and alignment

| Activities | Tasks | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

|-------|------|------|-----|----|----|----|------|----|-----|

| Identify Tech Champion(s) | Define and engage key user personas for solution tailoring. | I |C,I||DRI|||||

| Sales to Customer Success (CS) Handoff | Ensure detailed information transfer from sales to CS for seamless transition. | I |C,I||DRI|||||

| Activity | Task | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

| Identify technical champions | Define and engage key user personas for solution tailoring | I | C, I | | DRI | | | | |

| Sales to Customer Success handoff | Transfer detailed context from sales to post-sale | I | C, I | | DRI | | | | |

#### **Journey Stage: Onboard**

### Onboard

| Activities | Tasks | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

|--------------|------------|------|-----|----|----|----|------|----|-----|

| General Advice for GitLab Setup and features implementation | As part of the onboarding campaign, an automatic post-onboarding email is sent by Gainsight. The customer can book a call with a CSE to go through their setup and needs. | DRI |C,I|I||||||

| Technical Integration and Setup Support | Provide direct assistance setting up GitLab (for example, architecture and deployment strategies) to fit customers' needs and goals. ||C,I|I|C,I|DRI||||

| Activity | Task | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

| Welcome new customers | Confirm the technical champion and send the onboarding welcome at close | I | DRI | | | | | | |

| Onboarding kickoff and first-year check-ins | Run the kickoff and the scheduled check-ins for eligible new customers | DRI | C, I | I | C | | | | |

| Technical integration and setup | Hands-on help setting up GitLab, such as architecture and deployment | | C, I | I | C, I | DRI | | | |

#### **Journey Stage: Enable**

For Onboarding customers, the Account Manager (AM) works alongside the AE on the welcome and the kickoff.

| Activities | Tasks | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

|--------------|------------|------|-----|----|----|----|------|----|-----|

| 1:1 Engagement with the customer, triggered by AE/RM, depending on the needs from the customer | Transactional engagement between the customer and the CSE to discuss a specific topic, which should be clearly defined by the AE/RM before the meeting with the customer. | DRI |C|I||||||

| Conduct 1:N Workshops and Webinars focused on customer enablement | Organized workshops and webinar sessions hosted for different customers aiming to enable and help users with key product topics. |DRI||I||||||

| Break'n'fix scenarios where there is a bug/the platform not behaving correctly | Cases where the customer expects someone to troubleshoot a bug or help with a specific feature setup. (In specific situations, the Support Engineering might communicate and inform the CSE about the support ticket)|(C,I)|||||DRI|||

| Measure Primary Use Case Adoption | Track and analyze the adoption rate of primary use cases when associated to requests originated from Renewals Managers or Account Executives.|DRI|I|I|I|||||

### Enable

Comments: (C,I) - It will depend on the situation.

| Activity | Task | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

| One-to-one engagement requested by the account team | A topic-scoped engagement, with the topic defined by the AE or RM before the meeting | DRI | C | I | | | | | |

| Webinars and labs | Sessions for many customers on key product topics | DRI | | I | | | | | |

| Break/fix | A bug, or the product not behaving as expected. In specific situations, Support Engineering may inform the CSE about the support ticket | (C, I) | | | | | DRI | | |

| Measure primary use case adoption | Track adoption of the primary use cases behind a request | DRI | I | I | I | | | | |

#### **Journey Stage: Expand**

(C, I): depends on the situation.

| Activities | Tasks | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

|--------------|------------|------|-----|----|----|----|------|----|-----|

| Expansion Discovery | Identify and pursue upsell and cross-sell opportunities. | (C) |DRI|I|C|||(I)||

| Account Health Checkups | Conduct regular assessments of account health to ensure ongoing customer success. | (C) |DRI|C,I|C|||||

### Expand

Comments: (C),(I) - It will depend on the situation.

| Activity | Task | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

| Expansion discovery | Identify and pursue upsell and cross-sell opportunities | (C) | DRI | I | C | | | (I) | |

| Technical health assessment (Assigned accounts) | A recurring, internal view of adoption, technical risk and next steps | DRI | I | C, I | C | | | | |

| Account health checkups (other accounts) | Regular assessments of account health | (C) | DRI | C, I | C | | | | |

#### **Journey Stage: Optimize & Renew**

(C): depends on the situation.

### Optimize and renew

| Activities | Tasks | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

|--------------|------------|------|-----|----|----|----|------|----|-----|

| Business Review (BR) | Conduct BRs to review successes, challenges, and future plans. |C|DRI|I|C|||C,I||

| Renewal Discussions | Initiate early discussions about renewal, leveraging insights from the customer journey.|C,I|C|DRI|C|||I||

| Monitor Client Satisfaction | Implement a structured feedback process to capture and act on customer insights, driving continuous improvement.|I|DRI|C,I|C,I|(C)||I|I|

| Facilitate Product Collaboration | Clearly capture customer needs via feature requests to assist Product Managers with feature prioritisation and product enhancement.|C,I|C|I|DRI|||I|C,I|

| Ongoing Risk Review | Active management of risk in a customer account, quickly turning a customer to red when there is any potential risk of contraction or churn and frequently updating the status.|C,I|DRI|C,I|C|||C,I||

| Escalation Management | Trigger/leading the escalation process (account escalation / STAR) where needed.|C,I|DRI|C,I|C||C,I|C,I|I|

| Activity | Task | CSE | AE | RM | SA | PS | Support | Executive Sponsor | Product and Engineering |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

| Business review | Review successes, challenges and plans | C | DRI | I | C | | | C, I | |

| Renewal discussions | Start renewal conversations early, using what the account team knows | C, I | C | DRI | C | | | I | |

| Customer satisfaction | Capture and act on customer feedback | I | DRI | C, I | C, I | (C) | | I | I |

| Product collaboration | Capture customer needs as feature requests for Product | C, I | C | I | DRI | | | I | C, I |

| Ongoing risk review | Flag contraction or churn risk early and keep the status current | C, I | DRI | C, I | C | | | C, I | |

| Account escalation management | Trigger and lead the escalation process (account escalation or STAR) where needed | C, I | DRI | C, I | C | | C, I | C, I | I |

| Technical escalations (Assigned accounts) | Lead technical escalation handling end to end | DRI | C | C, I | C | | C, I | | |

Comments: (C), (C,I) - It will depend on the situation.

For Assigned accounts, the assigned CSE leads technical escalations. See

[Assigned roles and responsibilities](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-assigned/roles-responsibilities/).

For an additional overview of our CSE team-specific responsibilities, please reference our Job Family: [CSE Responsibilities & Requirements](/job-description-library/sales/customer-success-engineer/)

## Pages in this section

### <i class="fa-solid fa-book" style="color: #B197FC;"></i> **CSE Content Handbook**

- [Assigned](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-assigned/) and its

  [roles and responsibilities](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/cse-assigned/roles-responsibilities/)

- [Pooled](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/pooled/) and its

  [offerings](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/pooled/offerings/)

- [Onboarding (First Order)](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/customer-onboarding/)

- [How CSEs run customer engagements](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/customer-engagements/)

- [Webinars and hands-on labs](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/webinars-and-labs/)

- [A day in the life of a CSE](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/day-in-the-life/)

- [CSE team member onboarding](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/team-member-onboarding/)

- [CSE job family](/job-description-library/sales/customer-success-engineer/)

Content/1:many is a critical part of our strategy to drive customer adoption at scale across our very large book of business.  This requires dedicated resources/DRIs to execute this strategy.

Page under review, set for enhancement:

To learn more visit our [CSE Content Team Handbook](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/content) page.

- [CSM to CSE handover](/handbook/customer-experience/csm/segment/cse/csm-to-cse-handover/)