[Un]Churned โ The No. 1 Podcast for Customer Retention This CCO Won't Ask His Team What He Wouldn't Do Himself (And Why) ft. Jim Richmond (Smartling)
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Jan 28, 2026 
Meet Jim Richmond, Chief Customer Officer at Smartling โ a seasoned leader across sales, success, and services. He discusses why gross revenue retention is his North Star. He explains four-quarter forecasting, building systems to scale 4x, role specialization for CSMs, and how AI bots eliminated single-touch support tickets. He also shares why he still carries a book of business to stay connected to customers.
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GRR As The North Star
- Jim Richmond makes GRR (gross revenue retention) the North Star to protect existing revenue before chasing expansion.
- This focus creates a stable foundation for sustainable growth and better customer outcomes.
Forecast Four Quarters Out
- Run a four-quarter forecast to identify problems early and avoid last-minute fires.
- Build buffers and a clear plan so surprises become manageable, not emergencies.
Build For The Future Team
- Build systems and processes today for the team you'll be when growth multiplies.
- Invest only in solutions that will continue to work when the team is four times larger.