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Customer Success Award 2026: A New Era of Recognition

On July 15, 2026, the Customer Success Association of Japan will hold its inaugural event, the Customer Success Award 2026, in collaboration with Customer Success Co., Ltd. This event aims to recognize and celebrate the innovative practices in customer success that are transforming organizations across various industries in Japan. As the landscape of customer relationships continues to evolve, this award seeks to establish a standard for excellence in customer success initiatives and strategies.

Purpose of the Event

The event is designed against the backdrop of Japan's declining labor force. As businesses shift their focus from acquiring new customers to maximizing Customer Lifetime Value (LTV), the importance of customer success is becoming evident across all sectors. From SaaS to manufacturing and finance, organizations are increasingly adopting customer success principles. However, there remains a significant challenge in sharing knowledge and best practices industry-wide.

The Customer Success Award 2026 serves as a solution to these challenges, with the goal of visualizing successful best practices and fostering knowledge exchange beyond industry boundaries. The emphasis is on uplifting the entire customer success landscape in Japan, thereby supporting sustainable business growth.

Event Structure and Association Involvement

The event consists of two main components, each with its unique focus:

1. Customer Success Award 2026 (Supported by the Association)

This prestigious award ceremony is dedicated to acknowledging challenges that have revolutionized organizations beyond existing frameworks. It encourages submissions from companies that have initiated customer success activities, particularly in non-SaaS areas like manufacturing, finance, and retail. The highlight will be the selection of the Blue Flag of the Year 2026, representing the pinnacle of customer success achievement. The Japan Customer Success Association will oversee the judging process and select cases that exemplify essential success indicators.

The evaluation criteria established by the Association include:

• - Breakthrough Capability: Innovative challenges that break existing norms.
• - Company-wide Impact: Quantifiable and qualitative results that resonate throughout the organization.
• - Reproducibility: The potential for other organizations to adapt and apply the knowledge.

2. Customer Success CSM Pitch Battle

This competition, known as the