Thought Industries 2024 State of Customer Education Report
Thought Industries’ 2024 report reinforces a belief we see validated daily in our work: customer education is no longer a support function. It is a business driver. From onboarding and retention to monetization and AI integration, the strongest education programs operate with the same rigor and intentionality as the core product.
Here is our perspective on the report’s most critical findings.
Education’s Business Impact Is Clear and Growing
Report Insight: A 56% improvement in customer onboarding and a 21% increase in customer lifetime value as a result of training
Our Take: These results are not achieved through passive information delivery. They require learning experiences that drive transformation. Our approach focuses on shifting mindset, enabling new behaviors, and ultimately influencing outcomes. This is the only way to achieve sustained product adoption and customer success.
Customization, Centralization, and Reporting Deliver Measurable Results
Report Insight: Teams that prioritize personalized learning experiences and centralized program management see the strongest business gains
Our Take: Education must be treated as a product. That means developing roadmaps, building modular content, and implementing performance tracking systems. We help clients adopt a product mindset, ensuring that their education strategy evolves with the customer journey and business objectives.
AI Is Already Changing the Game
Report Insight: Leading teams are leveraging AI to personalize content delivery, automate workflows, and improve responsiveness
Our Take: AI cannot deliver impact without a solid content architecture behind it. Our modular strategy enables AI to serve the right content at the right time, tailored to user behavior and in-product moments. Teams need to prepare now to integrate AI meaningfully, not reactively.
Monetization Is Gaining Traction
Report Insight: More than 65 percent of organizations now monetize their customer education, up 22 percent over the last four years
Our Take: When customer education is high quality and aligned with value delivery, it becomes a product in its own right. We help clients build and price education offerings that drive revenue, from subscriptions and premium content to certification programs that extend customer lifetime value and support brand positioning.
Budget Follows Strategy and Proof
Report Insight: Teams that effectively demonstrate impact are significantly more likely to receive increased budget allocations
Our Take: It is not enough to report on usage metrics. Leaders must be able to connect education efforts to business performance. Our proprietary Training Effectiveness Model helps clients measure across five stages: Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results, and Transformation. With the right evaluation strategy, education can compete for and win resources.
Small Teams Can Still Drive Large Outcomes
Report Insight: The majority of customer education teams consist of fewer than five people
Our Take: With limited resources, strategy becomes even more essential. We help small teams avoid content sprawl, identify high-impact opportunities, and build repeatable systems. A modular content foundation combined with automation can make lean teams highly effective.
Agile Tech Stacks Unlock Innovation
Report Insight: Organizations using flexible platforms like headless LMS solutions are significantly more likely to implement advanced features such as chatbots, AR, and AI-powered coaching
Our Take: Innovation is often constrained by infrastructure. We advise teams on building a learning tech stack that is modular, connected, and scalable. This enables education leaders to move quickly, adapt to business needs, and integrate seamlessly across departments.
Final Takeaway
The most successful customer education teams operate with the mindset and systems of a product team. They build structured programs, measure performance rigorously, and market education as part of the go-to-market strategy.
At SaaS Academy Advisors, we work with SaaS businesses to transform education into a strategic growth lever. We help teams move from fragmented content to scalable learning ecosystems that drive engagement, retention, and revenue.
Let’s build the future of customer education together.
