CISCO 820-605 Exam Questions 2025

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Our 820-605 Exam Questions provide authentic, up-to-date content for the Cisco Customer Success Manager certification. Each question is reviewed by certified Cisco professionals and includes verified answers with clear explanations to enhance your understanding of customer success strategies, account management, and Cisco solutions. With access to our exam simulator, you can practice under real exam conditions and confidently prepare to pass on your first attempt.

 

About 820-605 Exam

What Is the Cisco 820-605 Exam, and What Will You Learn from It?

The Cisco 820-605 (CSM) exam, also known as Cisco Customer Success Manager (v2.0), validates your knowledge and skills in driving customer success practices in organizations using Cisco products and services.

Passing this exam demonstrates:

  • Understanding of customer success as a discipline (lifecycle, engagement models, metrics)
  • Ability to create, execute, and evolve success plans aligned with business outcomes
  • Skill in identifying and managing barriers to adoption (business, technical, organizational)
  • Capability to lead renewal and expansion efforts, mitigate churn, and drive advocacy
  • Proficiency in interpreting usage and health data to guide strategic decisions

In short, the 820-605 exam positions you as someone who bridges technology, customer value, and business outcomes, ensuring customers derive meaningful value from their investment.

Exam Snapshot

Exam Code820-605
Exam NameCisco Customer Success Manager (CSM) / sometimes “DTCSM” in Cisco’s naming
VendorCisco
Version / Year2025
Exam FormatMultiple-choice / scenario types (Cisco standard style)
Duration (minutes)90
Delivery MethodProctored (via Cisco test delivery infrastructure, e.g. Pearson VUE) (typical for Cisco professional / specialist exams)
LanguagesEnglish (primary language)
Scoring MethodPass / Fail (Cisco does not publicly publish detailed scoring breakdowns)
Passing ScoreNot disclosed by Cisco.
PrerequisitesNone formally mandated by Cisco, though knowledge/experience in customer success, adoption, metrics, account management is very helpful
Retake PolicyCisco’s standard exam policies likely apply (waiting periods, etc.)
Target AudienceCustomer Success professionals, account management, post-sales / adoption roles focused on ensuring customer value, expansion, renewal
Certification ValidityNot clearly documented (may follow Cisco’s standard certification cycles)
Release Date2023-08-14

Prerequisites Before Taking the 820-605 Exam

Cisco does not require formal prerequisites to sit for this exam. However, it is highly recommended that you:

  • Understand SaaS and subscription business models
  • Be familiar with key customer success concepts and metrics such as churn, renewal, and adoption
  • Have experience in stakeholder management and change management
  • Be comfortable analyzing customer usage and adoption data
  • Have prior experience in customer-facing roles (success, account management, or support)

Main Objectives and Domains You Will Study for 820-605

Domain

Weight

Focus Areas

1. Customer Success Industry

~15 %

Definitions, lifecycle, value proposition, metrics, consumption models

2. Success Plan Creation

~25 %

Gap analysis, stakeholder roles, outcomes, health scoring

3. Barrier Management

~25 %

Types of barriers, root cause identification, mitigation plans

4. Customer Success Management

~20 %

Onboarding, communication, reviews, stakeholder alignment

5. Expand Opportunities & Renewal

~15 %

Upsell, cross-sell, renewal risk, mitigation strategies

Topics to Cover in Each Domain

1. Customer Success Industry

  • Drivers pushing organizations toward customer success
  • Difference between customer success, support, and sales
  • Consumption models (subscription, license, enterprise agreements)
  • Key metrics: churn, expansion, LTV, ACV, MRR, health scores
  • Customer engagement models (high-touch, virtual, digital)

2. Success Plan Creation

  • Identifying products and solutions purchased
  • Stakeholder identification and expectations
  • Defining desired business outcomes and success factors
  • Gap analysis (people, process, tools)
  • Health score modeling (usage, sentiment, quality)
  • Success plan components: milestones, KPIs, RACI matrix

3. Barrier Management

  • Types of barriers: business, operational, technical, cultural
  • Detecting barriers through data and feedback
  • Prioritizing and diagnosing barriers
  • Mitigation strategies and escalation paths
  • Time-to-value and success tracking

4. Customer Success Management

  • Onboarding processes and deployment milestones
  • Regular account and success reviews
  • Communication with various stakeholders (executive, user, technical)
  • Capturing and sharing “moments of success”
  • Adoption campaigns and health check reviews

5. Expand Opportunities & Renewal

  • Identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities
  • Renewal risk analysis and mitigation planning
  • Campaigns for expansion and user growth
  • Managing churn factors through adoption and ROI visibility
  • Post-renewal updates to success plans

Changes / Latest Version Notes for 820-605

  • The current version is v2.0 (Customer Success Manager)
  • The exam duration is 90 minutes
  • Latest updates emphasize analytics, adoption data, and strategic decision-making
  • Weighting and topics may evolve periodically based on Cisco’s current framework

Register and Schedule Your 820-605 Exam

To register for the 820-605 exam:

  1. Sign in to your Cisco certification account
  2. Search for “Customer Success Manager (820-605)”
  3. Choose your language, date, and testing method (online or at a Pearson VUE center)
  4. Pay the exam fee
  5. Receive confirmation and follow exam instructions

Results are typically available immediately after completion.

820-605 Exam Cost

  • The cost averages USD $300–$350 depending on region and taxes
  • Cisco or its learning partners may offer training + exam bundles
  • Corporate and academic discounts may be available

Exam Policies

  • A valid government-issued ID is required
  • No external materials or electronic devices are allowed
  • Retake policies follow Cisco’s standard waiting period
  • Certification validity aligns with Cisco’s renewal policy
  • All exam content must be kept confidential per Cisco’s integrity standards

What to Expect on Exam Day

  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Format: multiple-choice and scenario-based questions
  • Focus: customer success strategy, metrics, stakeholder management, and real-world scenarios
  • Tip: read scenario questions carefully; context drives the correct answer

Study Plan: How to Prepare

  1. Create a 6- to 8-week structured study schedule based on the five domains
  2. Review the official Cisco CSM exam topics document
  3. Use case studies and role-playing to simulate real customer success situations
  4. Practice analyzing sample customer data and health dashboards
  5. Attemp tmock tests and review your weak areas regularly

Pro Tip: Treat every scenario question as a “real customer meeting.” Think about what you’d do next to deliver measurable value.

Recommended Study Resources

  • Cisco Learning Network’s official exam topics
  • Cisco Customer Success Manager training course (DTCSM)
  • Practice exams and question banks from Cert Empire
  • Case study simulations and peer discussions
  • Books and blogs on customer success frameworks

Career Opportunities After 820-605 Certification

After passing the Cisco 820-605 exam, potential roles include:

  • Customer Success Manager
  • Customer Success Specialist or Consultant
  • Renewal & Expansion Manager
  • Customer Engagement or Adoption Specialist
  • Customer Success Team Lead or Director

This certification validates your ability to align customer outcomes with technology adoption and helps position you as a strategic advisor to clients.

Next Steps After 820-605

After achieving your CSM certification, consider:

  • Advanced customer success or SaaS management certifications
  • Broader Cisco or cloud-based certifications (to complement your success expertise)
  • Courses in business strategy, account management, or customer analytics

 

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Last Update Check November 13, 2025
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