# Customer Success

**Onboarding, retention, expansion, and customer lifecycle management**

## Customer Success Framework

### Customer Lifecycle Stages

1. **Onboarding** (Days 0-90) - Initial setup, training, quick wins
2. **Adoption** (Months 3-6) - Feature expansion, workflow integration
3. **Value Realization** (Months 6-12) - ROI measurement, outcomes tracking
4. **Expansion** (Ongoing) - Upsell, cross-sell, new use cases
5. **Renewal** (Annual) - Contract negotiation, value demonstration

---

## Onboarding Best Practices

### First 30 Days Checklist
- [ ] Welcome email and kickoff call
- [ ] Implementation plan creation
- [ ] Quick wins identification
- [ ] Training schedule establishment
- [ ] Success metrics definition

### Implementation Playbook
```
Week 1: System setup and configuration
Week 2: Team training (basic features)
Week 3: Advanced training and workflows
Week 4: Go-live and initial support
Weeks 5-8: Optimization and check-ins
Weeks 9-12: First value realization milestone
```

---

## Health Score Model

### Engagement Metrics (40%)
- Login frequency
- Feature usage depth
- Active users / Total users
- Session duration
- Support ticket volume

### Product Metrics (30%)
- Feature adoption rate
- Workflow completion
- Data quality
- Integration usage

### Relationship Metrics (20%)
- Executive sponsor engagement
- QBR attendance
- NPS / CSAT scores

### Business Metrics (10%)
- ROI achievement
- Renewal likelihood
- Expansion potential

### Health Score Calculation
```
Green (80-100): Thriving, expansion ready
Yellow (60-79): At risk, needs attention
Red (0-59): High churn risk, intervention needed
```

---

## Retention Strategies

### Proactive Outreach
- Weekly check-ins (first 90 days)
- Monthly business reviews
- Quarterly executive reviews
- Annual strategic planning

### Value Delivery
- Regular ROI reports
- Success metrics dashboards
- Best practice sharing
- Industry benchmarking

### Risk Mitigation
- Early warning system
- Churn prediction model
- Intervention playbooks
- Win-back campaigns

### Renewal Process Timeline
- **90 days before**: Initial conversation
- **60 days before**: Proposal preparation
- **30 days before**: Contract presentation
- **Renewal date**: Execution and celebration

---

## Expansion Playbook

### Upsell Triggers
 Health score > 80
 High feature adoption
 Executive engagement
 Positive NPS score
 Budget season timing

### Expansion Types
1. **Seat expansion** - Add more users
2. **Feature upgrade** - Higher tier
3. **Add-on modules** - New capabilities
4. **Professional services** - Implementation help
5. **Training programs** - Certification

### Conversation Framework
1. Review current success
2. Identify growth opportunities
3. Present relevant solutions
4. Quantify incremental value
5. Propose and close

---

## Customer Segmentation

### Enterprise (High-Touch)
- Dedicated CSM
- Custom success plan
- Quarterly QBRs
- Executive sponsor program

### Mid-Market (Medium-Touch)
- Shared CSM (10-15 accounts)
- Standardized playbooks
- Semi-annual reviews
- Group training

### SMB (Low-Touch/Tech-Touch)
- Automated onboarding
- Self-service resources
- Webinars and group training
- Email campaigns

---

## Key Metrics

### Leading Indicators
- Onboarding completion rate
- Time to value
- User activation rate
- Feature adoption
- Health score trends

### Lagging Indicators
- Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
- Gross Revenue Retention (GRR)
- Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
- Churn rate
- Expansion rate

### Target Benchmarks (SaaS)
- NRR: 110-120%
- GRR: 90-95%
- Onboarding completion: 90%+
- NPS: 50+
- Annual churn: <5%

---

## QBR (Quarterly Business Review) Structure

### Agenda (60 minutes)
1. **Executive Summary** (5 min) - Key achievements and metrics
2. **Business Objectives Review** (10 min) - Progress on goals
3. **Product Usage Analysis** (15 min) - Adoption and trends
4. **Success Stories** (10 min) - Wins and ROI examples
5. **Roadmap and Next Steps** (10 min) - Future plans
6. **Q&A** (10 min) - Open discussion

### QBR Preparation Checklist
- [ ] Review account health score
- [ ] Analyze product usage data
- [ ] Gather success metrics and ROI
- [ ] Identify upsell opportunities
- [ ] Prepare custom deck
- [ ] Send pre-read materials

---

## Tools & Technology

### CS Platforms
- **Gainsight** - Enterprise CS platform
- **ChurnZero** - Real-time CS
- **Totango** - Customer success
- **Planhat** - Revenue-focused CS

### Communication
- Intercom - In-app messaging
- Zendesk - Support ticketing
- Slack Connect - Collaboration
- Email automation

### Analytics
- Amplitude - Product analytics
- Mixpanel - User behavior
- Heap - Auto-capture analytics

---

## Best Practices

### Communication Cadence
- **Daily**: Monitor health scores
- **Weekly**: Review at-risk accounts
- **Monthly**: Account reviews with CSM team
- **Quarterly**: QBRs with customers
- **Annually**: Strategic planning and renewal

### Escalation Process
1. **Yellow health**: CSM intervention (action plan)
2. **Red health**: Manager escalation (save plan)
3. **Churn risk**: Executive involvement
4. **Contract at risk**: Save team activation

### Success Playbooks
- **New customer onboarding** (0-90 days)
- **Low engagement recovery** (yellow/red health)
- **Expansion opportunity** (green health, growth signals)
- **Renewal preparation** (90 days out)
- **Churn prevention** (at-risk accounts)

---

## Customer Advocacy Program

### Identification Criteria
- NPS score 9-10 (Promoters)
- Active product champions
- Measurable ROI achieved
- Willing to share story

### Advocacy Activities
- Case study participation
- Reference calls
- Speaking opportunities
- User conference presentations
- Product feedback and beta testing

### Recognition & Rewards
- Featured success stories
- VIP event access
- Product roadmap influence
- Referral bonuses
- Advisory board invitation