Fix 01 · The Backbone
Sales → CS Handoff Gate
No deal transfers until five fields are documented and reviewed: buyer pain, success criteria, decision structure, usage commitment and expansion indicators. Deal-stage requirements block Closed Won until they're complete, then a workflow sets the customer stage, assigns the CSM, opens the onboarding project and books the kickoff task.
→CS inherits context, not confusion. Sales stays accountable past the signature.
Fix 02
Health Scores That Predict Churn
A points-based model with group caps and decay, built on usage, engagement, sentiment, support and commercial signals. At-risk under 40, Neutral 40–69, Healthy 70+. Calibrated after 60–90 days against accounts that actually churned, then re-weighted every quarter.
→A score that measures risk, not how often the CSM sends email
Fix 03
Risk Alerts & Save Plays
A move to At-risk notifies the CSM and CS lead, creates a save-plan task and requires a churn risk reason. Dark accounts (30 days, no activity), detractor NPS, Tier 1 escalations and champion departures each trigger their own play.
→A status change becomes a save plan the same day
Fix 04
Product Usage in CRM
Usage score, active users, last login and key feature adoption synced to the account at least daily.
→Adoption drops caught before the renewal call
Fix 05
Expansion Signals
Seat growth, usage spikes and At-risk → Healthy recoveries flagged for expansion review, worked in their own pipeline.
→Upsell separated from new business
Fix 06
CS Leadership Reporting
GRR, NRR, logo churn and expansion pipeline on one leadership dashboard, plus a "my accounts" view per CSM.
→Retention numbers the board trusts
Fix 07 · The Save
Renewal Forecasting
Replace the spreadsheet with a renewal pipeline: a renewal deal is created automatically 120 days before the renewal date, owned by the CSM, and moves through Upcoming → Engaged → Proposal Sent → Negotiation → Renewed, Downgraded or Churned. Churn and downgrade reasons are required, so every loss is categorized.
→A renewal forecast you can defend, with health attached to every deal
Northwind Labs · $186K ARR
Health 31 · At-risk
Renews in 74 days
Contract
start
120-day
deal
Today
QBR
Renewal
Renewal deal opens at 120 days. Reminder sequences at 90, 60 and 30. CSM, AE and Finance all in the loop. Illustrative account.