--- name: kai-retention description: Customer retention system — churn analysis, retention tactics, loyalty programs, and engagement scoring. Use when "retention", "reduce churn", "keep customers", "loyalty program", "customer retention", "churn prevention", "churn analysis", "engagement scoring", "win-back", "customer lifetime value", or any request to analyze, prevent, or reduce customer churn. --- # kai-retention — Customer Retention System Design a complete retention system: churn diagnostics, retention tactics, engagement scoring, loyalty mechanics, and win-back campaigns. ## Phase 0: Load Product Context Check if `MARKETING.md` exists in the **project root** (same directory as CLAUDE.md, README.md, package.json). **If it exists:** Read it — skip product discovery questions. It has the product name, ICP, value prop, monetization, brand voice, current channels, and competitive landscape. **If it does NOT exist:** Auto-explore the codebase to create it in the **project root** (next to CLAUDE.md). Do NOT ask the user what the product is. Read CLAUDE.md, README.md, PROJECT.md, package.json, landing pages, and any project files. Search for email/ad/analytics config. Then create `MARKETING.md` using the template from `/kai-email-system`. Present draft to user for confirmation. --- ## References Load these files as context before starting: - `E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\knowledge\playbooks\customer-retention.md` - `E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\knowledge\playbooks\growth-loops-applied.md` - `E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\knowledge\channels\email-lifecycle.md` - `E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\knowledge\personas\_persona-index.md` ## Phase 1 — Discovery 1. Read from `MARKETING.md`. Only ask about things not covered there: - Business model (SaaS, ecommerce, services, marketplace) - Current churn rate (monthly/annual, if known) - Customer count and average revenue per customer - Current retention efforts (any emails, loyalty program, support) - Known churn reasons (from exit surveys, support tickets, cancellation flow) - Product usage data availability (do they track feature adoption?) - Customer segments (free vs. paid, plan tiers, cohorts) 2. Identify the retention maturity level: - **Level 0**: No retention effort beyond the product itself - **Level 1**: Basic cancellation flow + occasional check-in emails - **Level 2**: Lifecycle emails + usage tracking + support triggers - **Level 3**: Predictive churn scoring + proactive intervention + loyalty program ## Phase 2 — Analysis ### Churn Diagnostics 1. Categorize churn types: - **Voluntary**: Customer actively cancels (dissatisfaction, budget, switched) - **Involuntary**: Payment failure, expired card, billing issue - **Passive**: Stops using but doesn't cancel (ghost users) 2. Map the churn timeline: when do most customers leave? - First 30 days (onboarding failure) - 60-90 days (value not realized) - At renewal (annual plan decision point) - After price increase or feature change 3. Identify leading indicators of churn: - Login frequency decline - Feature usage drop - Support ticket volume spike - NPS/CSAT score decline - Billing page visits ### Engagement Scoring Model Define a health score (0-100) based on: | Signal | Weight | Scoring | |--------|--------|---------| | Login frequency (last 14 days) | 25% | Daily=100, Weekly=60, Monthly=20, None=0 | | Core feature usage | 25% | Used all=100, Used some=50, Used none=0 | | Support interactions | 15% | Positive=80, Neutral=50, Negative=20 | | Account expansion signals | 15% | Upgraded=100, Stable=50, Downgraded=10 | | Referral/advocacy | 10% | Referred=100, NPS promoter=60, Passive=30 | | Billing health | 10% | Current=100, Late=30, Failed=0 | **Risk tiers**: Green (70-100), Yellow (40-69), Red (0-39). ## Phase 3 — Produce Build these deliverables: ### Retention Playbook Intervention strategies by risk tier: **Red (0-39) — Immediate Rescue** - Trigger personal outreach within 24 hours - Offer concession (discount, extended trial, premium support) - Escalate to customer success manager - Deploy win-back email sequence **Yellow (40-69) — Proactive Nurture** - Send usage tips targeting unused features - Invite to office hours or webinar - Share relevant case study or success story - Request feedback (short survey, not NPS) **Green (70-100) — Expansion & Advocacy** - Request referral or testimonial - Offer early access to new features - Invite to advisory board or beta program - Cross-sell or upsell relevant add-ons ### Win-Back Campaign For customers who have already churned: - 3-email sequence: Day 1, Day 7, Day 30 - Each email addresses a different churn reason - Include a specific offer or product update - Run through quality gates before sending ### Loyalty Program Design (if applicable) - Reward mechanics: points, tiers, milestones, or referral credits - Earning actions mapped to business goals - Redemption options that drive retention (not margin erosion) - Communication plan for program launch ### Involuntary Churn Prevention - Dunning email sequence (3-5 emails over 14 days) - Smart retry logic for failed payments - Card update reminder before expiration ## Phase 4 — Output 1. Deliver the retention playbook and engagement scoring spec. 2. Run all email sequences through quality gates: - `python E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\scripts\quality_gates\banned_word_check.py ` - `python E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\scripts\quality_gates\four_us_score.py ` 3. Include a 90-day implementation roadmap and monthly metrics to track (churn rate, cohort retention, health score distribution, NPS trend, expansion vs. contraction revenue). ## Constraints - No banned Tier 1 words in any customer-facing copy. - Win-back emails must comply with CAN-SPAM (reference: `E:\Dev2\kai-cmo-harness-work\harness\references\cold-email-rules.md`). - Loyalty program rewards must not erode margins below profitability. - Discount offers in rescue plays capped at 20% unless user approves higher. - All email sequences target 10+/16 on Four U's scoring. - Max 2 auto-retry cycles on quality gate failures for email content.