The Complete Guide to Customer Lifecycle Management: Key CS Processes
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Customer Lifecycle Management is the framework that helps Customer Success teams move from reactive support to proactive, repeatable operations. It provides a clear structure for managing customers after the sale, from onboarding and adoption to renewal and advocacy. Instead of treating each account as a one-off project, you work from a defined lifecycle that sets expectations for every stage.
Customer Lifecycle Management is the framework that helps Customer Success teams move from reactive support to proactive, repeatable operations. It provides a clear structure for managing customers after the sale, from onboarding and adoption to renewal and advocacy. Instead of treating each account as a one-off project, you work from a defined lifecycle that sets expectations for every stage.
Customer Lifecycle Management is the framework that helps Customer Success teams move from reactive support to proactive, repeatable operations. It provides a clear structure for managing customers after the sale, from onboarding and adoption to renewal and advocacy. Instead of treating each account as a one-off project, you work from a defined lifecycle that sets expectations for every stage.
Customer Lifecycle Management is the framework that helps Customer Success teams move from reactive support to proactive, repeatable operations. It provides a clear structure for managing customers after the sale, from onboarding and adoption to renewal and advocacy. Instead of treating each account as a one-off project, you work from a defined lifecycle that sets expectations for every stage.
In recurring revenue, service driven organizations, including B2B SaaS, managed IT services, financial institutions, and professional services, this structure is essential. Customers expect measurable outcomes, clear communication, and a consistent experience across their entire journey. A defined lifecycle gives teams a way to organize work, track progress, and understand where each account stands. It also creates a common language for CS, sales, product, and leadership.
This guide walks through the five core stages of the customer lifecycle and the processes that support them. You will see how each stage connects to retention, Net Revenue Retention (NRR), and long-term value. You will also see how a unified customer platform and system of action like Planhat helps you manage the entire lifecycle in one place.
In recurring revenue, service driven organizations, including B2B SaaS, managed IT services, financial institutions, and professional services, this structure is essential. Customers expect measurable outcomes, clear communication, and a consistent experience across their entire journey. A defined lifecycle gives teams a way to organize work, track progress, and understand where each account stands. It also creates a common language for CS, sales, product, and leadership.
This guide walks through the five core stages of the customer lifecycle and the processes that support them. You will see how each stage connects to retention, Net Revenue Retention (NRR), and long-term value. You will also see how a unified customer platform and system of action like Planhat helps you manage the entire lifecycle in one place.
In recurring revenue, service driven organizations, including B2B SaaS, managed IT services, financial institutions, and professional services, this structure is essential. Customers expect measurable outcomes, clear communication, and a consistent experience across their entire journey. A defined lifecycle gives teams a way to organize work, track progress, and understand where each account stands. It also creates a common language for CS, sales, product, and leadership.
This guide walks through the five core stages of the customer lifecycle and the processes that support them. You will see how each stage connects to retention, Net Revenue Retention (NRR), and long-term value. You will also see how a unified customer platform and system of action like Planhat helps you manage the entire lifecycle in one place.
In recurring revenue, service driven organizations, including B2B SaaS, managed IT services, financial institutions, and professional services, this structure is essential. Customers expect measurable outcomes, clear communication, and a consistent experience across their entire journey. A defined lifecycle gives teams a way to organize work, track progress, and understand where each account stands. It also creates a common language for CS, sales, product, and leadership.
This guide walks through the five core stages of the customer lifecycle and the processes that support them. You will see how each stage connects to retention, Net Revenue Retention (NRR), and long-term value. You will also see how a unified customer platform and system of action like Planhat helps you manage the entire lifecycle in one place.
Share
What is the Customer Lifecycle? (And Why You Must Actively Manage It)
What is the Customer Lifecycle? (And Why You Must Actively Manage It)
What is the Customer Lifecycle? (And Why You Must Actively Manage It)
What is the Customer Lifecycle? (And Why You Must Actively Manage It)
Defining the Customer Lifecycle
The customer lifecycle is the set of internal processes you use to manage a customer relationship after the sale. It is not a linear journey that ends at renewal. It is a repeating cycle of delivering value, proving outcomes, and identifying new opportunities.
In B2B SaaS, the lifecycle usually begins when the deal closes and continues as long as the customer sees value in your product. It includes onboarding, adoption, expansion, renewal, and advocacy. Each of these stages has clear objectives, standard workflows, and specific metrics.
Thinking in lifecycle terms shifts the focus from isolated activities to a connected system. Instead of viewing onboarding, QBRs, or renewals as separate tasks, you see how they fit together to support long-term success.
The 5 Key Stages of the Customer Lifecycle
Most Customer Success teams organize the lifecycle into five core stages:
Onboarding – guiding new customers from contract signature to first value.
Adoption – building ongoing product usage and embedding your solution into daily work.
Growth (Expansion) – identifying and acting on opportunities to increase value and revenue.
Renewal – confirming outcomes and securing the next contract term.
Advocacy – turning satisfied customers into references, champions, and repeat buyers.
These stages form a continuous cycle. A strong onboarding increases the chance of healthy adoption. Strong adoption creates conditions for expansion. Reliable expansion and consistent value delivery make renewals easier. Advocates then reinforce your brand and feed new opportunities into the top of the funnel.
Why Active "Lifecycle Management" is the Core of Customer Success
Lifecycle management means you do not leave customer progress to chance. You define what should happen at each stage, who owns which actions, and which signals indicate risk or opportunity.
When you actively manage the lifecycle:
CSMs know which tasks matter right now for each account.
Leaders can see where customers sit within the lifecycle and how this affects revenue.
CS Ops can design playbooks, health scores, and workflows that match each stage.
Other teams, such as Product and Sales, gain a clearer view of customer context.
Without a structured lifecycle, teams rely on individual habits and ad hoc communication. This creates inconsistent experiences and makes it difficult to predict retention or NRR. A clear lifecycle framework is the foundation for scalable, data-informed Customer Success.
Defining the Customer Lifecycle
The customer lifecycle is the set of internal processes you use to manage a customer relationship after the sale. It is not a linear journey that ends at renewal. It is a repeating cycle of delivering value, proving outcomes, and identifying new opportunities.
In B2B SaaS, the lifecycle usually begins when the deal closes and continues as long as the customer sees value in your product. It includes onboarding, adoption, expansion, renewal, and advocacy. Each of these stages has clear objectives, standard workflows, and specific metrics.
Thinking in lifecycle terms shifts the focus from isolated activities to a connected system. Instead of viewing onboarding, QBRs, or renewals as separate tasks, you see how they fit together to support long-term success.
The 5 Key Stages of the Customer Lifecycle
Most Customer Success teams organize the lifecycle into five core stages:
Onboarding – guiding new customers from contract signature to first value.
Adoption – building ongoing product usage and embedding your solution into daily work.
Growth (Expansion) – identifying and acting on opportunities to increase value and revenue.
Renewal – confirming outcomes and securing the next contract term.
Advocacy – turning satisfied customers into references, champions, and repeat buyers.
These stages form a continuous cycle. A strong onboarding increases the chance of healthy adoption. Strong adoption creates conditions for expansion. Reliable expansion and consistent value delivery make renewals easier. Advocates then reinforce your brand and feed new opportunities into the top of the funnel.
Why Active "Lifecycle Management" is the Core of Customer Success
Lifecycle management means you do not leave customer progress to chance. You define what should happen at each stage, who owns which actions, and which signals indicate risk or opportunity.
When you actively manage the lifecycle:
CSMs know which tasks matter right now for each account.
Leaders can see where customers sit within the lifecycle and how this affects revenue.
CS Ops can design playbooks, health scores, and workflows that match each stage.
Other teams, such as Product and Sales, gain a clearer view of customer context.
Without a structured lifecycle, teams rely on individual habits and ad hoc communication. This creates inconsistent experiences and makes it difficult to predict retention or NRR. A clear lifecycle framework is the foundation for scalable, data-informed Customer Success.
Defining the Customer Lifecycle
The customer lifecycle is the set of internal processes you use to manage a customer relationship after the sale. It is not a linear journey that ends at renewal. It is a repeating cycle of delivering value, proving outcomes, and identifying new opportunities.
In B2B SaaS, the lifecycle usually begins when the deal closes and continues as long as the customer sees value in your product. It includes onboarding, adoption, expansion, renewal, and advocacy. Each of these stages has clear objectives, standard workflows, and specific metrics.
Thinking in lifecycle terms shifts the focus from isolated activities to a connected system. Instead of viewing onboarding, QBRs, or renewals as separate tasks, you see how they fit together to support long-term success.
The 5 Key Stages of the Customer Lifecycle
Most Customer Success teams organize the lifecycle into five core stages:
Onboarding – guiding new customers from contract signature to first value.
Adoption – building ongoing product usage and embedding your solution into daily work.
Growth (Expansion) – identifying and acting on opportunities to increase value and revenue.
Renewal – confirming outcomes and securing the next contract term.
Advocacy – turning satisfied customers into references, champions, and repeat buyers.
These stages form a continuous cycle. A strong onboarding increases the chance of healthy adoption. Strong adoption creates conditions for expansion. Reliable expansion and consistent value delivery make renewals easier. Advocates then reinforce your brand and feed new opportunities into the top of the funnel.
Why Active "Lifecycle Management" is the Core of Customer Success
Lifecycle management means you do not leave customer progress to chance. You define what should happen at each stage, who owns which actions, and which signals indicate risk or opportunity.
When you actively manage the lifecycle:
CSMs know which tasks matter right now for each account.
Leaders can see where customers sit within the lifecycle and how this affects revenue.
CS Ops can design playbooks, health scores, and workflows that match each stage.
Other teams, such as Product and Sales, gain a clearer view of customer context.
Without a structured lifecycle, teams rely on individual habits and ad hoc communication. This creates inconsistent experiences and makes it difficult to predict retention or NRR. A clear lifecycle framework is the foundation for scalable, data-informed Customer Success.
Defining the Customer Lifecycle
The customer lifecycle is the set of internal processes you use to manage a customer relationship after the sale. It is not a linear journey that ends at renewal. It is a repeating cycle of delivering value, proving outcomes, and identifying new opportunities.
In B2B SaaS, the lifecycle usually begins when the deal closes and continues as long as the customer sees value in your product. It includes onboarding, adoption, expansion, renewal, and advocacy. Each of these stages has clear objectives, standard workflows, and specific metrics.
Thinking in lifecycle terms shifts the focus from isolated activities to a connected system. Instead of viewing onboarding, QBRs, or renewals as separate tasks, you see how they fit together to support long-term success.
The 5 Key Stages of the Customer Lifecycle
Most Customer Success teams organize the lifecycle into five core stages:
Onboarding – guiding new customers from contract signature to first value.
Adoption – building ongoing product usage and embedding your solution into daily work.
Growth (Expansion) – identifying and acting on opportunities to increase value and revenue.
Renewal – confirming outcomes and securing the next contract term.
Advocacy – turning satisfied customers into references, champions, and repeat buyers.
These stages form a continuous cycle. A strong onboarding increases the chance of healthy adoption. Strong adoption creates conditions for expansion. Reliable expansion and consistent value delivery make renewals easier. Advocates then reinforce your brand and feed new opportunities into the top of the funnel.
Why Active "Lifecycle Management" is the Core of Customer Success
Lifecycle management means you do not leave customer progress to chance. You define what should happen at each stage, who owns which actions, and which signals indicate risk or opportunity.
When you actively manage the lifecycle:
CSMs know which tasks matter right now for each account.
Leaders can see where customers sit within the lifecycle and how this affects revenue.
CS Ops can design playbooks, health scores, and workflows that match each stage.
Other teams, such as Product and Sales, gain a clearer view of customer context.
Without a structured lifecycle, teams rely on individual habits and ad hoc communication. This creates inconsistent experiences and makes it difficult to predict retention or NRR. A clear lifecycle framework is the foundation for scalable, data-informed Customer Success.
Planhat Insight
Onboarding predicts retention. Planhat’s automated playbooks help you standardize the journey to First Value, ensuring no customer falls through the cracks during those critical first 90 days.
Planhat Insight
Onboarding predicts retention. Planhat’s automated playbooks help you standardize the journey to First Value, ensuring no customer falls through the cracks during those critical first 90 days.
Planhat Insight
Onboarding predicts retention. Planhat’s automated playbooks help you standardize the journey to First Value, ensuring no customer falls through the cracks during those critical first 90 days.
Planhat Insight
Onboarding predicts retention. Planhat’s automated playbooks help you standardize the journey to First Value, ensuring no customer falls through the cracks during those critical first 90 days.
Stage 1: The Critical First 90 Days (The Customer Onboarding Process)
Stage 1: The Critical First 90 Days (The Customer Onboarding Process)
Stage 1: The Critical First 90 Days (The Customer Onboarding Process)
Stage 1: The Critical First 90 Days (The Customer Onboarding Process)
The first stage of the lifecycle has an outsized impact. Customers are forming their first impressions, judging whether your product can solve the problems that led them to buy, and deciding how much effort they will invest.
A structured onboarding process turns this period into a controlled, measurable phase. It moves customers from contract to first value with clear ownership, timelines, and milestones.
What is Customer Onboarding? (And Why It's Not Just "Setup")
Customer onboarding is the process of guiding a new customer from purchase to their first meaningful outcome with your product. It is more than a technical setup. It includes:
aligning on goals and use cases
configuring the product for those use cases
training users in the specific workflows that matter to them
confirming that the first outcomes have been achieved
A strong onboarding process is scoped, time-bound, and visible. It has a defined start, a set of steps, and a clear endpoint where the customer is using the product in real work.
The Business Impact: How a Flawless Onboarding Prevents Churn
Onboarding is one of the strongest predictors of long-term retention. When onboarding is slow, unclear, or unstructured, customers experience delays, confusion, and misaligned expectations. This leads to lower engagement and early frustration. Even if they stay through the first contract term, they are less likely to renew.
When onboarding is clear and efficient:
customers see evidence that the solution works
stakeholders understand who owns what
internal teams know which milestones to track
value is demonstrated early, which supports every later stage
This impact shows up in metrics such as churn, NRR, and LTV. Poor onboarding often appears as early logo churn or high discount pressure at renewal. Strong onboarding contributes to higher retention, smoother renewals, and more frequent expansion conversations.
Common Pitfall: The “Scope Creep” Trap
Some teams treat onboarding as open-ended custom work rather than a focused path to first value. When the definition of first value is unclear or shifting, onboarding stretches across months, momentum slows, and early adoption never takes hold. In Planhat, successful teams avoid this by using standard onboarding templates with defined timelines and clear value milestones. This keeps onboarding structured, measurable, and predictable across segments.
The 4 Key Steps of a Successful B2B Onboarding Process
A practical onboarding process consists of four steps.
1. The Sales-to-Success Handoff
The handoff is the bridge between the sales process and the post-sale relationship. It should transfer information, not just ownership.
A complete handoff typically includes:
why the customer bought the product right now
the problems they aim to solve
agreed business outcomes and success metrics
contract details and key dates
primary stakeholders, their roles, and communication preferences
any risks or constraints identified during sales
When this information is shared clearly, the CSM can start from context rather than repeating discovery. The customer perceives continuity rather than feeling they need to restate their goals.
2. The Kick-off Call & Mutual Success Plan
The kickoff call is where expectations are aligned, and the working relationship starts. It should focus on:
confirming business objectives
defining what success looks like in the first 90 days
setting timelines for key milestones
agreeing on responsibilities on both sides
explaining how progress will be tracked
From this call, you should produce a mutual success plan. This is a shared document that lists goals, milestones, owners, and dates. It gives both the customer and your team a single view of what needs to happen.
3. Technical Implementation & Training
Implementation covers the configuration and integration work required to use the product in real workflows. It may include:
connecting to the CRM, support tool, product analytics, or data warehouse
setting up user roles and permissions
mapping data fields and importing historical data
configuring key workflows such as alerts, playbooks, or dashboards
Training should be scoped to the customer’s initial use cases. The focus is on getting the right people comfortable with the tasks that lead to first value. Exhaustive feature-by-feature training often leads to overload and lower information retention.
4. Reaching the "First Value" Milestone (TTV)
Time to First Value (TTV) measures how long it takes for the customer to experience a clear benefit from the product. This might be:
a live dashboard that surfaces insights they did not have before
an automated workflow that replaces a manual report
a visible reduction in time spent on a recurring task
Defining first value upfront helps everyone stay focused. The CSM can structure communication and support to help reach this milestone. The customer can see a direct return on their decision to buy, which builds confidence and trust.
How to Measure Onboarding Success (Key Metrics)
Onboarding performance can be tracked through a focused set of metrics:
Time to First Value (TTV) – days or weeks from contract start to agreed first value.
Product Adoption Rate of key features – whether the core capabilities tied to the customer’s goals are in regular use.
Onboarding Completion Rate – percentage of accounts that reach the defined onboarding endpoint within the expected timeframe.
Initial CSAT or NPS scores – early sentiment toward the implementation process and product experience.
Tracking these metrics by segment, region, or vertical helps teams identify where onboarding workflows need adjustment. CS Ops can then refine playbooks, task sequences, or resource allocation.
How Planhat Automates and Scales Your Onboarding
Planhat supports onboarding at scale by providing predefined structures and automation options. CSMs can:
use onboarding playbooks that assign tasks based on the lifecycle stage
trigger checklists automatically when a deal moves to “Closed Won”
view implementation progress in a shared workspace with customers
align internal teams around the same onboarding milestones
Health scores and timelines in Planhat give leaders visibility into where customers are stalling and where intervention is needed. The same structure can be adapted across segments, from high-touch enterprise accounts to digital-led onboarding for smaller customers.
The first stage of the lifecycle has an outsized impact. Customers are forming their first impressions, judging whether your product can solve the problems that led them to buy, and deciding how much effort they will invest.
A structured onboarding process turns this period into a controlled, measurable phase. It moves customers from contract to first value with clear ownership, timelines, and milestones.
What is Customer Onboarding? (And Why It's Not Just "Setup")
Customer onboarding is the process of guiding a new customer from purchase to their first meaningful outcome with your product. It is more than a technical setup. It includes:
aligning on goals and use cases
configuring the product for those use cases
training users in the specific workflows that matter to them
confirming that the first outcomes have been achieved
A strong onboarding process is scoped, time-bound, and visible. It has a defined start, a set of steps, and a clear endpoint where the customer is using the product in real work.
The Business Impact: How a Flawless Onboarding Prevents Churn
Onboarding is one of the strongest predictors of long-term retention. When onboarding is slow, unclear, or unstructured, customers experience delays, confusion, and misaligned expectations. This leads to lower engagement and early frustration. Even if they stay through the first contract term, they are less likely to renew.
When onboarding is clear and efficient:
customers see evidence that the solution works
stakeholders understand who owns what
internal teams know which milestones to track
value is demonstrated early, which supports every later stage
This impact shows up in metrics such as churn, NRR, and LTV. Poor onboarding often appears as early logo churn or high discount pressure at renewal. Strong onboarding contributes to higher retention, smoother renewals, and more frequent expansion conversations.
Common Pitfall: The “Scope Creep” Trap
Some teams treat onboarding as open-ended custom work rather than a focused path to first value. When the definition of first value is unclear or shifting, onboarding stretches across months, momentum slows, and early adoption never takes hold. In Planhat, successful teams avoid this by using standard onboarding templates with defined timelines and clear value milestones. This keeps onboarding structured, measurable, and predictable across segments.
The 4 Key Steps of a Successful B2B Onboarding Process
A practical onboarding process consists of four steps.
1. The Sales-to-Success Handoff
The handoff is the bridge between the sales process and the post-sale relationship. It should transfer information, not just ownership.
A complete handoff typically includes:
why the customer bought the product right now
the problems they aim to solve
agreed business outcomes and success metrics
contract details and key dates
primary stakeholders, their roles, and communication preferences
any risks or constraints identified during sales
When this information is shared clearly, the CSM can start from context rather than repeating discovery. The customer perceives continuity rather than feeling they need to restate their goals.
2. The Kick-off Call & Mutual Success Plan
The kickoff call is where expectations are aligned, and the working relationship starts. It should focus on:
confirming business objectives
defining what success looks like in the first 90 days
setting timelines for key milestones
agreeing on responsibilities on both sides
explaining how progress will be tracked
From this call, you should produce a mutual success plan. This is a shared document that lists goals, milestones, owners, and dates. It gives both the customer and your team a single view of what needs to happen.
3. Technical Implementation & Training
Implementation covers the configuration and integration work required to use the product in real workflows. It may include:
connecting to the CRM, support tool, product analytics, or data warehouse
setting up user roles and permissions
mapping data fields and importing historical data
configuring key workflows such as alerts, playbooks, or dashboards
Training should be scoped to the customer’s initial use cases. The focus is on getting the right people comfortable with the tasks that lead to first value. Exhaustive feature-by-feature training often leads to overload and lower information retention.
4. Reaching the "First Value" Milestone (TTV)
Time to First Value (TTV) measures how long it takes for the customer to experience a clear benefit from the product. This might be:
a live dashboard that surfaces insights they did not have before
an automated workflow that replaces a manual report
a visible reduction in time spent on a recurring task
Defining first value upfront helps everyone stay focused. The CSM can structure communication and support to help reach this milestone. The customer can see a direct return on their decision to buy, which builds confidence and trust.
How to Measure Onboarding Success (Key Metrics)
Onboarding performance can be tracked through a focused set of metrics:
Time to First Value (TTV) – days or weeks from contract start to agreed first value.
Product Adoption Rate of key features – whether the core capabilities tied to the customer’s goals are in regular use.
Onboarding Completion Rate – percentage of accounts that reach the defined onboarding endpoint within the expected timeframe.
Initial CSAT or NPS scores – early sentiment toward the implementation process and product experience.
Tracking these metrics by segment, region, or vertical helps teams identify where onboarding workflows need adjustment. CS Ops can then refine playbooks, task sequences, or resource allocation.
How Planhat Automates and Scales Your Onboarding
Planhat supports onboarding at scale by providing predefined structures and automation options. CSMs can:
use onboarding playbooks that assign tasks based on the lifecycle stage
trigger checklists automatically when a deal moves to “Closed Won”
view implementation progress in a shared workspace with customers
align internal teams around the same onboarding milestones
Health scores and timelines in Planhat give leaders visibility into where customers are stalling and where intervention is needed. The same structure can be adapted across segments, from high-touch enterprise accounts to digital-led onboarding for smaller customers.
The first stage of the lifecycle has an outsized impact. Customers are forming their first impressions, judging whether your product can solve the problems that led them to buy, and deciding how much effort they will invest.
A structured onboarding process turns this period into a controlled, measurable phase. It moves customers from contract to first value with clear ownership, timelines, and milestones.
What is Customer Onboarding? (And Why It's Not Just "Setup")
Customer onboarding is the process of guiding a new customer from purchase to their first meaningful outcome with your product. It is more than a technical setup. It includes:
aligning on goals and use cases
configuring the product for those use cases
training users in the specific workflows that matter to them
confirming that the first outcomes have been achieved
A strong onboarding process is scoped, time-bound, and visible. It has a defined start, a set of steps, and a clear endpoint where the customer is using the product in real work.
The Business Impact: How a Flawless Onboarding Prevents Churn
Onboarding is one of the strongest predictors of long-term retention. When onboarding is slow, unclear, or unstructured, customers experience delays, confusion, and misaligned expectations. This leads to lower engagement and early frustration. Even if they stay through the first contract term, they are less likely to renew.
When onboarding is clear and efficient:
customers see evidence that the solution works
stakeholders understand who owns what
internal teams know which milestones to track
value is demonstrated early, which supports every later stage
This impact shows up in metrics such as churn, NRR, and LTV. Poor onboarding often appears as early logo churn or high discount pressure at renewal. Strong onboarding contributes to higher retention, smoother renewals, and more frequent expansion conversations.
Common Pitfall: The “Scope Creep” Trap
Some teams treat onboarding as open-ended custom work rather than a focused path to first value. When the definition of first value is unclear or shifting, onboarding stretches across months, momentum slows, and early adoption never takes hold. In Planhat, successful teams avoid this by using standard onboarding templates with defined timelines and clear value milestones. This keeps onboarding structured, measurable, and predictable across segments.
The 4 Key Steps of a Successful B2B Onboarding Process
A practical onboarding process consists of four steps.
1. The Sales-to-Success Handoff
The handoff is the bridge between the sales process and the post-sale relationship. It should transfer information, not just ownership.
A complete handoff typically includes:
why the customer bought the product right now
the problems they aim to solve
agreed business outcomes and success metrics
contract details and key dates
primary stakeholders, their roles, and communication preferences
any risks or constraints identified during sales
When this information is shared clearly, the CSM can start from context rather than repeating discovery. The customer perceives continuity rather than feeling they need to restate their goals.
2. The Kick-off Call & Mutual Success Plan
The kickoff call is where expectations are aligned, and the working relationship starts. It should focus on:
confirming business objectives
defining what success looks like in the first 90 days
setting timelines for key milestones
agreeing on responsibilities on both sides
explaining how progress will be tracked
From this call, you should produce a mutual success plan. This is a shared document that lists goals, milestones, owners, and dates. It gives both the customer and your team a single view of what needs to happen.
3. Technical Implementation & Training
Implementation covers the configuration and integration work required to use the product in real workflows. It may include:
connecting to the CRM, support tool, product analytics, or data warehouse
setting up user roles and permissions
mapping data fields and importing historical data
configuring key workflows such as alerts, playbooks, or dashboards
Training should be scoped to the customer’s initial use cases. The focus is on getting the right people comfortable with the tasks that lead to first value. Exhaustive feature-by-feature training often leads to overload and lower information retention.
4. Reaching the "First Value" Milestone (TTV)
Time to First Value (TTV) measures how long it takes for the customer to experience a clear benefit from the product. This might be:
a live dashboard that surfaces insights they did not have before
an automated workflow that replaces a manual report
a visible reduction in time spent on a recurring task
Defining first value upfront helps everyone stay focused. The CSM can structure communication and support to help reach this milestone. The customer can see a direct return on their decision to buy, which builds confidence and trust.
How to Measure Onboarding Success (Key Metrics)
Onboarding performance can be tracked through a focused set of metrics:
Time to First Value (TTV) – days or weeks from contract start to agreed first value.
Product Adoption Rate of key features – whether the core capabilities tied to the customer’s goals are in regular use.
Onboarding Completion Rate – percentage of accounts that reach the defined onboarding endpoint within the expected timeframe.
Initial CSAT or NPS scores – early sentiment toward the implementation process and product experience.
Tracking these metrics by segment, region, or vertical helps teams identify where onboarding workflows need adjustment. CS Ops can then refine playbooks, task sequences, or resource allocation.
How Planhat Automates and Scales Your Onboarding
Planhat supports onboarding at scale by providing predefined structures and automation options. CSMs can:
use onboarding playbooks that assign tasks based on the lifecycle stage
trigger checklists automatically when a deal moves to “Closed Won”
view implementation progress in a shared workspace with customers
align internal teams around the same onboarding milestones
Health scores and timelines in Planhat give leaders visibility into where customers are stalling and where intervention is needed. The same structure can be adapted across segments, from high-touch enterprise accounts to digital-led onboarding for smaller customers.
The first stage of the lifecycle has an outsized impact. Customers are forming their first impressions, judging whether your product can solve the problems that led them to buy, and deciding how much effort they will invest.
A structured onboarding process turns this period into a controlled, measurable phase. It moves customers from contract to first value with clear ownership, timelines, and milestones.
What is Customer Onboarding? (And Why It's Not Just "Setup")
Customer onboarding is the process of guiding a new customer from purchase to their first meaningful outcome with your product. It is more than a technical setup. It includes:
aligning on goals and use cases
configuring the product for those use cases
training users in the specific workflows that matter to them
confirming that the first outcomes have been achieved
A strong onboarding process is scoped, time-bound, and visible. It has a defined start, a set of steps, and a clear endpoint where the customer is using the product in real work.
The Business Impact: How a Flawless Onboarding Prevents Churn
Onboarding is one of the strongest predictors of long-term retention. When onboarding is slow, unclear, or unstructured, customers experience delays, confusion, and misaligned expectations. This leads to lower engagement and early frustration. Even if they stay through the first contract term, they are less likely to renew.
When onboarding is clear and efficient:
customers see evidence that the solution works
stakeholders understand who owns what
internal teams know which milestones to track
value is demonstrated early, which supports every later stage
This impact shows up in metrics such as churn, NRR, and LTV. Poor onboarding often appears as early logo churn or high discount pressure at renewal. Strong onboarding contributes to higher retention, smoother renewals, and more frequent expansion conversations.
Common Pitfall: The “Scope Creep” Trap
Some teams treat onboarding as open-ended custom work rather than a focused path to first value. When the definition of first value is unclear or shifting, onboarding stretches across months, momentum slows, and early adoption never takes hold. In Planhat, successful teams avoid this by using standard onboarding templates with defined timelines and clear value milestones. This keeps onboarding structured, measurable, and predictable across segments.
The 4 Key Steps of a Successful B2B Onboarding Process
A practical onboarding process consists of four steps.
1. The Sales-to-Success Handoff
The handoff is the bridge between the sales process and the post-sale relationship. It should transfer information, not just ownership.
A complete handoff typically includes:
why the customer bought the product right now
the problems they aim to solve
agreed business outcomes and success metrics
contract details and key dates
primary stakeholders, their roles, and communication preferences
any risks or constraints identified during sales
When this information is shared clearly, the CSM can start from context rather than repeating discovery. The customer perceives continuity rather than feeling they need to restate their goals.
2. The Kick-off Call & Mutual Success Plan
The kickoff call is where expectations are aligned, and the working relationship starts. It should focus on:
confirming business objectives
defining what success looks like in the first 90 days
setting timelines for key milestones
agreeing on responsibilities on both sides
explaining how progress will be tracked
From this call, you should produce a mutual success plan. This is a shared document that lists goals, milestones, owners, and dates. It gives both the customer and your team a single view of what needs to happen.
3. Technical Implementation & Training
Implementation covers the configuration and integration work required to use the product in real workflows. It may include:
connecting to the CRM, support tool, product analytics, or data warehouse
setting up user roles and permissions
mapping data fields and importing historical data
configuring key workflows such as alerts, playbooks, or dashboards
Training should be scoped to the customer’s initial use cases. The focus is on getting the right people comfortable with the tasks that lead to first value. Exhaustive feature-by-feature training often leads to overload and lower information retention.
4. Reaching the "First Value" Milestone (TTV)
Time to First Value (TTV) measures how long it takes for the customer to experience a clear benefit from the product. This might be:
a live dashboard that surfaces insights they did not have before
an automated workflow that replaces a manual report
a visible reduction in time spent on a recurring task
Defining first value upfront helps everyone stay focused. The CSM can structure communication and support to help reach this milestone. The customer can see a direct return on their decision to buy, which builds confidence and trust.
How to Measure Onboarding Success (Key Metrics)
Onboarding performance can be tracked through a focused set of metrics:
Time to First Value (TTV) – days or weeks from contract start to agreed first value.
Product Adoption Rate of key features – whether the core capabilities tied to the customer’s goals are in regular use.
Onboarding Completion Rate – percentage of accounts that reach the defined onboarding endpoint within the expected timeframe.
Initial CSAT or NPS scores – early sentiment toward the implementation process and product experience.
Tracking these metrics by segment, region, or vertical helps teams identify where onboarding workflows need adjustment. CS Ops can then refine playbooks, task sequences, or resource allocation.
How Planhat Automates and Scales Your Onboarding
Planhat supports onboarding at scale by providing predefined structures and automation options. CSMs can:
use onboarding playbooks that assign tasks based on the lifecycle stage
trigger checklists automatically when a deal moves to “Closed Won”
view implementation progress in a shared workspace with customers
align internal teams around the same onboarding milestones
Health scores and timelines in Planhat give leaders visibility into where customers are stalling and where intervention is needed. The same structure can be adapted across segments, from high-touch enterprise accounts to digital-led onboarding for smaller customers.
Stage 2: Driving Long-Term Value (Product Adoption & Engagement)
Stage 2: Driving Long-Term Value (Product Adoption & Engagement)
Stage 2: Driving Long-Term Value (Product Adoption & Engagement)
Stage 2: Driving Long-Term Value (Product Adoption & Engagement)
Once onboarding is complete, the customer enters an ongoing phase where they use the product in daily operations. This is the adoption stage. The goal is to build sustained usage and connect that usage to outcomes the business cares about.
What is Customer Adoption vs. Onboarding?
Onboarding is a defined project. It has a start and a clear completion point. Adoption is an ongoing process that continues throughout the customer relationship. It focuses on how deeply the product is used and whether it supports the customer’s evolving business goals.
Customer adoption focuses on:
how often users log in and complete key workflows
which features are used regularly
how widely the product is adopted across teams or regions
whether product usage aligns with the objectives defined in the success plan
Healthy adoption means the product is embedded in daily workflows, not simply present in the tech stack. Low adoption, even after a smooth onboarding, is a leading indicator of weak renewal outcomes.
A practical adoption motion usually includes a set of repeatable actions:
a 30 to 60 day check-in focused on outcomes rather than features
targeted enablement sessions for new use cases, teams, or workflows
a simple success plan update that connects current usage to upcoming business milestones
clear ownership for adoption activities on both sides, including internal champions within the customer’s organization
Standardizing these actions prevents a “set and forget” implementation. It ensures the product stays aligned with business needs as they evolve and becomes a dependable part of the customer’s operating rhythm.
How to Measure Adoption: Using Health Scores & Engagement Metrics
Adoption is best monitored through a mix of usage and engagement metrics. Examples include:
Login frequency and session length – whether users come back regularly.
Feature adoption – usage of capabilities that are linked to value, such as health scoring, workflows, or reporting.
User coverage – number of active users relative to licenses, teams, or regions.
Event-based actions – completion of specific actions that indicate deeper use, such as creating playbooks, dashboards, or custom segments.
These signals often feed into a customer health score. For example, a simple health model might weight product usage at 40%, sentiment at 20%, support trends at 20%, and commercial context (renewal date, contract size, open risks) at 20%. Each component is scored on a clear, shared scale so teams understand why an account is “green” or “red” and what needs to change. A well-designed health model uses product usage, support trends, sentiment, and renewal timelines to predict retention and expansion. For example, declining usage of a core feature combined with an upcoming renewal date may indicate poor health, which should trigger outreach.
In Planhat, health scores can be configured by segment or use case. This allows teams to define what healthy adoption looks like for enterprise customers compared to smaller, digital-led accounts.
Proactive Engagement: The Role of Customer Education
Adoption does not improve on its own. It requires ongoing engagement and education.
Typical adoption-focused activities include:
regular check-ins to review progress against goals
targeted enablement sessions on new or advanced features
webinars and office hours focused on common use cases
one-to-many communication through in-app messages or email sequences
sharing best practice guides and playbooks
In Planhat, adoption signals can drive automated workflows that help teams act at the right moment and keep engagement consistent across segments.
Actionable Playbook: The “Drop in Health” Signal
Configure an automation in Planhat that responds as soon as adoption begins to decline.
Trigger:
Usage of a key feature drops by more than 15 percent over 30 days, or logins fall below an agreed threshold.
Action:
Planhat automatically creates a re-engagement task for the CSM, alerts the Account Manager, and recommends a targeted training session or focused check in based on the customer’s use case.
Outcome:
Teams intervene early, often before the customer realizes they are disengaging. This keeps adoption stable and protects the renewal cycle.
Actionable Playbook: The “New Team Activated” Signal
Trigger:
A new department or regional group starts logging in for the first time, or user count increases by a defined threshold such as 10 percent growth in a week.
Action:
Planhat creates an “Early Expansion Review” task for the CSM and notifies the Account Manager. The platform suggests a short enablement session tailored to the new team’s role, followed by a quick update to the success plan to document emerging use cases.
Outcome:
Adoption spreads in a controlled, strategic way. Teams identify expansion potential early and support new users before friction develops.
Actionable Playbook: The “Feature Milestone Achieved” Signal
Trigger:
A customer completes a high-value action such as building a health model, activating automation workflows, or publishing their first dashboard.
Action:
Planhat automatically tags the milestone in the timeline, assigns a follow-up note for the CSM, and sends the customer a brief next-step guide to deepen usage of adjacent features.
Outcome:
Momentum increases. Customers move from basic adoption to advanced value, which strengthens long-term retention and creates a foundation for expansion conversations.
Once onboarding is complete, the customer enters an ongoing phase where they use the product in daily operations. This is the adoption stage. The goal is to build sustained usage and connect that usage to outcomes the business cares about.
What is Customer Adoption vs. Onboarding?
Onboarding is a defined project. It has a start and a clear completion point. Adoption is an ongoing process that continues throughout the customer relationship. It focuses on how deeply the product is used and whether it supports the customer’s evolving business goals.
Customer adoption focuses on:
how often users log in and complete key workflows
which features are used regularly
how widely the product is adopted across teams or regions
whether product usage aligns with the objectives defined in the success plan
Healthy adoption means the product is embedded in daily workflows, not simply present in the tech stack. Low adoption, even after a smooth onboarding, is a leading indicator of weak renewal outcomes.
A practical adoption motion usually includes a set of repeatable actions:
a 30 to 60 day check-in focused on outcomes rather than features
targeted enablement sessions for new use cases, teams, or workflows
a simple success plan update that connects current usage to upcoming business milestones
clear ownership for adoption activities on both sides, including internal champions within the customer’s organization
Standardizing these actions prevents a “set and forget” implementation. It ensures the product stays aligned with business needs as they evolve and becomes a dependable part of the customer’s operating rhythm.
How to Measure Adoption: Using Health Scores & Engagement Metrics
Adoption is best monitored through a mix of usage and engagement metrics. Examples include:
Login frequency and session length – whether users come back regularly.
Feature adoption – usage of capabilities that are linked to value, such as health scoring, workflows, or reporting.
User coverage – number of active users relative to licenses, teams, or regions.
Event-based actions – completion of specific actions that indicate deeper use, such as creating playbooks, dashboards, or custom segments.
These signals often feed into a customer health score. For example, a simple health model might weight product usage at 40%, sentiment at 20%, support trends at 20%, and commercial context (renewal date, contract size, open risks) at 20%. Each component is scored on a clear, shared scale so teams understand why an account is “green” or “red” and what needs to change. A well-designed health model uses product usage, support trends, sentiment, and renewal timelines to predict retention and expansion. For example, declining usage of a core feature combined with an upcoming renewal date may indicate poor health, which should trigger outreach.
In Planhat, health scores can be configured by segment or use case. This allows teams to define what healthy adoption looks like for enterprise customers compared to smaller, digital-led accounts.
Proactive Engagement: The Role of Customer Education
Adoption does not improve on its own. It requires ongoing engagement and education.
Typical adoption-focused activities include:
regular check-ins to review progress against goals
targeted enablement sessions on new or advanced features
webinars and office hours focused on common use cases
one-to-many communication through in-app messages or email sequences
sharing best practice guides and playbooks
In Planhat, adoption signals can drive automated workflows that help teams act at the right moment and keep engagement consistent across segments.
Actionable Playbook: The “Drop in Health” Signal
Configure an automation in Planhat that responds as soon as adoption begins to decline.
Trigger:
Usage of a key feature drops by more than 15 percent over 30 days, or logins fall below an agreed threshold.
Action:
Planhat automatically creates a re-engagement task for the CSM, alerts the Account Manager, and recommends a targeted training session or focused check in based on the customer’s use case.
Outcome:
Teams intervene early, often before the customer realizes they are disengaging. This keeps adoption stable and protects the renewal cycle.
Actionable Playbook: The “New Team Activated” Signal
Trigger:
A new department or regional group starts logging in for the first time, or user count increases by a defined threshold such as 10 percent growth in a week.
Action:
Planhat creates an “Early Expansion Review” task for the CSM and notifies the Account Manager. The platform suggests a short enablement session tailored to the new team’s role, followed by a quick update to the success plan to document emerging use cases.
Outcome:
Adoption spreads in a controlled, strategic way. Teams identify expansion potential early and support new users before friction develops.
Actionable Playbook: The “Feature Milestone Achieved” Signal
Trigger:
A customer completes a high-value action such as building a health model, activating automation workflows, or publishing their first dashboard.
Action:
Planhat automatically tags the milestone in the timeline, assigns a follow-up note for the CSM, and sends the customer a brief next-step guide to deepen usage of adjacent features.
Outcome:
Momentum increases. Customers move from basic adoption to advanced value, which strengthens long-term retention and creates a foundation for expansion conversations.
Once onboarding is complete, the customer enters an ongoing phase where they use the product in daily operations. This is the adoption stage. The goal is to build sustained usage and connect that usage to outcomes the business cares about.
What is Customer Adoption vs. Onboarding?
Onboarding is a defined project. It has a start and a clear completion point. Adoption is an ongoing process that continues throughout the customer relationship. It focuses on how deeply the product is used and whether it supports the customer’s evolving business goals.
Customer adoption focuses on:
how often users log in and complete key workflows
which features are used regularly
how widely the product is adopted across teams or regions
whether product usage aligns with the objectives defined in the success plan
Healthy adoption means the product is embedded in daily workflows, not simply present in the tech stack. Low adoption, even after a smooth onboarding, is a leading indicator of weak renewal outcomes.
A practical adoption motion usually includes a set of repeatable actions:
a 30 to 60 day check-in focused on outcomes rather than features
targeted enablement sessions for new use cases, teams, or workflows
a simple success plan update that connects current usage to upcoming business milestones
clear ownership for adoption activities on both sides, including internal champions within the customer’s organization
Standardizing these actions prevents a “set and forget” implementation. It ensures the product stays aligned with business needs as they evolve and becomes a dependable part of the customer’s operating rhythm.
How to Measure Adoption: Using Health Scores & Engagement Metrics
Adoption is best monitored through a mix of usage and engagement metrics. Examples include:
Login frequency and session length – whether users come back regularly.
Feature adoption – usage of capabilities that are linked to value, such as health scoring, workflows, or reporting.
User coverage – number of active users relative to licenses, teams, or regions.
Event-based actions – completion of specific actions that indicate deeper use, such as creating playbooks, dashboards, or custom segments.
These signals often feed into a customer health score. For example, a simple health model might weight product usage at 40%, sentiment at 20%, support trends at 20%, and commercial context (renewal date, contract size, open risks) at 20%. Each component is scored on a clear, shared scale so teams understand why an account is “green” or “red” and what needs to change. A well-designed health model uses product usage, support trends, sentiment, and renewal timelines to predict retention and expansion. For example, declining usage of a core feature combined with an upcoming renewal date may indicate poor health, which should trigger outreach.
In Planhat, health scores can be configured by segment or use case. This allows teams to define what healthy adoption looks like for enterprise customers compared to smaller, digital-led accounts.
Proactive Engagement: The Role of Customer Education
Adoption does not improve on its own. It requires ongoing engagement and education.
Typical adoption-focused activities include:
regular check-ins to review progress against goals
targeted enablement sessions on new or advanced features
webinars and office hours focused on common use cases
one-to-many communication through in-app messages or email sequences
sharing best practice guides and playbooks
In Planhat, adoption signals can drive automated workflows that help teams act at the right moment and keep engagement consistent across segments.
Actionable Playbook: The “Drop in Health” Signal
Configure an automation in Planhat that responds as soon as adoption begins to decline.
Trigger:
Usage of a key feature drops by more than 15 percent over 30 days, or logins fall below an agreed threshold.
Action:
Planhat automatically creates a re-engagement task for the CSM, alerts the Account Manager, and recommends a targeted training session or focused check in based on the customer’s use case.
Outcome:
Teams intervene early, often before the customer realizes they are disengaging. This keeps adoption stable and protects the renewal cycle.
Actionable Playbook: The “New Team Activated” Signal
Trigger:
A new department or regional group starts logging in for the first time, or user count increases by a defined threshold such as 10 percent growth in a week.
Action:
Planhat creates an “Early Expansion Review” task for the CSM and notifies the Account Manager. The platform suggests a short enablement session tailored to the new team’s role, followed by a quick update to the success plan to document emerging use cases.
Outcome:
Adoption spreads in a controlled, strategic way. Teams identify expansion potential early and support new users before friction develops.
Actionable Playbook: The “Feature Milestone Achieved” Signal
Trigger:
A customer completes a high-value action such as building a health model, activating automation workflows, or publishing their first dashboard.
Action:
Planhat automatically tags the milestone in the timeline, assigns a follow-up note for the CSM, and sends the customer a brief next-step guide to deepen usage of adjacent features.
Outcome:
Momentum increases. Customers move from basic adoption to advanced value, which strengthens long-term retention and creates a foundation for expansion conversations.
Once onboarding is complete, the customer enters an ongoing phase where they use the product in daily operations. This is the adoption stage. The goal is to build sustained usage and connect that usage to outcomes the business cares about.
What is Customer Adoption vs. Onboarding?
Onboarding is a defined project. It has a start and a clear completion point. Adoption is an ongoing process that continues throughout the customer relationship. It focuses on how deeply the product is used and whether it supports the customer’s evolving business goals.
Customer adoption focuses on:
how often users log in and complete key workflows
which features are used regularly
how widely the product is adopted across teams or regions
whether product usage aligns with the objectives defined in the success plan
Healthy adoption means the product is embedded in daily workflows, not simply present in the tech stack. Low adoption, even after a smooth onboarding, is a leading indicator of weak renewal outcomes.
A practical adoption motion usually includes a set of repeatable actions:
a 30 to 60 day check-in focused on outcomes rather than features
targeted enablement sessions for new use cases, teams, or workflows
a simple success plan update that connects current usage to upcoming business milestones
clear ownership for adoption activities on both sides, including internal champions within the customer’s organization
Standardizing these actions prevents a “set and forget” implementation. It ensures the product stays aligned with business needs as they evolve and becomes a dependable part of the customer’s operating rhythm.
How to Measure Adoption: Using Health Scores & Engagement Metrics
Adoption is best monitored through a mix of usage and engagement metrics. Examples include:
Login frequency and session length – whether users come back regularly.
Feature adoption – usage of capabilities that are linked to value, such as health scoring, workflows, or reporting.
User coverage – number of active users relative to licenses, teams, or regions.
Event-based actions – completion of specific actions that indicate deeper use, such as creating playbooks, dashboards, or custom segments.
These signals often feed into a customer health score. For example, a simple health model might weight product usage at 40%, sentiment at 20%, support trends at 20%, and commercial context (renewal date, contract size, open risks) at 20%. Each component is scored on a clear, shared scale so teams understand why an account is “green” or “red” and what needs to change. A well-designed health model uses product usage, support trends, sentiment, and renewal timelines to predict retention and expansion. For example, declining usage of a core feature combined with an upcoming renewal date may indicate poor health, which should trigger outreach.
In Planhat, health scores can be configured by segment or use case. This allows teams to define what healthy adoption looks like for enterprise customers compared to smaller, digital-led accounts.
Proactive Engagement: The Role of Customer Education
Adoption does not improve on its own. It requires ongoing engagement and education.
Typical adoption-focused activities include:
regular check-ins to review progress against goals
targeted enablement sessions on new or advanced features
webinars and office hours focused on common use cases
one-to-many communication through in-app messages or email sequences
sharing best practice guides and playbooks
In Planhat, adoption signals can drive automated workflows that help teams act at the right moment and keep engagement consistent across segments.
Actionable Playbook: The “Drop in Health” Signal
Configure an automation in Planhat that responds as soon as adoption begins to decline.
Trigger:
Usage of a key feature drops by more than 15 percent over 30 days, or logins fall below an agreed threshold.
Action:
Planhat automatically creates a re-engagement task for the CSM, alerts the Account Manager, and recommends a targeted training session or focused check in based on the customer’s use case.
Outcome:
Teams intervene early, often before the customer realizes they are disengaging. This keeps adoption stable and protects the renewal cycle.
Actionable Playbook: The “New Team Activated” Signal
Trigger:
A new department or regional group starts logging in for the first time, or user count increases by a defined threshold such as 10 percent growth in a week.
Action:
Planhat creates an “Early Expansion Review” task for the CSM and notifies the Account Manager. The platform suggests a short enablement session tailored to the new team’s role, followed by a quick update to the success plan to document emerging use cases.
Outcome:
Adoption spreads in a controlled, strategic way. Teams identify expansion potential early and support new users before friction develops.
Actionable Playbook: The “Feature Milestone Achieved” Signal
Trigger:
A customer completes a high-value action such as building a health model, activating automation workflows, or publishing their first dashboard.
Action:
Planhat automatically tags the milestone in the timeline, assigns a follow-up note for the CSM, and sends the customer a brief next-step guide to deepen usage of adjacent features.
Outcome:
Momentum increases. Customers move from basic adoption to advanced value, which strengthens long-term retention and creates a foundation for expansion conversations.
Planhat Insight
Stop treating renewals as a reactive negotiation. Planhat acts as your single source of truth for customer outcomes, allowing you to prove value and secure the next term long before the contract end date.
Planhat Insight
Stop treating renewals as a reactive negotiation. Planhat acts as your single source of truth for customer outcomes, allowing you to prove value and secure the next term long before the contract end date.
Planhat Insight
Stop treating renewals as a reactive negotiation. Planhat acts as your single source of truth for customer outcomes, allowing you to prove value and secure the next term long before the contract end date.
Planhat Insight
Stop treating renewals as a reactive negotiation. Planhat acts as your single source of truth for customer outcomes, allowing you to prove value and secure the next term long before the contract end date.
Stage 3: Identifying & Seizing Growth (Customer Expansion)
Stage 3: Identifying & Seizing Growth (Customer Expansion)
Stage 3: Identifying & Seizing Growth (Customer Expansion)
Stage 3: Identifying & Seizing Growth (Customer Expansion)
Expansion is the stage where customers increase their investment because they are receiving value. This can take the form of additional seats, new product modules, or multi-region rollouts.
The "G" in NRR: Finding Expansion Opportunities
Net Revenue Retention (NRR) accounts for both churn and expansion. To grow NRR, Customer Success needs a structured way to identify expansion signals.
These signals may include:
consistently high usage near license limits
new teams or departments engaging with the product
increasing complexity in how customers configure or report on data
positive sentiment in QBRs and surveys
new strategic initiatives where your product can play a role
CS teams are often closest to these signals. They see how customers use the product and where additional capabilities could support new business goals. Expansion should be positioned as a way to unlock more value, not as an isolated sales motion.
Using Planhat to Spot "Growth Signals"
Planhat consolidates customer data, making expansion opportunities easier to spot and act on.
Teams can:
configure alerts for usage thresholds or license saturation
monitor health scores that include expansion-related signals
track product module adoption and identify gaps where training or upsell may be relevant
log and review expansion opportunities in the same workspace where they manage success plans
These capabilities help CS and Account Management collaborate. When both teams work from the same data, expansion conversations can be timed to real need rather than arbitrary calendar prompts.
Expansion is the stage where customers increase their investment because they are receiving value. This can take the form of additional seats, new product modules, or multi-region rollouts.
The "G" in NRR: Finding Expansion Opportunities
Net Revenue Retention (NRR) accounts for both churn and expansion. To grow NRR, Customer Success needs a structured way to identify expansion signals.
These signals may include:
consistently high usage near license limits
new teams or departments engaging with the product
increasing complexity in how customers configure or report on data
positive sentiment in QBRs and surveys
new strategic initiatives where your product can play a role
CS teams are often closest to these signals. They see how customers use the product and where additional capabilities could support new business goals. Expansion should be positioned as a way to unlock more value, not as an isolated sales motion.
Using Planhat to Spot "Growth Signals"
Planhat consolidates customer data, making expansion opportunities easier to spot and act on.
Teams can:
configure alerts for usage thresholds or license saturation
monitor health scores that include expansion-related signals
track product module adoption and identify gaps where training or upsell may be relevant
log and review expansion opportunities in the same workspace where they manage success plans
These capabilities help CS and Account Management collaborate. When both teams work from the same data, expansion conversations can be timed to real need rather than arbitrary calendar prompts.
Expansion is the stage where customers increase their investment because they are receiving value. This can take the form of additional seats, new product modules, or multi-region rollouts.
The "G" in NRR: Finding Expansion Opportunities
Net Revenue Retention (NRR) accounts for both churn and expansion. To grow NRR, Customer Success needs a structured way to identify expansion signals.
These signals may include:
consistently high usage near license limits
new teams or departments engaging with the product
increasing complexity in how customers configure or report on data
positive sentiment in QBRs and surveys
new strategic initiatives where your product can play a role
CS teams are often closest to these signals. They see how customers use the product and where additional capabilities could support new business goals. Expansion should be positioned as a way to unlock more value, not as an isolated sales motion.
Using Planhat to Spot "Growth Signals"
Planhat consolidates customer data, making expansion opportunities easier to spot and act on.
Teams can:
configure alerts for usage thresholds or license saturation
monitor health scores that include expansion-related signals
track product module adoption and identify gaps where training or upsell may be relevant
log and review expansion opportunities in the same workspace where they manage success plans
These capabilities help CS and Account Management collaborate. When both teams work from the same data, expansion conversations can be timed to real need rather than arbitrary calendar prompts.
Expansion is the stage where customers increase their investment because they are receiving value. This can take the form of additional seats, new product modules, or multi-region rollouts.
The "G" in NRR: Finding Expansion Opportunities
Net Revenue Retention (NRR) accounts for both churn and expansion. To grow NRR, Customer Success needs a structured way to identify expansion signals.
These signals may include:
consistently high usage near license limits
new teams or departments engaging with the product
increasing complexity in how customers configure or report on data
positive sentiment in QBRs and surveys
new strategic initiatives where your product can play a role
CS teams are often closest to these signals. They see how customers use the product and where additional capabilities could support new business goals. Expansion should be positioned as a way to unlock more value, not as an isolated sales motion.
Using Planhat to Spot "Growth Signals"
Planhat consolidates customer data, making expansion opportunities easier to spot and act on.
Teams can:
configure alerts for usage thresholds or license saturation
monitor health scores that include expansion-related signals
track product module adoption and identify gaps where training or upsell may be relevant
log and review expansion opportunities in the same workspace where they manage success plans
These capabilities help CS and Account Management collaborate. When both teams work from the same data, expansion conversations can be timed to real need rather than arbitrary calendar prompts.
Stage 4: Proving Value & Securing the Future (The Renewal Process)
Stage 4: Proving Value & Securing the Future (The Renewal Process)
Stage 4: Proving Value & Securing the Future (The Renewal Process)
Stage 4: Proving Value & Securing the Future (The Renewal Process)
Renewal is the point where customers decide whether to continue the relationship. By this stage, they have formed opinions about product fit, support quality, and the impact on their business.
Why Renewals are a Process, Not an Event
Renewals are shaped by everything that happens earlier in the lifecycle. The work that determines renewal outcomes often occurs in the first 90 days and continues through adoption and expansion.
Treating renewal as a single negotiation near the contract end date leads to rushed communication and incomplete information. Treating renewal as a process means:
tracking progress against goals throughout the term
documenting outcomes in mutual success plans
addressing risks as soon as they appear in health scores or usage data
aligning on future plans well before a renewal date
In practice, many teams start structured renewal preparations 90 to 120 days before the contract ends. By that point, data should already show whether the product is delivering value.
The Renewal Playbook: Using Data to Prove ROI
A clear renewal playbook helps teams prepare with confidence. It usually includes:
a review of the original goals and success plan
a summary of usage trends and adoption of key features
evidence of business impact, such as time saved, increased coverage, or new workflows made possible
a view of health over time, including any risk events that were resolved
recommendations for the next phase, which may include expansion
Planhat centralizes this information. CSMs can use the platform to generate a consolidated view of:
health score history
key milestones completed
playbooks triggered and resolved
product usage views tailored to executive stakeholders
This makes it easier to present a structured narrative in QBRs and renewal conversations. Instead of assembling data from multiple systems at the last minute, teams already have a clear, ongoing record of value.
Renewal is the point where customers decide whether to continue the relationship. By this stage, they have formed opinions about product fit, support quality, and the impact on their business.
Why Renewals are a Process, Not an Event
Renewals are shaped by everything that happens earlier in the lifecycle. The work that determines renewal outcomes often occurs in the first 90 days and continues through adoption and expansion.
Treating renewal as a single negotiation near the contract end date leads to rushed communication and incomplete information. Treating renewal as a process means:
tracking progress against goals throughout the term
documenting outcomes in mutual success plans
addressing risks as soon as they appear in health scores or usage data
aligning on future plans well before a renewal date
In practice, many teams start structured renewal preparations 90 to 120 days before the contract ends. By that point, data should already show whether the product is delivering value.
The Renewal Playbook: Using Data to Prove ROI
A clear renewal playbook helps teams prepare with confidence. It usually includes:
a review of the original goals and success plan
a summary of usage trends and adoption of key features
evidence of business impact, such as time saved, increased coverage, or new workflows made possible
a view of health over time, including any risk events that were resolved
recommendations for the next phase, which may include expansion
Planhat centralizes this information. CSMs can use the platform to generate a consolidated view of:
health score history
key milestones completed
playbooks triggered and resolved
product usage views tailored to executive stakeholders
This makes it easier to present a structured narrative in QBRs and renewal conversations. Instead of assembling data from multiple systems at the last minute, teams already have a clear, ongoing record of value.
Renewal is the point where customers decide whether to continue the relationship. By this stage, they have formed opinions about product fit, support quality, and the impact on their business.
Why Renewals are a Process, Not an Event
Renewals are shaped by everything that happens earlier in the lifecycle. The work that determines renewal outcomes often occurs in the first 90 days and continues through adoption and expansion.
Treating renewal as a single negotiation near the contract end date leads to rushed communication and incomplete information. Treating renewal as a process means:
tracking progress against goals throughout the term
documenting outcomes in mutual success plans
addressing risks as soon as they appear in health scores or usage data
aligning on future plans well before a renewal date
In practice, many teams start structured renewal preparations 90 to 120 days before the contract ends. By that point, data should already show whether the product is delivering value.
The Renewal Playbook: Using Data to Prove ROI
A clear renewal playbook helps teams prepare with confidence. It usually includes:
a review of the original goals and success plan
a summary of usage trends and adoption of key features
evidence of business impact, such as time saved, increased coverage, or new workflows made possible
a view of health over time, including any risk events that were resolved
recommendations for the next phase, which may include expansion
Planhat centralizes this information. CSMs can use the platform to generate a consolidated view of:
health score history
key milestones completed
playbooks triggered and resolved
product usage views tailored to executive stakeholders
This makes it easier to present a structured narrative in QBRs and renewal conversations. Instead of assembling data from multiple systems at the last minute, teams already have a clear, ongoing record of value.
Renewal is the point where customers decide whether to continue the relationship. By this stage, they have formed opinions about product fit, support quality, and the impact on their business.
Why Renewals are a Process, Not an Event
Renewals are shaped by everything that happens earlier in the lifecycle. The work that determines renewal outcomes often occurs in the first 90 days and continues through adoption and expansion.
Treating renewal as a single negotiation near the contract end date leads to rushed communication and incomplete information. Treating renewal as a process means:
tracking progress against goals throughout the term
documenting outcomes in mutual success plans
addressing risks as soon as they appear in health scores or usage data
aligning on future plans well before a renewal date
In practice, many teams start structured renewal preparations 90 to 120 days before the contract ends. By that point, data should already show whether the product is delivering value.
The Renewal Playbook: Using Data to Prove ROI
A clear renewal playbook helps teams prepare with confidence. It usually includes:
a review of the original goals and success plan
a summary of usage trends and adoption of key features
evidence of business impact, such as time saved, increased coverage, or new workflows made possible
a view of health over time, including any risk events that were resolved
recommendations for the next phase, which may include expansion
Planhat centralizes this information. CSMs can use the platform to generate a consolidated view of:
health score history
key milestones completed
playbooks triggered and resolved
product usage views tailored to executive stakeholders
This makes it easier to present a structured narrative in QBRs and renewal conversations. Instead of assembling data from multiple systems at the last minute, teams already have a clear, ongoing record of value.
Stage 5: Creating Superfans (Customer Advocacy)
Stage 5: Creating Superfans (Customer Advocacy)
Stage 5: Creating Superfans (Customer Advocacy)
Stage 5: Creating Superfans (Customer Advocacy)
Advocacy is the stage where customers move from satisfied users to active supporters of your product. This often feeds new pipeline and strengthens brand credibility.
What is a Customer Advocacy Program?
A customer advocacy program is a structured approach to identifying, engaging, and supporting customers who are willing to share their experiences. It typically includes:
case studies
testimonials and quotes
reference calls with prospects
webinar or event participation
co-authored content or joint announcements
For Customer Success, advocacy is a way to capture and share proof of outcomes. It also strengthens relationships by recognizing customer achievements and giving them a platform to highlight their work.
Advocacy Playbook: Turning High-Health Customers Into Advocates
Trigger:
A customer shows strong health, gives a high NPS rating, or demonstrates sustained product adoption over several quarters.
Actions:
Identify the customer as a candidate for advocacy based on health scores, sentiment, and renewal history.
Confirm satisfaction during a QBR or executive check in.
Request a low friction contribution such as a quote, testimonial, or approval to use their logo.
If both sides see a larger opportunity, co design a deeper story such as a case study or webinar that highlights their internal success.
Owner:
CSM, with Marketing or Communications support.
Outcome:
Advocacy becomes a structured, predictable motion rather than opportunistic outreach. Customers feel recognized for their results, and teams generate credible stories that support pipeline and brand growth.
Advocacy Playbook: Activating Reference-Ready Customers
Trigger:
A customer with strong adoption and positive sentiment agrees to be a reference during a QBR, renewal conversation, or success plan review.
Actions:
Add the customer to the reference-ready cohort inside Planhat so Sales and CS have clear visibility.
Capture approved guidelines, preferred topics, and any limitations the customer has set.
Coordinate with Sales to match the customer to suitable reference requests based on industry, segment, or use case.
After each reference call, log outcomes and update the customer profile so engagement stays respectful and sustainable.
Owner:
CSM in partnership with Sales and Marketing.
Outcome:
Reference activity becomes predictable and well managed. Customers are not overused, Sales receives reliable support, and advocacy remains a positive experience for all stakeholders.
Identifying Advocates with Data in Planhat
The best advocates are usually customers who:
have strong health scores
give high NPS or positive survey responses
show sustained product adoption
have a clear story about the outcomes they achieved
Planhat helps teams identify these accounts by combining sentiment, usage, and renewal history. CSMs can filter for accounts with high health and positive feedback, then add tasks or playbooks to initiate advocacy outreach.
This could include:
asking for a quote after a strong QBR
inviting them to participate in a customer story
coordinating with marketing for joint campaigns
By using data to drive advocacy, teams avoid random requests and focus on customers who are most likely to engage.
Advocacy is the stage where customers move from satisfied users to active supporters of your product. This often feeds new pipeline and strengthens brand credibility.
What is a Customer Advocacy Program?
A customer advocacy program is a structured approach to identifying, engaging, and supporting customers who are willing to share their experiences. It typically includes:
case studies
testimonials and quotes
reference calls with prospects
webinar or event participation
co-authored content or joint announcements
For Customer Success, advocacy is a way to capture and share proof of outcomes. It also strengthens relationships by recognizing customer achievements and giving them a platform to highlight their work.
Advocacy Playbook: Turning High-Health Customers Into Advocates
Trigger:
A customer shows strong health, gives a high NPS rating, or demonstrates sustained product adoption over several quarters.
Actions:
Identify the customer as a candidate for advocacy based on health scores, sentiment, and renewal history.
Confirm satisfaction during a QBR or executive check in.
Request a low friction contribution such as a quote, testimonial, or approval to use their logo.
If both sides see a larger opportunity, co design a deeper story such as a case study or webinar that highlights their internal success.
Owner:
CSM, with Marketing or Communications support.
Outcome:
Advocacy becomes a structured, predictable motion rather than opportunistic outreach. Customers feel recognized for their results, and teams generate credible stories that support pipeline and brand growth.
Advocacy Playbook: Activating Reference-Ready Customers
Trigger:
A customer with strong adoption and positive sentiment agrees to be a reference during a QBR, renewal conversation, or success plan review.
Actions:
Add the customer to the reference-ready cohort inside Planhat so Sales and CS have clear visibility.
Capture approved guidelines, preferred topics, and any limitations the customer has set.
Coordinate with Sales to match the customer to suitable reference requests based on industry, segment, or use case.
After each reference call, log outcomes and update the customer profile so engagement stays respectful and sustainable.
Owner:
CSM in partnership with Sales and Marketing.
Outcome:
Reference activity becomes predictable and well managed. Customers are not overused, Sales receives reliable support, and advocacy remains a positive experience for all stakeholders.
Identifying Advocates with Data in Planhat
The best advocates are usually customers who:
have strong health scores
give high NPS or positive survey responses
show sustained product adoption
have a clear story about the outcomes they achieved
Planhat helps teams identify these accounts by combining sentiment, usage, and renewal history. CSMs can filter for accounts with high health and positive feedback, then add tasks or playbooks to initiate advocacy outreach.
This could include:
asking for a quote after a strong QBR
inviting them to participate in a customer story
coordinating with marketing for joint campaigns
By using data to drive advocacy, teams avoid random requests and focus on customers who are most likely to engage.
Advocacy is the stage where customers move from satisfied users to active supporters of your product. This often feeds new pipeline and strengthens brand credibility.
What is a Customer Advocacy Program?
A customer advocacy program is a structured approach to identifying, engaging, and supporting customers who are willing to share their experiences. It typically includes:
case studies
testimonials and quotes
reference calls with prospects
webinar or event participation
co-authored content or joint announcements
For Customer Success, advocacy is a way to capture and share proof of outcomes. It also strengthens relationships by recognizing customer achievements and giving them a platform to highlight their work.
Advocacy Playbook: Turning High-Health Customers Into Advocates
Trigger:
A customer shows strong health, gives a high NPS rating, or demonstrates sustained product adoption over several quarters.
Actions:
Identify the customer as a candidate for advocacy based on health scores, sentiment, and renewal history.
Confirm satisfaction during a QBR or executive check in.
Request a low friction contribution such as a quote, testimonial, or approval to use their logo.
If both sides see a larger opportunity, co design a deeper story such as a case study or webinar that highlights their internal success.
Owner:
CSM, with Marketing or Communications support.
Outcome:
Advocacy becomes a structured, predictable motion rather than opportunistic outreach. Customers feel recognized for their results, and teams generate credible stories that support pipeline and brand growth.
Advocacy Playbook: Activating Reference-Ready Customers
Trigger:
A customer with strong adoption and positive sentiment agrees to be a reference during a QBR, renewal conversation, or success plan review.
Actions:
Add the customer to the reference-ready cohort inside Planhat so Sales and CS have clear visibility.
Capture approved guidelines, preferred topics, and any limitations the customer has set.
Coordinate with Sales to match the customer to suitable reference requests based on industry, segment, or use case.
After each reference call, log outcomes and update the customer profile so engagement stays respectful and sustainable.
Owner:
CSM in partnership with Sales and Marketing.
Outcome:
Reference activity becomes predictable and well managed. Customers are not overused, Sales receives reliable support, and advocacy remains a positive experience for all stakeholders.
Identifying Advocates with Data in Planhat
The best advocates are usually customers who:
have strong health scores
give high NPS or positive survey responses
show sustained product adoption
have a clear story about the outcomes they achieved
Planhat helps teams identify these accounts by combining sentiment, usage, and renewal history. CSMs can filter for accounts with high health and positive feedback, then add tasks or playbooks to initiate advocacy outreach.
This could include:
asking for a quote after a strong QBR
inviting them to participate in a customer story
coordinating with marketing for joint campaigns
By using data to drive advocacy, teams avoid random requests and focus on customers who are most likely to engage.
Advocacy is the stage where customers move from satisfied users to active supporters of your product. This often feeds new pipeline and strengthens brand credibility.
What is a Customer Advocacy Program?
A customer advocacy program is a structured approach to identifying, engaging, and supporting customers who are willing to share their experiences. It typically includes:
case studies
testimonials and quotes
reference calls with prospects
webinar or event participation
co-authored content or joint announcements
For Customer Success, advocacy is a way to capture and share proof of outcomes. It also strengthens relationships by recognizing customer achievements and giving them a platform to highlight their work.
Advocacy Playbook: Turning High-Health Customers Into Advocates
Trigger:
A customer shows strong health, gives a high NPS rating, or demonstrates sustained product adoption over several quarters.
Actions:
Identify the customer as a candidate for advocacy based on health scores, sentiment, and renewal history.
Confirm satisfaction during a QBR or executive check in.
Request a low friction contribution such as a quote, testimonial, or approval to use their logo.
If both sides see a larger opportunity, co design a deeper story such as a case study or webinar that highlights their internal success.
Owner:
CSM, with Marketing or Communications support.
Outcome:
Advocacy becomes a structured, predictable motion rather than opportunistic outreach. Customers feel recognized for their results, and teams generate credible stories that support pipeline and brand growth.
Advocacy Playbook: Activating Reference-Ready Customers
Trigger:
A customer with strong adoption and positive sentiment agrees to be a reference during a QBR, renewal conversation, or success plan review.
Actions:
Add the customer to the reference-ready cohort inside Planhat so Sales and CS have clear visibility.
Capture approved guidelines, preferred topics, and any limitations the customer has set.
Coordinate with Sales to match the customer to suitable reference requests based on industry, segment, or use case.
After each reference call, log outcomes and update the customer profile so engagement stays respectful and sustainable.
Owner:
CSM in partnership with Sales and Marketing.
Outcome:
Reference activity becomes predictable and well managed. Customers are not overused, Sales receives reliable support, and advocacy remains a positive experience for all stakeholders.
Identifying Advocates with Data in Planhat
The best advocates are usually customers who:
have strong health scores
give high NPS or positive survey responses
show sustained product adoption
have a clear story about the outcomes they achieved
Planhat helps teams identify these accounts by combining sentiment, usage, and renewal history. CSMs can filter for accounts with high health and positive feedback, then add tasks or playbooks to initiate advocacy outreach.
This could include:
asking for a quote after a strong QBR
inviting them to participate in a customer story
coordinating with marketing for joint campaigns
By using data to drive advocacy, teams avoid random requests and focus on customers who are most likely to engage.
How Planhat Manages the Entire Customer Lifecycle
How Planhat Manages the Entire Customer Lifecycle
How Planhat Manages the Entire Customer Lifecycle
How Planhat Manages the Entire Customer Lifecycle
Customer Lifecycle Management is difficult to execute when data is spread across multiple systems. Planhat is designed to connect lifecycle stages into one consistent operational model.
The Problem: Why Spreadsheets & CRMs Fail
Spreadsheets and generic CRMs are not designed to manage the post-sale lifecycle. Common issues include:
scattered data across product analytics, support tools, billing systems, and CRMs
limited visibility into usage and engagement trends
manual reporting that lags behind real customer behavior
no direct link between signals, such as health changes, and playbooks
These constraints keep teams in a reactive mode. They often learn about problems only after it is too late to intervene.
The Solution: Planhat's Single Source of Truth
Planhat connects product usage, CRM activity, support tickets, billing data, and sentiment into a single workspace. Each customer record reflects:
lifecycle stage
health score and its components
onboarding and adoption progress
current and forecasted revenue
tasks, notes, and playbooks in motion
This unified view supports every stage of the lifecycle. CSMs can prepare for meetings in minutes. Leaders can track retention, NRR, and risk across the portfolio from one place.
Automating Your CS Playbooks for Every Stage
Planhat also turns lifecycle signals into action.
Teams can design playbooks that:
launch onboarding tasks when a deal closes
create alerts when health drops or usage changes
prepare renewal workflows when a contract approaches a key date
flag expansion opportunities when usage or engagement crosses defined thresholds
These playbooks standardize how the team responds to lifecycle events. New CSMs ramp faster because key processes are already defined. Experienced CSMs gain more time for strategic work because repetitive actions are automated.
Customer Lifecycle Management is difficult to execute when data is spread across multiple systems. Planhat is designed to connect lifecycle stages into one consistent operational model.
The Problem: Why Spreadsheets & CRMs Fail
Spreadsheets and generic CRMs are not designed to manage the post-sale lifecycle. Common issues include:
scattered data across product analytics, support tools, billing systems, and CRMs
limited visibility into usage and engagement trends
manual reporting that lags behind real customer behavior
no direct link between signals, such as health changes, and playbooks
These constraints keep teams in a reactive mode. They often learn about problems only after it is too late to intervene.
The Solution: Planhat's Single Source of Truth
Planhat connects product usage, CRM activity, support tickets, billing data, and sentiment into a single workspace. Each customer record reflects:
lifecycle stage
health score and its components
onboarding and adoption progress
current and forecasted revenue
tasks, notes, and playbooks in motion
This unified view supports every stage of the lifecycle. CSMs can prepare for meetings in minutes. Leaders can track retention, NRR, and risk across the portfolio from one place.
Automating Your CS Playbooks for Every Stage
Planhat also turns lifecycle signals into action.
Teams can design playbooks that:
launch onboarding tasks when a deal closes
create alerts when health drops or usage changes
prepare renewal workflows when a contract approaches a key date
flag expansion opportunities when usage or engagement crosses defined thresholds
These playbooks standardize how the team responds to lifecycle events. New CSMs ramp faster because key processes are already defined. Experienced CSMs gain more time for strategic work because repetitive actions are automated.
Customer Lifecycle Management is difficult to execute when data is spread across multiple systems. Planhat is designed to connect lifecycle stages into one consistent operational model.
The Problem: Why Spreadsheets & CRMs Fail
Spreadsheets and generic CRMs are not designed to manage the post-sale lifecycle. Common issues include:
scattered data across product analytics, support tools, billing systems, and CRMs
limited visibility into usage and engagement trends
manual reporting that lags behind real customer behavior
no direct link between signals, such as health changes, and playbooks
These constraints keep teams in a reactive mode. They often learn about problems only after it is too late to intervene.
The Solution: Planhat's Single Source of Truth
Planhat connects product usage, CRM activity, support tickets, billing data, and sentiment into a single workspace. Each customer record reflects:
lifecycle stage
health score and its components
onboarding and adoption progress
current and forecasted revenue
tasks, notes, and playbooks in motion
This unified view supports every stage of the lifecycle. CSMs can prepare for meetings in minutes. Leaders can track retention, NRR, and risk across the portfolio from one place.
Automating Your CS Playbooks for Every Stage
Planhat also turns lifecycle signals into action.
Teams can design playbooks that:
launch onboarding tasks when a deal closes
create alerts when health drops or usage changes
prepare renewal workflows when a contract approaches a key date
flag expansion opportunities when usage or engagement crosses defined thresholds
These playbooks standardize how the team responds to lifecycle events. New CSMs ramp faster because key processes are already defined. Experienced CSMs gain more time for strategic work because repetitive actions are automated.
Customer Lifecycle Management is difficult to execute when data is spread across multiple systems. Planhat is designed to connect lifecycle stages into one consistent operational model.
The Problem: Why Spreadsheets & CRMs Fail
Spreadsheets and generic CRMs are not designed to manage the post-sale lifecycle. Common issues include:
scattered data across product analytics, support tools, billing systems, and CRMs
limited visibility into usage and engagement trends
manual reporting that lags behind real customer behavior
no direct link between signals, such as health changes, and playbooks
These constraints keep teams in a reactive mode. They often learn about problems only after it is too late to intervene.
The Solution: Planhat's Single Source of Truth
Planhat connects product usage, CRM activity, support tickets, billing data, and sentiment into a single workspace. Each customer record reflects:
lifecycle stage
health score and its components
onboarding and adoption progress
current and forecasted revenue
tasks, notes, and playbooks in motion
This unified view supports every stage of the lifecycle. CSMs can prepare for meetings in minutes. Leaders can track retention, NRR, and risk across the portfolio from one place.
Automating Your CS Playbooks for Every Stage
Planhat also turns lifecycle signals into action.
Teams can design playbooks that:
launch onboarding tasks when a deal closes
create alerts when health drops or usage changes
prepare renewal workflows when a contract approaches a key date
flag expansion opportunities when usage or engagement crosses defined thresholds
These playbooks standardize how the team responds to lifecycle events. New CSMs ramp faster because key processes are already defined. Experienced CSMs gain more time for strategic work because repetitive actions are automated.
Customer Success FAQs
Customer Success FAQs
Customer Success FAQs
Customer Success FAQs
What's the difference between a Customer Journey and a Customer Lifecycle?
What's the difference between a Customer Journey and a Customer Lifecycle?
What's the difference between a Customer Journey and a Customer Lifecycle?
What's the difference between a Customer Journey and a Customer Lifecycle?
The customer journey describes the customer’s experience and perception across touchpoints, from marketing through support. The customer lifecycle describes your internal processes for managing the relationship after the sale, such as onboarding, adoption, renewal, and advocacy.
The customer journey describes the customer’s experience and perception across touchpoints, from marketing through support. The customer lifecycle describes your internal processes for managing the relationship after the sale, such as onboarding, adoption, renewal, and advocacy.
The customer journey describes the customer’s experience and perception across touchpoints, from marketing through support. The customer lifecycle describes your internal processes for managing the relationship after the sale, such as onboarding, adoption, renewal, and advocacy.
The customer journey describes the customer’s experience and perception across touchpoints, from marketing through support. The customer lifecycle describes your internal processes for managing the relationship after the sale, such as onboarding, adoption, renewal, and advocacy.
How does offboarding fit into the customer lifecycle?
How does offboarding fit into the customer lifecycle?
How does offboarding fit into the customer lifecycle?
How does offboarding fit into the customer lifecycle?
Offboarding is the stage where a customer decides to leave – but it should still be managed, not ignored. A structured offboarding process helps you understand the reasons behind churn, capture feedback, and keep the door open for future opportunities. In practice, this means:
- Running a short, honest review of goals vs. outcomes.
- Capturing qualitative feedback in a consistent way.
- Flagging themes in your data model so Product, Sales, and CS can learn from them.
- Agreeing on how and when you might reconnect if circumstances change.
In Planhat, you can treat churned accounts as their own lifecycle cohort – tracking patterns, building churn reasons into your health model, and using those insights to prevent similar risks earlier in the journey.
Offboarding is the stage where a customer decides to leave – but it should still be managed, not ignored. A structured offboarding process helps you understand the reasons behind churn, capture feedback, and keep the door open for future opportunities. In practice, this means:
- Running a short, honest review of goals vs. outcomes.
- Capturing qualitative feedback in a consistent way.
- Flagging themes in your data model so Product, Sales, and CS can learn from them.
- Agreeing on how and when you might reconnect if circumstances change.
In Planhat, you can treat churned accounts as their own lifecycle cohort – tracking patterns, building churn reasons into your health model, and using those insights to prevent similar risks earlier in the journey.
Offboarding is the stage where a customer decides to leave – but it should still be managed, not ignored. A structured offboarding process helps you understand the reasons behind churn, capture feedback, and keep the door open for future opportunities. In practice, this means:
- Running a short, honest review of goals vs. outcomes.
- Capturing qualitative feedback in a consistent way.
- Flagging themes in your data model so Product, Sales, and CS can learn from them.
- Agreeing on how and when you might reconnect if circumstances change.
In Planhat, you can treat churned accounts as their own lifecycle cohort – tracking patterns, building churn reasons into your health model, and using those insights to prevent similar risks earlier in the journey.
Offboarding is the stage where a customer decides to leave – but it should still be managed, not ignored. A structured offboarding process helps you understand the reasons behind churn, capture feedback, and keep the door open for future opportunities. In practice, this means:
- Running a short, honest review of goals vs. outcomes.
- Capturing qualitative feedback in a consistent way.
- Flagging themes in your data model so Product, Sales, and CS can learn from them.
- Agreeing on how and when you might reconnect if circumstances change.
In Planhat, you can treat churned accounts as their own lifecycle cohort – tracking patterns, building churn reasons into your health model, and using those insights to prevent similar risks earlier in the journey.
What is a customer success playbook?
What is a customer success playbook?
What is a customer success playbook?
What is a customer success playbook?
A customer success playbook is a set of standardized steps a CSM follows in a specific scenario. Examples include onboarding a new account, managing a renewal, or responding to a drop in health. In Planhat, playbooks can be automated and tracked so each step is visible and repeatable.
A customer success playbook is a set of standardized steps a CSM follows in a specific scenario. Examples include onboarding a new account, managing a renewal, or responding to a drop in health. In Planhat, playbooks can be automated and tracked so each step is visible and repeatable.
A customer success playbook is a set of standardized steps a CSM follows in a specific scenario. Examples include onboarding a new account, managing a renewal, or responding to a drop in health. In Planhat, playbooks can be automated and tracked so each step is visible and repeatable.
A customer success playbook is a set of standardized steps a CSM follows in a specific scenario. Examples include onboarding a new account, managing a renewal, or responding to a drop in health. In Planhat, playbooks can be automated and tracked so each step is visible and repeatable.
What is the most important stage of the customer lifecycle?
What is the most important stage of the customer lifecycle?
What is the most important stage of the customer lifecycle?
What is the most important stage of the customer lifecycle?
All stages contribute to long-term success, but onboarding often has the strongest influence on renewal and lifetime value. A strong onboarding builds trust, delivers early value, and makes later stages easier to manage.
All stages contribute to long-term success, but onboarding often has the strongest influence on renewal and lifetime value. A strong onboarding builds trust, delivers early value, and makes later stages easier to manage.
All stages contribute to long-term success, but onboarding often has the strongest influence on renewal and lifetime value. A strong onboarding builds trust, delivers early value, and makes later stages easier to manage.
All stages contribute to long-term success, but onboarding often has the strongest influence on renewal and lifetime value. A strong onboarding builds trust, delivers early value, and makes later stages easier to manage.
What is a Customer Success Plan (CSP)?
What is a Customer Success Plan (CSP)?
What is a Customer Success Plan (CSP)?
What is a Customer Success Plan (CSP)?
A Customer Success Plan is a shared document that outlines the customer’s goals, success metrics, and key milestones. It is usually created during onboarding and updated over time. In Planhat, teams can manage success plans within the same workspace where they track tasks, health scores, and usage.
A Customer Success Plan is a shared document that outlines the customer’s goals, success metrics, and key milestones. It is usually created during onboarding and updated over time. In Planhat, teams can manage success plans within the same workspace where they track tasks, health scores, and usage.
A Customer Success Plan is a shared document that outlines the customer’s goals, success metrics, and key milestones. It is usually created during onboarding and updated over time. In Planhat, teams can manage success plans within the same workspace where they track tasks, health scores, and usage.
A Customer Success Plan is a shared document that outlines the customer’s goals, success metrics, and key milestones. It is usually created during onboarding and updated over time. In Planhat, teams can manage success plans within the same workspace where they track tasks, health scores, and usage.
From Onboarding to Advocacy: Own Your Customer Lifecycle
From Onboarding to Advocacy: Own Your Customer Lifecycle
From Onboarding to Advocacy: Own Your Customer Lifecycle
From Onboarding to Advocacy: Own Your Customer Lifecycle
Customer Lifecycle Management brings structure to the entire post-sale relationship. When each stage has clear goals, workflows, and metrics, teams can operate with more confidence and predictability. Customers experience consistent support, see progress toward their goals, and have a clear view of how your product contributes to their results.
Planhat gives you a single place to manage every stage, from the first handoff to renewal and advocacy. It unifies data, standardizes processes, and turns lifecycle signals into action.
Stop managing customers in disconnected tools. See how Planhat provides a single platform for the entire customer lifecycle, from onboarding to renewal.
Customer Lifecycle Management brings structure to the entire post-sale relationship. When each stage has clear goals, workflows, and metrics, teams can operate with more confidence and predictability. Customers experience consistent support, see progress toward their goals, and have a clear view of how your product contributes to their results.
Planhat gives you a single place to manage every stage, from the first handoff to renewal and advocacy. It unifies data, standardizes processes, and turns lifecycle signals into action.
Stop managing customers in disconnected tools. See how Planhat provides a single platform for the entire customer lifecycle, from onboarding to renewal.
Customer Lifecycle Management brings structure to the entire post-sale relationship. When each stage has clear goals, workflows, and metrics, teams can operate with more confidence and predictability. Customers experience consistent support, see progress toward their goals, and have a clear view of how your product contributes to their results.
Planhat gives you a single place to manage every stage, from the first handoff to renewal and advocacy. It unifies data, standardizes processes, and turns lifecycle signals into action.
Stop managing customers in disconnected tools. See how Planhat provides a single platform for the entire customer lifecycle, from onboarding to renewal.
Customer Lifecycle Management brings structure to the entire post-sale relationship. When each stage has clear goals, workflows, and metrics, teams can operate with more confidence and predictability. Customers experience consistent support, see progress toward their goals, and have a clear view of how your product contributes to their results.
Planhat gives you a single place to manage every stage, from the first handoff to renewal and advocacy. It unifies data, standardizes processes, and turns lifecycle signals into action.
Stop managing customers in disconnected tools. See how Planhat provides a single platform for the entire customer lifecycle, from onboarding to renewal.
Turn your customer data into action
Planhat unifies your data stack into a single, dynamic system of action. Empower your team to anticipate needs, automate workflows, and drive measurable growth across the entire customer lifecycle.
Turn your customer data into action
Planhat unifies your data stack into a single, dynamic system of action. Empower your team to anticipate needs, automate workflows, and drive measurable growth across the entire customer lifecycle.
Turn your customer data into action
Planhat unifies your data stack into a single, dynamic system of action. Empower your team to anticipate needs, automate workflows, and drive measurable growth across the entire customer lifecycle.
Turn your customer data into action
Planhat unifies your data stack into a single, dynamic system of action. Empower your team to anticipate needs, automate workflows, and drive measurable growth across the entire customer lifecycle.
Recognized as a world-leader by
Recognized as a world-leader by
Recognized as a world-leader by
Recognized as a world-leader by
