dag: How do I assess the health of a customer account?
version: 1.0.0
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1576091160550-2173dba999ef?w=1200&q=80
description: Classify a customer's health score to guide proactive engagement and retention strategy. Use this tree during your regular account reviews or whenever a trigger event—such as a low NPS, a support spike, or a missed check-in—prompts a reassessment. The outcome drives the cadence and urgency of your next CSM action.
tags: customer success, health score, churn prevention, account management
entry: Q1

Q1: Is the customer's product adoption rate above 60% of licensed seats or expected usage benchmarks?
  hint: Adoption rate is the single strongest leading indicator of renewal likelihood. Check your product analytics dashboard or ask the customer directly during a business review. A rate below 60% often signals that the value proposition has not been fully realized and warrants immediate enablement outreach. If adoption data is unavailable, use login frequency and feature breadth as proxies.
  yes -> Q2
  no  -> Q3

Q2: Did the customer log in or actively engage with the product within the last 14 days?
  hint: Recent login activity confirms that users are not just onboarded but are returning to the product habitually. Pull this data from your product usage telemetry or customer data platform. A gap longer than two weeks—especially for a team-based product—can indicate disengagement even when overall adoption numbers look acceptable. Consider reaching out proactively if you see a sudden drop from a previously active pattern.
  yes -> Q3
  no  -> Q4

Q3: Has the customer provided an NPS score of 7 or higher, or a CSAT rating of "satisfied" or above, in the most recent survey?
  hint: NPS and CSAT are lagging indicators, but a low score combined with other warning signs dramatically increases churn risk. If no survey response exists in the last 90 days, treat this as a yellow flag and prioritize a sentiment check-in call. Detractors (NPS 0–6) should always trigger a deeper conversation regardless of usage metrics. Promoters (NPS 9–10) are candidates for referral and advocacy programs.
  yes -> Q4
  no  -> Q5

Q4: Does the customer currently have more than 3 open support tickets, or any ticket that has been open longer than 14 days without resolution?
  hint: A high volume of unresolved support issues erodes trust rapidly and is a leading predictor of escalation and churn. Review the customer's support queue in your ticketing system and note any tickets marked urgent or escalated. Even a single long-running critical bug can overshadow otherwise positive health signals. Coordinate with your support team to set customer-visible SLA expectations and provide regular status updates.
  yes -> Q5
  no  -> Q6

Q5: Is the customer's contract renewal date within the next 90 days?
  hint: Proximity to renewal amplifies every risk signal—customers approaching renewal who are unhappy or underutilizing the product are highly susceptible to churning or demanding significant discounts. If renewal is within 90 days and any prior answer was negative, escalate your engagement plan immediately. If renewal is more than 90 days out, you still have time to implement a structured recovery play before the renewal conversation begins.
  yes -> [CRITICAL]
  no  -> [AT_RISK]

Q6: Is the customer's contract renewal date within the next 90 days?
  hint: Even healthy accounts need a proactive renewal touchpoint within 90 days. Confirm your champion is still in place, validate business outcomes achieved, and begin building the renewal business case. An account with strong health metrics but a near-term renewal is an ideal candidate for an expansion conversation. Use this window to gather quotes, case study material, and referral introductions while sentiment is high.
  yes -> [NEEDS_ATTENTION]
  no  -> [HEALTHY]

[HEALTHY]: Healthy (Green)
  color: #22c55e
  description: This customer is in strong shape across all key dimensions—adoption is solid, engagement is recent, sentiment is positive, support load is low, and renewal pressure is not imminent. Schedule a quarterly business review to celebrate wins, document realized value, and identify potential expansion opportunities. Keep the cadence consistent but shift conversations from reactive troubleshooting to strategic value planning. Use this account as a potential reference, case study, or community advocacy candidate to amplify mutual success.
  code: CS_HEALTH_GREEN

[NEEDS_ATTENTION]: Needs Attention (Yellow)
  color: #eab308
  description: The customer shows strong foundational health but the approaching renewal window creates urgency that warrants elevated engagement. Schedule an executive business review within the next two weeks to validate outcomes and surface any hidden concerns before they become blockers. Prepare a renewal business case that quantifies ROI and aligns with the customer's stated goals from their original onboarding. Confirm your champion is still active, has budget authority, and is prepared to sponsor the renewal internally.
  code: CS_HEALTH_YELLOW

[AT_RISK]: At Risk (Orange)
  color: #f97316
  description: Multiple health signals are trending negative—address the highest-impact issue first, whether that is an open support ticket, a sentiment gap, or a usage drop. Build a 30-day recovery plan with specific milestones and schedule a bi-weekly check-in cadence until signals stabilize. Loop in your CSM manager to validate the recovery plan and determine whether a product expert or solutions engineer should join a customer call. Document all risk signals and remediation steps in your CRM and flag the account for internal review at your next team standup.
  code: CS_HEALTH_ORANGE

[CRITICAL]: Critical (Red Flag)
  color: #ef4444
  description: This account is at immediate risk of churn—renewal is imminent and multiple health indicators are in the red. Escalate to your CSM manager and request an executive sponsor meeting within 48 hours, armed with a concise "save plan" that outlines root causes, proposed remediation steps, and commitments your company is prepared to make. Ensure every open support issue is being expedited and assign a dedicated point of contact for daily status updates. Document all interactions meticulously in your CRM in case legal or finance teams need to be involved in the renewal negotiation or contract dispute.
  code: CS_HEALTH_RED