More Usage ≠ More Renewals?

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Hey CS Pros,

We’ve all heard it before: “If customers use the product more, they’ll see the value and renew.” It’s practically CS 101. The logic makes sense. Higher engagement should mean higher retention, right?

But here’s the twist: that’s not always true.

Take the early days of mobile phone contracts. Their most frequent callers weren’t the most loyal—they were the most likely to churn. Why? Because they cared more about dropped calls, hidden fees, and poor service than the casual users. More usage made them more aware of the product’s shortcomings, not less.

The same thing happens in SaaS. Heavy users can be your biggest champions—or your biggest flight risks. It all comes down to why they’re using the product so much.

Let’s jump into today’s topic of More Usage, More Renewals? Think Again.

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One reason we cling to this belief? Usage is easy to measure.

But what about:

• Customer trust?

• Perceived value?

• Frustrations and workarounds?

These are harder to quantify, so they often get overlooked.

Then there’s the illusion of validity—just because we can measure something doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to measure. A customer logging in 10 times a day could be deeply engaged… or desperately trying to fix something that’s broken.

So, instead of blindly assuming more usage means a happy customer, we need to dig deeper.

THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1️⃣ High usage doesn’t always mean high value.

Are they using the product because they love it—or because they have to? Look for signs of friction, not just frequency.

2️⃣ Conversations > Dashboards.

Usage data is helpful, but real insight comes from actually talking to your customers. Ask them what’s working—and what’s not.

3️⃣ Challenge your assumptions.

Just because we’ve always tied usage to renewals doesn’t mean it’s the right approach. Test and analyze different customer segments, and look beyond the numbers.

At the end of the day, data is a tool, not a truth. Usage matters, but it’s not the whole picture. The best CS leaders don’t just track what customers do—they understand why they do it.

What’s your take? Have you ever seen a high-usage customer churn? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

That's all for now.

I hope you’ve found this newsletter helpful. If you did find it helpful feel free to forward it to a friend or a colleague, sharing is caring! If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

Cheers to your CS success,

Anika