Stop Churn Early with This Hack!

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Hey CS Pro,

If you’re still relying on gut feeling to drive renewals, it’s time to rethink your approach. Data-driven decision-making is the real game-changer in Customer Success and this month, I sat down with Guy Rahamim to discuss how his team at Linear B built predictive churn models and proactive renewal strategies that actually work.

🚨 The Problem: Churn Creep & Lack of Predictability

Guy’s challenge wasn’t unique or new. His team struggled with unexpected churn, vague health scores, and lagging indicators that made it impossible to take action early.

They needed a clear, actionable way to measure customer engagement, identify risks months before renewal, and pinpoint power users who could drive expansion.

🔑 The Breakthrough: Ideal Customer Behavior (ICB)

Linear B redefined the way they approached customer success metrics by moving beyond logins and usage tracking. Instead, they built ICB—Ideal Customer Behavior, a model that scores customers from ICB 0 (best) to ICB 3 (worst) based on real engagement habits.

✅ ICB 0-1: Customers actively using key features, forming habits, and seeing clear ROI = high renewal likelihood

⚠️ ICB 2-3: Low adoption, missing integrations, lack of engagement = early churn risk signals

With automated Slack notifications, real-time dashboards in Tableau, and CS-sales alignment, the team was able to:

• Reduce churn risk by flagging early warning signs

• Identify upsell-ready champions based on engagement

• Save time by prioritizing accounts that need attention

📢 The Power Move: Asking This 6-Month Renewal Question

One of the biggest CS wins from this strategy? Guy’s team asks customers 6 months before renewal:

“If you had to renew tomorrow, would you?”

💡 If the answer is YES → Start the renewal process early, identify expansion opportunities

🚨 If the answer is MAYBE or NO → Uncover blockers and take proactive steps to course-correct

This simple question eliminates last-minute surprises and gives the team enough time to act before it’s too late.

🎯 The Future: Automation, AI & Scaling Predictive Insights

What’s next? Guy envisions automating ICB-based actions—sending proactive outreach to champions, triggering case studies from power users, and aligning CS efforts with revenue growth strategies.

 🔑 Key Takeaway

If you’re still waiting until renewal to check on customer health, you’re already too late. Start by:

✅ Identifying the 3-5 behaviors that indicate real adoption

✅ Flagging risks early—before churn is irreversible

✅ Automating insights so CSMs spend less time on data, more on action

✅ Asking the tough renewal question—because surprises are bad for business

📩 Want to build a revenue-generating CS strategy?

Hit reply & let me know what’s working (or not) for your team!

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That's all for now.

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Cheers to your CS success,

Anika