At-Risk Customer
A customer showing signs of potential churn who requires proactive intervention.
Category
Customer Experience
Full Definition
An at-risk customer is someone showing signals that they may stop doing business with you. Identifying these customers early enables proactive intervention to prevent churn.
At-Risk Signals:
Feedback-based: - Low NPS scores (Detractors) - Declining satisfaction over time - Negative verbatim comments - Complaints or escalations
Behavioral: - Decreased usage or purchases - Reduced engagement (fewer logins, visits) - Support ticket volume increase - Payment issues or delays
Common Use Cases
Real-World Examples
Scenario
A SaaS company's health scoring system flags: NPS dropped from 8 to 4, logins down 60%, 3 support tickets in one week, contract renews in 45 days.
Outcome
CSM immediately schedules a call, discovers product isn't meeting evolved needs. They provide training and customization. Customer renews.
Scenario
A gym member who visited 4x/week suddenly stops coming for 2 weeks. System auto-flags them as at-risk.
Outcome
Personal trainer calls to check in. Member injured their knee and was embarrassed to come in. Gym offers modified workout plan. Member returns.
Scenario
A restaurant's loyalty program shows a regular customer (2x/week for 2 years) hasn't visited in 3 weeks after a low review.
Outcome
Manager personally reaches out with apology and invitation to return for a complimentary meal. Customer comes back and forgives the bad experience.
Related Terms
Churn Rate (Churn)
The percentage of customers who stop doing business with you over a given period.
Detractor
A customer who gives a 0-6 on NPS, indicating dissatisfaction and potential negative word-of-mouth.
Service Recovery
The process of addressing customer complaints and turning negative experiences into positive ones.
Customer Retention
The ability to keep customers over time and prevent them from switching to competitors.