The back-to-green playbook for at-risk customers

This playbook exists to remove ambiguity when an account moves into risk.

It is designed to be run calmly, consistently, and without heroics.

Step 1: Confirm the risk is real

Do not start with opinions. Start with evidence.

Look for observable change:

• engagement decline
• repeat issues
• sentiment shift
• stakeholder loss
• commercial pressure

If nothing has changed, stop. Do not manufacture risk.

Step 2: Identify the top drivers

Group signals into no more than three drivers.

Common drivers include engagement decay, operational friction, sentiment breakdown, and commercial pressure.

Avoid long lists. Focus on what is actually moving the account.

Step 3: Define the recovery objective

Be explicit about what “back to green” means.

Examples:

• restore usage to a defined baseline
• resolve a recurring issue permanently
• re-engage a missing stakeholder
• align on a renewal path

If the objective is vague, the plan will fail.

Step 4: Assign ownership and actions

Every driver must have:

• a named owner
• a concrete action
• a review date

If ownership is shared, it is owned by no one.

Step 5: Review progress weekly

Review movement, not effort.

Ask:

• what changed
• why it changed
• whether confidence is improving

If nothing moves after two review cycles, reassess the plan rather than adding more actions.

This playbook works because it replaces urgency with structure.