| name | risk-flag |
| description | Structured risk memo for an at-risk account — signals present, severity assessment, escalation routing from your configured matrix, and recommended intervention. Use when a health alert fires, a churn signal is detected, or you need to communicate account risk to leadership. Produces a CSM brief and an escalation-ready summary separately.
|
| argument-hint | [account name] [--brief | --escalation-memo] |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| deployment_target | plugin |
/risk-flag
[PROPOSED]
Use When
- A health review has confirmed risk signals are present and you need a structured risk assessment, severity classification, and escalation routing
- Multiple signals are present and you need to assess aggregate risk before acting
- Renewal is approaching and you need a structured risk assessment before the commercial conversation
- An account has gone dark (no contact, usage drop, sponsor departure) and you need a framework for response
Do NOT Use For
- Generating the full escalation memo — use /csm:escalation-memo once routing is confirmed
- Health score review — use /csm:health-score-review for the full health narrative
- Accounts with no risk signals present — no escalation routing needed
- Executive-facing risk reporting — this skill is CSM-facing
- Renewal-window risk assessment when the account is within 90 days of renewal — use the Renewals plugin's risk-assessment skill for structured triage in the renewal window (if the
renewals plugin is installed, run /renewals:risk-assessment)
Typical Activation
"/csm:risk-flag Acme Corp"
"Flag risk signals for [account]"
"What's the escalation path for [account]?"
"Two high signals on [customer] — what do I do?"
"Assess churn risk for [account]"
Document the risk clearly, name the routing, and give the CSM a specific path
forward — not just a flag.
Pre-flight
Read ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-customer-success/csm/CLAUDE.md and
~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-customer-success/company-profile.md.
If either is missing or contains [PLACEHOLDER] markers, stop and prompt for
/csm:cold-start-interview.
Critical configuration to apply:
- Churn signal definitions — which signals are configured as high/medium/low weight
- Escalation matrix — routing for each risk scenario
- Health model thresholds — Red and Yellow classification
- CS motion — shapes the intervention approach
G-code dependency: All G-code guardrails referenced in this skill (G1–G9) are defined in the CLAUDE.md config loaded above. If Pre-flight halts or config is missing, G-codes are undefined — do not proceed with partial config.
Reasoning Protocol
Load references/reasoning-blueprint.md for full taxonomy, heuristics, and failure modes.
Before generating output, apply these primers:
- CLASSIFY: What type of risk is this?
- Sudden Signal Spike — single high-weight signal appeared abruptly (sponsor exit, competitor eval, P1 escalation)
- Gradual Decay Pattern — multiple medium signals accumulating over weeks (usage drift, missed QBRs, NPS decline)
- Renewal-Proximity Risk — any risk signal present AND renewal within 90 days
- Stakeholder Disruption — champion departure, sponsor reorg, power structure shift
- Escalation-in-Progress — customer has already escalated; CSM is responding, not initiating
- CONSTRAINTS — enforce before generating output:
- G1: Health scores are heuristics — never frame as churn predictions or state the account "will churn"
- G2: Risk signals require direct evidence — absence of engagement is "Unknown" or "Declining," not "Confirmed at risk"
- G4: No escalation recommendation without a named contact, channel, and SLA from the configured matrix
- G5: Root cause is a hypothesis — present as leading interpretation with evidence, not as verdict
- G7: Escalation memo omits health model internals, component weights, and internal stakeholder notes — those stay in the CSM brief
- EXPERT CHECK — what a veteran CSM verifies first:
- Is the signal real or a data artifact? Cross-reference with CSM notes and recent calls before classifying severity
- Signal clustering: two medium signals in 30 days outweighs one isolated high signal
- Sponsor silence (2+ unanswered outreaches in 30 days) is a high-weight signal regardless of health score
- Usage drops must be normalized against the customer's own baseline and business cycle
- Does the intervention plan fit inside the time-to-renewal window? If not, escalate immediately
- ANTI-PATTERNS — common mistakes to avoid:
- Writing a recovery plan with more runway than the renewal date allows
- Classifying severity optimistically because the CSM "has a good relationship" — apply the matrix mechanically first
- Leaking health model scoring methodology into the escalation memo
- Presenting a risk memo that documents signals accurately but fails to convey aggregate urgency
- Restating what the customer already told leadership without adding root cause hypothesis or specific ask
After execution, verify:
- Intent satisfaction — does the memo give the CSM a specific Monday-morning action plan, not just a flag?
- Mode matching — does the output mode (
--brief vs --escalation-memo) match the actual need? A brief that should be an escalation memo delays intervention; an escalation memo for a low-severity signal wastes leadership attention.
- Failure mode scan — check the classification type against its common failure modes in the blueprint
- Staleness check (G7) — is every data source timestamped? Flag CRM data >7 days stale, CS platform data >3 days stale, call/meeting data >14 days stale. Stale signals get a
[stale: <source> as of <date>] tag.
- Confidence calibration — [High] if live data + CSM confirmation corroborate the classification / [Medium] if single-source or partially stale data / [Low] if working from CSM description alone with no corroborating system data — state which.
Mode
--brief: CSM-facing risk summary. Internal use — full signal breakdown,
health context, and CSM action plan. Default.
--escalation-memo: Produce a clean, escalation-ready summary for the CSM's
manager, VP CS, or CRO. Concise. Designed for rapid review by someone who
doesn't know the account details. Includes: account, ARR, renewal date,
risk signals, recommended action, and routing.
Both modes can be run for the same account. Default is --brief.
Data gathering
Connector error categorization: When a connector call fails, distinguish the error type before proceeding:
- Rate-limited (transient): Connector returns HTTP 429 or equivalent throttle signal. Note the rate limit explicitly in output ("CRM data temporarily rate-limited — retry in 60 seconds recommended") and offer to retry rather than proceeding with degraded output.
- Unavailable (permanent for this session): Connector is not configured, authentication has expired, or service is down. Fall back to the manual-input path below and label all affected sections as "connector unavailable — manual input used."
Do not conflate these — a rate-limited connector will return data shortly; an unavailable connector will not.
Pull from connected integrations (per configured profile):
- CS Platform: current health score, component breakdown, CTAs, lifecycle stage
- CRM: ARR, renewal date, contract terms, stakeholder contacts, account history
- Call recording: last 2-3 calls — tone, topics, any risk signals mentioned
- Document storage: last success plan or QBR — open items, committed actions
If account-research was run this session: use that context.
If nothing connected, prompt:
"Tell me what's happening at [account]. What triggered this risk flag? What
signals are you seeing? I'll build the memo from what you share."
Do not generate a risk memo without at least one concrete risk signal from the
CSM or from live data.
Risk flag structure
CSM Risk Brief — [Account Name]
[Date] · INTERNAL · [CS motion] · [Segment]
Account snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|
| ARR | $[amount] |
| Renewal date | [date] — [N] days |
| Segment | [segment] |
| Health | [Red / Yellow] |
| CSM | [name] |
| AE / AM | [name] |
| Executive sponsor | [name] — [last contact: date] |
Risk signals — what triggered this flag
List each signal present with evidence. No inferred signals without evidence.
| Signal | Present | Evidence | Weight per config |
|---|
| Executive sponsor departure or disengagement | [Yes/No/Unknown] | [specific evidence] | High |
| Product usage drop >[configured threshold]% | [Yes/No] | [% change over period] | High |
| Open escalation or unresolved P1 ticket | [Yes/No] | [ticket details] | High |
| NPS detractor + no recovery conversation | [Yes/No] | [score + date] | Medium |
| Missed QBR or no-show pattern | [Yes/No] | [dates] | Medium |
| Competitor evaluation | [Yes/No/Unknown] | [source of signal] | High |
| No CSM contact in >[threshold] days | [Yes/No] | [last contact date] | Medium |
| [Additional configured signal] | | | |
Primary risk driver: [The signal with the most direct path to churn]
Risk severity
Classify based on configured thresholds and signal weight:
Severity: [Critical / High / Medium]
Classification rationale: [1-3 sentences. Which signals drove this. Why this
severity level vs. adjacent options.]
- Critical: Multiple high-weight signals present; renewal within 90 days; ARR
above escalation threshold → immediate executive-level escalation required
- High: One high-weight signal or multiple medium signals; requires CSM
intervention within 48h; monitor daily
- Medium: Medium-weight signals; proactive outreach warranted; monitor weekly
Root cause hypothesis
What is the most likely reason for the risk?
"The most plausible explanation is [X] — based on [specific evidence]. Alternative
explanations: [Y] (possible if [condition]) / [Z] (possible if [condition]).
The champion should be asked directly whether [root cause question] is accurate
before the CSM builds a recovery plan."
Do not present the hypothesis as fact. It is the leading interpretation based on
available data. The CSM confirms or refutes it in the next customer interaction.
Escalation routing
Apply the configured escalation matrix exactly.
| Condition | Route to | Via | SLA |
|---|
| [Matching scenario from matrix] | [configured contact] | [configured channel] | [configured SLA] |
If multiple matrix rows apply, show all and note the primary route.
If this account's ARR meets the configured churn-risk threshold:
"ARR ($[amount]) exceeds the configured escalation threshold ($[threshold]).
Route to [configured contact] via [channel] within [SLA]. Include this memo."
If below the threshold:
"ARR is below the configured escalation threshold. CSM-managed intervention.
Notify [CS lead] if severity escalates to Critical."
Recommended intervention plan
Specific actions with owners and timelines. Not generic.
Immediate (within 24-48h):
- [Specific action — e.g., "Request executive sponsor check-in call. Purpose: confirm
sponsor status and surface any org changes. Do not lead with health score."]
- [Specific action — e.g., "Review open tickets — contact support team to confirm
P2 ticket [ID] has a resolution timeline and communicate it to the champion."]
- [Escalation action — e.g., "Notify [CS lead] per escalation matrix via Slack.
Share this memo as context."]
This week:
- [Action — e.g., "Meet with champion to understand usage drop root cause.
Prepare 3 questions: [specific questions based on signals]."]
- [Action — e.g., "Update health assessment in CS Platform with current signals."]
If [specific trigger] occurs:
- [Escalation path — e.g., "If sponsor confirms departure, escalate to Critical
immediately. Route to [VP CS] within [SLA]. Loop in AE."]
Success criteria for recovery
What does "risk resolved" look like? Define 1-3 observable conditions:
- [Condition 1 — e.g., "Usage returns to >[threshold]% of baseline within 30 days"]
- [Condition 2 — e.g., "Executive sponsor re-engaged and confirmed for next QBR"]
- [Condition 3 — e.g., "Champion confirms competitor evaluation is not active"]
Review date: [recommend a specific date to reassess — typically 2-4 weeks out]
Escalation memo (--escalation-memo)
One-page version for the CSM's manager, VP CS, or CRO. No internal health model
details — just the facts they need to act.
Account Risk Memo — [Account Name]
[Date] · Prepared by: [CSM name]
For: [Manager / VP CS / CRO — configured escalation contact]
| Field | Detail |
|---|
| Account | [Account name] |
| ARR | $[amount] |
| Renewal | [date] — [N days] |
| Segment | [segment] |
| Risk level | [Critical / High / Medium] |
Risk signals:
- [Signal 1]: [1-line evidence]
- [Signal 2]: [1-line evidence]
- [Signal 3 if present]: [1-line evidence]
Most likely root cause:
[2-3 sentences. Plain language. What is the risk and why.]
Recommended action from CSM:
[What the CSM is doing. What they need from leadership.]
If no action is taken:
[Likely outcome — e.g., "Renewal at risk of churn or significant contraction
based on signals present. Renewal is in [N] days."]
Next step:
[Specific ask — e.g., "Request 20 minutes with the customer's CFO to reinforce
the executive relationship. CSM to arrange. Your name on the invite increases
response rate significantly."]
Reviewer note
⚠️ Reviewer note
- Sources: [CS Platform ✓ live | CS Platform [configured but unverified] | CRM ✓ live | CRM [configured but unverified] | call notes: [date] | user-provided context | not connected — conversation context only]
- Data as of: [timestamp per source]
- Risk signals: [Confirmed from data | CSM-reported — not independently verified]
- Escalation routing: [Applied configured matrix — verify contact names are current]
- Flagged for your judgment: [N items marked
[review] inline | none]
- Before escalating: Confirm ARR and renewal date with CRM before sharing escalation memo with leadership.
Output
Risk flag report — format driven by --standard (default) or --escalation-memo
flag. Standard output produces a structured risk summary with signal inventory,
severity tier, and recommended response actions. Escalation memo mode produces a
full internal memo. See mode-specific sections for field-level structure.
Guardrails
Risk signals require evidence. A signal is listed as Present only if there is
direct evidence. Absence of engagement is "Unknown" or "Declining," not "Confirmed
at risk."
Root cause is a hypothesis, not a verdict. The memo names the leading
explanation and the evidence behind it. It does not state the account will churn.
No escalation without a path. Every escalation recommendation names the
contact, channel, and SLA from the configured matrix. A risk flag without a
routing is not actionable.
Escalation memo is not the full brief. The escalation memo omits health model
component weights, internal stakeholder notes, and expansion context. Those stay
in the CSM brief.
Expansion context. If the account has expansion signals, do not include them
in the risk memo. Risk memos focus on risk mitigation, not opportunity. Expansion
context routes to the AE separately.
Revenue accountability. If the memo estimates ARR at risk or implies a renewal
probability, the CSM reviewer validates the figure before the memo reaches finance
or board reporting.
After the memo
- "Want a full escalation memo to send to leadership? Run again with
--escalation-memo."
- "Renewal within 90 days — run renewal readiness:
/csm:renewal-readiness [account]"
- "Need to track intervention progress? Update the account in
/csm:account-research after each action."
- "Want to map the stakeholder risk specifically?
/csm:stakeholder-map [account] --sponsor-risk"
Reference Files
The following reference files govern this skill's detailed behavior. They are loaded on-demand when the relevant behavior is being applied — they are not front-loaded into every response.
| File | Purpose |
|---|
references/reasoning-blueprint.md | Problem classification taxonomy, domain heuristics, common failure modes, and expert judgment patterns for this skill |
Security & Permissions
- network_access: outbound_allowlist (CRM, CS platform per configured integrations)
- filesystem_write: false
- filesystem_read: config files only (~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-customer-success/csm/CLAUDE.md and company-profile.md)
- subprocess_execution: false
- dynamic_code_execution: false
Trust & Verification
- Escalation routing must follow the configured escalation matrix — do not invent routing
- Risk classifications are internal — must not appear in any customer-visible output
- If config files are missing or contain [PLACEHOLDER] markers, halt and prompt for /csm:cold-start-interview
- If churn signal thresholds are not configured, surface the gap explicitly rather than applying defaults
