save-play-designer

name	save-play-designer
description	Creates a structured intervention plan for an at-risk account by identifying the root cause of the risk, designing a targeted response, assigning actions with timelines, and defining what success looks like. Use when asked to build a save play, design a retention intervention, create a rescue plan for an at-risk account, plan a churn prevention strategy, or when an account has been classified as at-risk and needs a dedicated intervention plan. Also triggers for questions about save plays, retention interventions, at-risk account management, churn prevention planning, or how to save a customer who is thinking about leaving.
license	MIT
metadata	{"author":"Stephen Rogan","version":"1.0.0","standalone":true}

Save Play Designer

Designs a structured intervention plan for an at-risk account. A save play is not "try harder" -- it is a specific, time-bound plan that addresses the root cause of the risk with targeted actions, defined ownership, and measurable success criteria.

How to Use

Provide:

• Account name, ARR, renewal date (days remaining)
• Why the account is at risk (the specific risk drivers, not just "at risk")
• How long the risk has been present
• What has been tried so far (if anything)
• Stakeholder landscape (who you know, relationship strength, coverage gaps)
• The customer's stated concerns (if they have told you)
• What you believe is actually driving the risk (which may differ from what they said)
• Your commercial authority (what you can offer: discounts, credits, extended terms)

Save Play Framework

Step 1: Diagnose the Root Cause

The intervention must match the cause. A product-fit save play on a relationship problem wastes time.

Root Cause Category	Indicators	Save Play Focus
Product fit	Customer's use case has evolved beyond what the product serves. Feature gaps are blocking critical workflows	Product: address the gap (roadmap, workaround, custom solution) or be honest that the fit is no longer there
Value gap	No measurable ROI. Customer cannot justify the investment. CFO asking "what do we get for this?"	Value: build and present the ROI case urgently. Show them what they are getting that they may not be measuring
Service failure	History of unresolved issues, SLA breaches, support frustration	Service: fix the outstanding issues. Assign a dedicated resource. Rebuild trust through accountable follow-through
Relationship erosion	Champion departed, contacts disengaged, single-threaded, no executive coverage	Relationship: multi-thread immediately. Build new relationships. Executive engagement if warranted
Competitive displacement	Active evaluation of alternatives, competitor demos completed, pricing comparison in progress	Competitive: understand what triggered the evaluation. Address the root need, not the competitor
Commercial friction	Pricing perceived as too high, discount expected, budget cut affecting vendor spend	Commercial: establish value before discussing price. Explore flexible terms if budget is genuinely constrained
Customer-side change	Reorg, new leadership, strategy pivot, acquisition	Adapt: understand the new context. Reposition the value proposition for the new reality

Step 2: Design the Intervention

For the identified root cause, build a phased response:

Phase 1: Stabilise (Week 1)

• Acknowledge the situation. Contact the customer directly -- do not wait for the scheduled touchpoint
• Gather intelligence. What do they actually want? What would change their mind? What is their timeline?
• Stop the bleeding. If there is an unresolved issue, fix it or commit to a specific resolution timeline

Phase 2: Address (Weeks 2-4)

• Execute the root cause intervention (see table above)
• Engage the decision-maker (if not already engaged)
• Present evidence of progress or commitment (do not wait until everything is fixed -- show movement)

Phase 3: Rebuild (Weeks 4-8)

• Demonstrate sustained improvement
• Rebuild the value narrative
• Secure the renewal commitment (verbal, then contractual)

Step 3: Assign Actions

Action	Owner	Deadline	Purpose
[specific action]	[named person]	[date]	[how this addresses the root cause]

Rules:

• Every action connects to the root cause. If an action does not address the diagnosed issue, remove it
• Every action has a named owner and a specific date
• Include actions from the customer's side. "Tom to provide feedback on the proposed resolution by March 21" is a tracked commitment
• Include escalation actions if needed. "CSM manager to request executive outreach from VP CS by March 14"

Step 4: Define Success Criteria

Criteria	Metric	Target	Timeline
Customer re-engagement	Response to outreach, meeting scheduled	Customer actively engaged in the save conversation	Week 1
Root cause addressed	Depends on the cause (issue resolved, value presented, relationship rebuilt)	Customer acknowledges progress	Week 4
Renewal commitment	Verbal or written confirmation of intent to renew	Customer commits to renewal (verbal minimum)	Week 6-8

Step 5: Define the Walk-Away Point

Not every account is saveable. Define in advance what constitutes a walk-away:

• The customer explicitly declines to engage in the save conversation
• The root cause is a fundamental product fit issue with no resolution on the roadmap
• The cost of the save (discount, dedicated resource, executive time) exceeds the account's long-term value
• The customer has signed with a competitor

The walk-away is not failure. It is the recognition that some resources are better spent on accounts where the intervention can succeed. A graceful exit preserves the relationship for a potential return.

Output Format

## Save Play: [Account Name]
**ARR:** EUR [amount] | **Risk Level:** [High/Critical] | **Renewal:** [date] ([days])
**Created:** [date] | **Owner:** [CSM name]

### Root Cause
[Diagnosis with evidence]

### Intervention Plan
**Phase 1: Stabilise (Week 1)**
[Actions with owners and dates]

**Phase 2: Address (Weeks 2-4)**
[Actions with owners and dates]

**Phase 3: Rebuild (Weeks 4-8)**
[Actions with owners and dates]

### Success Criteria
[Table with metrics and targets]

### Walk-Away Criteria
[Defined conditions for disengaging]

### Review Cadence
Weekly status check: [day]
Manager review: [date]
Decision point: [date]

Quality Gates

• Is the root cause diagnosed, not assumed? "They are at risk" is not a diagnosis. "Champion departed 30 days ago, no replacement identified, economic buyer unengaged, and usage is declining" is a diagnosis
• Does the intervention match the root cause? A save play that focuses on product demos when the root cause is relationship erosion addresses the wrong problem
• Is the timeline realistic given the renewal date? A 12-week save play on an account renewing in 4 weeks is too slow
• Is there a walk-away point defined? Save plays without an exit criteria become resource sinks. Know when to stop
• Are the success criteria measurable? "Things improve" is not a success criterion. "Customer re-engages and verbally commits to renewal by Week 6" is

Principles

• Speed is the most important variable in a save play. The longer a risk persists without intervention, the harder it is to reverse. A decent save play executed today outperforms a perfect save play executed in two weeks
• The customer must be part of the save. A save play that happens entirely behind the scenes (internal escalation, product fixes, value reports) without engaging the customer directly is not a save play. It is hope. Talk to them
• Match the intensity of the response to the value of the account. A EUR 10k account does not warrant a 6-week save play with executive engagement and commercial concessions. A EUR 200k account does
• Sometimes the save is a conversation, not a project. Many at-risk accounts can be stabilised with a single honest conversation: "I know things have not been perfect. Here is what we are doing about it. What else would you need to feel confident going forward?" Do not over-engineer what can be resolved with directness