saas-cancellation-flow

name	saas-cancellation-flow
description	Designs cancellation flows with retention offers, feedback collection, and win-back sequence triggers. Use when building or optimizing subscription cancellation experiences.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

SaaS Cancellation Flow

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Design a cancellation flow that retains users without being manipulative
• Build retention offers matched to specific cancellation reasons
• Create an exit survey that produces actionable data
• Set up win-back email triggers for cancelled accounts

DO NOT use this skill for churn prevention (pre-cancellation interventions), pricing changes, or customer support scripts. This is for the cancellation flow UX and messaging.

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Core Principle

A CANCELLATION FLOW RESPECTS THE USER'S DECISION WHILE OFFERING GENUINE ALTERNATIVES — DARK PATTERNS DESTROY TRUST AND GENERATE CHARGEBACKS. MAKE IT EASY TO LEAVE AND WORTH STAYING.

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Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Product and pricing	"What is the product and what do plans cost?"	No default — must be provided
Current cancellation rate	"What percentage of users cancel per month?"	Unknown
Top cancellation reasons	"Why do users cancel? List the top 3-5 reasons."	No default — must be provided
Current flow	"What is the cancellation process today?"	Email support to cancel
Retention budget	"Are you willing to offer discounts or credits to save accounts?"	Yes, within limits
Billing provider	"What handles your billing? Stripe, Paddle, custom?"	Stripe

GATE: Confirm the brief before designing the flow.

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Phase 2: Design the Flow

Cancellation Flow Steps

1. User clicks "Cancel Subscription"
   ↓
2. Exit Survey (required, 1 question)
   ↓
3. Matched Retention Offer (based on survey answer)
   ↓
4a. User accepts offer → Subscription continues
4b. User declines → Confirmation page
   ↓
5. Confirmation + what they lose + when access ends
   ↓
6. Win-back sequence triggered (Day 3, 7, 30)

Exit Survey Design

One primary question with 5-7 options:

"We are sorry to see you go. What is the main reason you are cancelling?"

○ Too expensive
○ Not using it enough
○ Missing a feature I need
○ Switching to another tool
○ Business is closing/pausing
○ Had a bad experience
○ Other: [text field]

Rules:

• One question only (completion rate drops with each additional question)
• Required before proceeding (but do not hide the cancel button)
• Optional text field for elaboration
• No guilt-tripping language

GATE: Confirm the flow and survey before writing offers and copy.

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Phase 3: Write

Retention Offers by Reason

Reason	Offer	Copy
Too expensive	30% off for 3 months	"We would love to keep you. How about 30% off for the next 3 months while you evaluate the ROI?"
Not using it enough	Free strategy call	"Let us help you get more value. Book a free 15-minute setup call and we will optimize your account."
Missing a feature	Roadmap preview + timeline	"That feature is on our roadmap for [month]. Want to stay and be first to try it?"
Switching to another tool	Feature comparison	"Before you go — here is how we compare on [key differentiator]. Would a [specific improvement] change your mind?"
Business closing	Pause option (90 days)	"We get it. You can pause your subscription for up to 90 days and pick up where you left off."
Bad experience	Escalation to founder	"I am sorry about your experience. Can I connect you with [founder name] directly to make it right?"

Confirmation Page Copy

## Your subscription has been cancelled

**What happens next:**
- You have access until [billing cycle end date]
- Your data will be saved for 90 days
- You can reactivate anytime from your account settings

**What you will lose access to:**
- [Key feature 1]
- [Key feature 2]
- [Key feature 3]

We would love to have you back. If anything changes, your account is one click away.

Win-Back Email Sequence

Email	Timing	Subject	Approach
1	Day 3	"Your account is still here"	Acknowledge departure, no pressure
2	Day 7	"Here is what you are missing"	Highlight new features or improvements
3	Day 30	"Come back — [special offer]"	Discount or credit offer

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Phase 4: Polish

1. Metrics to Track

## Cancellation Flow Metrics

- **Save rate:** % of users who start cancellation but accept a retention offer
- **Exit survey completion rate:** % who answer the survey question
- **Top cancellation reasons:** Ranked by frequency
- **Win-back conversion rate:** % who reactivate within 30/60/90 days
- **Time to cancel:** Seconds from "Cancel" click to confirmation (keep under 60)
- **Chargeback rate:** Should decrease with a transparent flow

2. Legal and UX Compliance

• Cancel button must be findable within 2 clicks from account settings
• No hidden or greyed-out cancel options
• No requiring phone calls or emails to cancel
• Confirmation email sent immediately after cancellation
• Data retention policy clearly stated
• Comply with applicable regulations (FTC, EU consumer protection)

3. Quality Checklist

## Cancellation Flow Checklist

- [ ] Cancel option is findable within 2 clicks
- [ ] Exit survey is 1 question with 5-7 options
- [ ] Retention offers are matched to specific cancellation reasons
- [ ] Offers have clear terms and limits (not unlimited discounts)
- [ ] Confirmation page shows what the user loses and when access ends
- [ ] Data retention policy is stated on the confirmation page
- [ ] Confirmation email sends immediately
- [ ] Win-back sequence triggers on cancellation (Day 3, 7, 30)
- [ ] Time to complete cancellation is under 60 seconds
- [ ] No dark patterns (hidden buttons, guilt trips, mandatory calls)

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Example

Product: Project management SaaS, $29/month

Retention offer (too expensive): "We hear you — $29/month is an investment. We can offer you 3 months at $19/month while you evaluate whether the time savings justify the cost. That is $30 back in your pocket. [Accept Offer] [No thanks, cancel]"

Win-back email (Day 30):

Subject: We have made some changes since you left

Hey [Name],

Since you cancelled, we have shipped:
- [New feature 1]
- [Improvement relevant to their cancellation reason]

Come back and try it free for 7 days — no commitment, no credit card.

[Reactivate My Account]

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Anti-Patterns

• Dark patterns — hiding the cancel button, requiring calls, or adding unnecessary steps. Users will chargeback and leave angry.
• Same offer for every reason — a discount does not help someone whose business is closing. Match the offer to the reason.
• No exit survey — cancellations without data are wasted learning opportunities.
• Guilt-tripping copy — "Are you sure you want to abandon your progress?" is manipulative. Be respectful.
• No win-back sequence — 20-30% of cancellers are recoverable within 90 days. Silence after cancellation leaves money on the table.

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Recovery

• Cannot offer discounts: Offer a plan downgrade, feature pause, or extended trial instead.
• No data on why users cancel: Implement the exit survey immediately. Even 2 weeks of data reveals patterns.
• Users complain the flow is too long: Cut steps. Survey + one offer + confirmation is the maximum. If it takes more than 60 seconds, simplify.
• High chargeback rate: Your cancellation flow is too hard to find or complete. Fix the UX immediately.