call-prep

name	call-prep
description	Pre-call preparation brief — agenda, attendee context, recommended talking points, and questions calibrated to your CS motion and account state. Use 24-48 hours before any customer call: kickoff, QBR, health check, renewal conversation, or ad-hoc check-in. Pairs with account-research for full context.
argument-hint	[account name] [call type: kickoff | qbr | health | renewal | check-in | custom]
version	1.0.0
deployment_target	plugin

/call-prep

[PROPOSED]

Use When

• 24-48 hours before any customer call: kickoff, QBR, health check, renewal, escalation, check-in
• Account has active risk signals and you need a structured brief before engaging
• Executive sponsor is attending and preparation needs to be higher-fidelity than usual
• Renewal is within 90 days and you need value alignment framing before the commercial conversation

Do NOT Use For

• Post-call logging or follow-up drafting — use post-call workflow instead
• Renewal commercial prep (pricing, negotiation) — use /csm:renewal-readiness
• Account deep-dive research without a call scheduled — use /csm:account-research
• Kickoff calls where no account context exists in session yet — run /csm:account-research first to populate session context, then call-prep
• Routine check-ins with nothing substantive to discuss — recommend async instead

Typical Activation

"/csm:call-prep Acme Corp qbr" "/csm:call-prep Acme Corp renewal" "/csm:call-prep Acme Corp kickoff" "Prep me for my call with [customer] tomorrow" "Build a brief for my health check with [account]"

---

Produce a focused pre-call brief: what to cover, who's attending, what to listen for, and what to leave the call having accomplished.

---

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.

Note from config:

• CS motion — shapes how directive vs. collaborative the agenda framing is
• Health model — determines which signals to surface before the call
• Playbook sources — pull call-specific templates if configured
• Escalation matrix — know the routing before the call if risk signals are present

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

Before generating output, apply these primers:

1. CLASSIFY: What type of call prep request is this?

   • Discovery / Kickoff: First or early-stage call — sparse historical data, goal is success criteria alignment and relationship establishment
   • QBR / Executive Business Review: Periodic value review with executive audience — requires metrics against success criteria, forward-looking priorities
   • Health Check / At-Risk: Triggered by a health signal — usage drop, NPS decline, support spike, or champion departure; shorter format, diagnostic focus
   • Renewal Conversation: Within 90 days of renewal — commercial context present but CSM role is value alignment and objection surfacing, not close
   • Escalation / Recovery: Active or recently resolved escalation — trust is damaged; goal is confidence restoration and remediation confirmation
   • Routine Check-in: Regular cadence call with no major trigger — risk of perfunctory meeting; may recommend async instead

2. CONSTRAINTS: What limits the solution space?

   • Which data sources are available? (CRM, CS platform, call recordings, documents) — fewer than 3 of 4 = low-confidence brief, flag explicitly
   • Is the attendee list confirmed or assumed? Unconfirmed attendees cap the brief's value
   • What was the outcome of the last call? Open action items carry forward — never drop them silently
   • Is there an active escalation or competitive signal that changes the entire call framing?
   • G4: Do not recommend escalation without a named escalation path configured in the escalation matrix
   • G5: Internal data (health scores, ARR, expansion signals) must never appear in customer-facing output
   • G7: Flag any data older than 30 days with source date and staleness indicator

3. EXPERT CHECK: What would a veteran CSM verify first?

   • Are the success criteria being referenced still the criteria the customer cares about, or have priorities shifted since they were set?
   • Is the right stakeholder on this call? Missing executive sponsor on a QBR or missing economic buyer on a renewal changes the call's ceiling
   • Has anything been promised to this customer (in escalation, prior calls, or success plans) that hasn't been delivered yet?

4. ANTI-PATTERNS: Common mistakes to avoid:

   • :x: Building the brief around product usage metrics instead of business outcomes the customer's executive sponsor cares about
   • :x: Leading a health check or escalation call with platform data instead of opening with curiosity and listening
   • :x: Including expansion signals, health scores, or internal stakeholder assessments in any material that could reach the customer
   • :x: Preparing a full brief for a routine check-in when there's nothing substantive to discuss — recommend async instead
   • :x: Producing renewal prep that crosses into pricing, discount, or negotiation territory — that's AE/AM scope

After execution, verify:

• Does every talking point reference account-specific context, not generic advice?
• Is the internal/external boundary respected — no health scores, expansion tags, or relationship assessments in customer-visible content?
• Does the brief identify the single most important thing to accomplish on this call?
• Confidence: [High/Medium/Low] because [data source coverage, attendee confirmation status, signal freshness]

Call type detection

If the user provides a call type argument, use it. If not, infer from context:

• Kickoff — first call with a new account; onboarding just started
• QBR (Quarterly Business Review) — periodic value review; typically Q-aligned
• Health check — triggered by health signal; may be Yellow/Red account
• Renewal — within 90 days of renewal date; commercial context present
• Check-in — regular cadence call; no major trigger
• Custom — user describes the call purpose; adapt the brief structure to it

If type cannot be determined: ask one question — "What's the purpose of this call?" Do not build a generic 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.

Before building the brief, pull what's available.

First, check if an account-research brief exists in this session. If the user already ran /csm:account-research for this account, use that context instead of re-pulling from connectors.

If no prior account-research:

Pull from connected integrations (per configured profile):

• CRM: account snapshot, renewal date, ARR, key contacts and their titles
• CS Platform: health score and components, open CTAs
• Call recording: last 1-2 calls — date, attendees, key topics, open action items
• Document storage: most recent success plan or QBR (date + status)

Minimum viable brief (no connectors):

"I don't have live account data. Tell me: Who's on the call? What's the account health? Any recent context I should know? I'll build the brief from what you share."

---

Brief structure

Produce in this order. Omit sections with no data rather than filling with placeholders.

---

Call Prep — [Account Name]

[Call type] · [Date / time if known] · [Duration if known]

---

Purpose and desired outcome

One sentence: why this call exists. One sentence: what "a good call" looks like at the end.

Examples by type:

• Kickoff: "Establish shared success criteria, introduce the onboarding plan, and confirm sponsor engagement — account leaves knowing what happens next."
• QBR: "Demonstrate value delivered against agreed success criteria and align on next-period priorities — customer leaves feeling forward momentum."
• Health check: "Understand the root cause of [specific signal], agree on a recovery action, and set a follow-up date — call leaves no ambiguity about next steps."
• Renewal: "Surface value realized, pre-empt known objections, advance toward renewal commitment — call ends with a next step, not an open loop."

---

Who's on the call

Name	Title	Role in account	Notes
[Name]	[Title]	[Executive sponsor / Champion / End user / Finance contact / Detractor]	[Last contact date / relationship note]

Flag:

• Any attendee who is new or unrecognized — "This may be your first call with [name]; intro context before the call if possible."
• Missing executive sponsor: "Executive sponsor [name] is listed but not confirmed on this call — flag if absent at start."
• High-value attendees who haven't been on a call in >60 days.

Internal attendees (AE, SE, CSM manager) — list separately if provided.

---

Suggested agenda

Calibrate depth and format to call type and configured CS motion.

For high-touch motion: named agenda items with owner and time box. For tech-touch motion: three bullet points; the call is shorter. For hybrid: match the segment this account sits in.

[Call type: Kickoff — example structure]

Time	Agenda item	Owner
0:00–0:05	Introductions and call purpose	CSM
0:05–0:20	Customer goals and success criteria (draft to validate)	Customer
0:20–0:35	Onboarding plan walkthrough — milestones, owners, timeline	CSM
0:35–0:45	Q&A and open items	Both
0:45–0:55	Next steps — confirmed actions, dates, owners	CSM
0:55–1:00	Buffer	—

[Call type: QBR — example structure]

Time	Agenda item	Owner
0:00–0:05	Welcome and framing	CSM
0:05–0:20	Value delivered — metrics vs. success criteria	CSM
0:20–0:35	Customer highlights and wins	Customer
0:35–0:45	Challenges and roadblocks	Both
0:45–0:55	Next quarter priorities and roadmap alignment	Both
0:55–1:00	Next steps	CSM

[Call type: Health check — example structure]

Time	Agenda item	Owner
0:00–0:05	Quick check-in	CSM
0:05–0:15	Review of specific signal: [signal from health model]	CSM opens
0:15–0:30	Customer's perspective — what's changed	Customer
0:30–0:40	Joint recovery plan — specific actions, owners, dates	Both
0:40–0:45	Confirm follow-up	CSM

For custom call type: adapt the structure to the described purpose.

---

Recommended talking points

3-5 specific talking points calibrated to the account's current state and call type. Not generic. Reference account-specific context where available.

Format:

• [Topic]: [One sentence context] → [Suggested framing or question]

Examples:

• Success criteria progress: "The team hit [metric] last quarter — X% above baseline. Lead with this before moving to gaps."
• Usage signal: "Weekly active users dropped 18% last month — ask what changed on their end before attributing it to product."
• Renewal positioning: "Renewal is in 67 days. This call isn't the commercial conversation — the goal is alignment, not close. Defer pricing until the sponsor is engaged."
• Expansion lead (internal, don't raise directly): "Champion mentioned interest in [feature] on the last call — listen for confirmation and route to AE if validated."

Flag any talking point that references a sensitive topic (executive departure, open escalation, competitive evaluation) with [review] and a note on whether to raise it proactively or wait for the customer to open it.

---

Key questions to ask

3-5 open questions to ask during the call. Not a script — prompts to open the conversation in the direction that matters.

By call type:

• Kickoff: "What does success look like for you personally, not just the team?" / "Who will feel the impact most when this is working?"
• QBR: "What hasn't worked as well as you'd hoped?" / "What decision is this review helping you make?"
• Health check: "What's changed on your end in the last [timeframe]?" / "What would need to be true for this to be a non-issue in 30 days?"
• Renewal: "What would make you confident recommending a renewal to your leadership?" / "What's your main concern going into renewal?"

---

What to listen for

2-3 specific signals to track during the call. If heard, note them for post-call action.

• Risk signals: executive sponsor departure signal, budget freeze language, competitor mention, "we're evaluating our options"
• Expansion signals: "we're thinking about [use case]", mention of new team or initiative that could use the product — tag [early signal — not yet qualified]
• Relationship signals: tone shift vs. previous calls, new decision-maker introduced without advance notice, team structure change mentioned

---

Post-call actions (pre-loaded)

Prepare these now so the call ends with immediate follow-through.

Action	Owner	Due	Notes
Send follow-up email with recap and agreed actions	CSM	Within 24h	Use /csm:account-research --brief to verify action item list
Log call in CRM with next activity date	CSM	Same day	—
[Context-specific action]	[Owner]	[Date]	—

If health check or risk call: pre-load the escalation routing per configured matrix. "If [escalation trigger] is confirmed on this call, route to [person] via [channel] within [SLA]."

---

Reviewer note

⚠️ Reviewer note

• Sources: [CRM ✓ live | CRM [configured but unverified] | CS Platform ✓ live | CS Platform [configured but unverified] | Gong ✓ live | Gong [configured but unverified] | prior account-research session | user provided | not connected — conversation context only]
• Data as of: [timestamp per source]
• Flagged for your judgment: [N items marked [review] inline | none]
• Before the call: [1-2 specific things to confirm — e.g., "verify attendee list is current", "confirm exec sponsor is joining"]

If clean: ⚠️ Reviewer note: data verified · no flags · confirm attendee list before call.

---

Output

Call preparation brief — single structured markdown document. Sections vary by detected call type (EBR, renewal, health check, expansion, escalation, kickoff). All briefs include: account context snapshot, attendee profiles, agenda, key questions, and suggested next step. See Brief structure section for field-level detail.

Guardrails

Expansion stays internal. Any expansion signal in the call prep is for internal reference — not a topic to raise with the customer unless the AE or AM has qualified it.

Health signals inform, not script. If the account is Yellow/Red, the brief names the signals and suggests questions — it doesn't tell the CSM to "tell the customer they're at risk." That framing is the CSM's judgment call.

Renewal framing is not a sales script. In a renewal call, the brief supports the conversation — it doesn't produce a pricing or negotiation script. For commercial prep, use /csm:renewal-readiness.

No destination check bypass. If any part of this brief is shared externally (e.g., a pre-read for the customer), the reviewer must remove internal health scores, stakeholder notes, and any expansion signal tags before sending.

---

After the brief

"Brief ready. Anything you want to add or adjust before the call?"

If the call is less than 2 hours away: "Need a shorter version? I can trim to agenda + talking points only."

Post-call: "Want to log action items and send the follow-up? Paste the call notes and I'll draft the email and CRM update."

---

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, call recording tool, document storage 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

• Internal health scores, expansion tags, and stakeholder assessments must not appear in any customer-visible output
• If account-research context exists in the session, use it — do not re-pull from connectors
• If config files are missing or contain [PLACEHOLDER] markers, halt and prompt for /csm:cold-start-interview
• Reviewer note must always be present — flag data freshness and any items requiring CSM judgment