renewal-readiness

name	renewal-readiness
description	Assess renewal readiness for an account — health, relationship, value delivery, stakeholder coverage, and commercial risk — and produce a renewal action plan. Use 90–180 days before renewal to identify and close gaps before the commercial conversation begins. Produces an internal readiness brief, a renewal timeline, and (optionally) a customer-facing renewal prep summary. Distinct from risk-flag: this skill assesses the full renewal picture including Green accounts, not only accounts in distress.
argument-hint	[account name] [--brief | --timeline | --customer-summary]
version	1.0.0
deployment_target	plugin

/renewal-readiness

[PROPOSED]

Use When

• Renewal is within 90 days and you need a structured readiness assessment
• Preparing for the renewal conversation and need to surface known objections and risks
• Executive sponsor engagement needs to be confirmed before the renewal window closes
• Value delivered needs to be documented before the commercial conversation begins

Do NOT Use For

• Pricing, discount, or negotiation prep — that is AE/AM scope
• Accounts outside the 90-day renewal window — use /csm:health-score-review for general health
• Expansion positioning — use /csm:expansion-business-case
• Post-renewal success planning — use /csm:success-plan-builder

Typical Activation

"/csm:renewal-readiness Acme Corp" "Prep for [account]'s renewal" "Renewal is in 60 days for [customer] — what do I need?" "Run renewal readiness for [account]"

---

Know where you stand before the renewal conversation starts — health, relationship, value story, and commercial risk, all in one place.

---

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:

• Renewal readiness timeline — when the company typically starts renewal motion (e.g., 90-day standard; 180-day for Enterprise)
• Renewal owner — CSM-owned or splits between CSM and AE/renewals team
• Commercial motion — what the CSM is authorized to discuss vs. what routes to AE
• Escalation matrix — what ARR level triggers executive-level renewal involvement
• Health model thresholds — Red/Yellow/Green classifications
• Primary value metric — anchor for renewal value conversation

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, failure modes, and expert judgment patterns.

Before generating output, apply these primers:

1. CLASSIFY — Determine renewal type before generating output:

• Type A — Green account, routine renewal: health solid, stakeholders engaged, success criteria met
• Type B — Yellow account, gap closure needed: one or more dimensions require action within the renewal window
• Type C — Red account, intervention before renewal: stabilize first, then commercial motion
• Type D — High-ARR escalation renewal: ARR exceeds configured threshold, executive involvement required
• Type E — Non-standard contract: multi-year, auto-renewal, or month-to-month with different mechanics

2. CONSTRAINTS — Apply before generating:

• G1 — Renewal readiness is distinct from risk; Green accounts still get a full brief
• G2 — Expansion signals require economic buyer qualification; route to AE, never combine with renewal conversation
• G4 — No commercial commitments in customer-facing summary; ARR, pricing, and contract terms stay internal
• G5 — Single-threaded relationships are flagged in every brief regardless of health status
• G7 — Executive sponsor decay: 60+ days since contact = decaying; 90+ days = re-engagement required

3. EXPERT CHECK — What a veteran CSM verifies first:

• Is there a value story, and is it strong enough to lead the renewal conversation?
• Is the executive sponsor genuinely engaged or just listed in the CRM?
• Has internal CSM + AE alignment happened, or is the renewal motion starting without it?
• Does the timeline allow enough runway to close identified gaps before the commercial window?
• If prior renewal was late or contentious, what structurally changed since then?

4. ANTI-PATTERNS — Common mistakes to avoid:

• Skipping the brief for Green accounts ("they'll renew anyway")
• Opening renewal conversation with contract or pricing before value is established
• Treating all Yellow gaps equally instead of triaging by renewal impact and time-to-close
• Initiating commercial motion on a Red account before stabilization
• Escalating to executives without a context-rich briefing tied to customer priorities
• Assuming auto-renewal means no readiness work is needed

After execution, verify:

• Does the output match the classified renewal type and selected mode?
• Scan for failure modes specific to this classification type (see blueprint)
• Are all [review] flags placed where human judgment is required?
• Is the action plan sequenced correctly — value before contract, stabilization before commercial motion, internal alignment before external?
• Confidence: [High] if CRM and CS Platform live with full component data / [Medium] if partially connected or some data from CSM context / [Low] if user-provided context only — state which.

Mode

--brief: Full internal renewal readiness assessment. Default.

--timeline: Produce a renewal timeline only — key dates, milestones, and owner assignments from now to renewal close. Lightweight; suitable for weekly tracking.

--customer-summary: Clean, customer-facing renewal prep communication — not a commercial push; a forward-looking partnership summary with next-step ask. Appropriate to send 60-90 days before renewal.

---

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:

• CRM: ARR, renewal date, contract terms, prior renewal history, AE/AM contact
• CS Platform: current health score, component breakdown, lifecycle stage, CTAs
• Call recording: last 2-3 calls for relationship signals; any renewal discussion mentioned
• Document storage: current success plan, last QBR, any open commitments

If nothing is connected:

"I need some basic account data to assess renewal readiness. Tell me: What's the renewal date and ARR? What's the current health status? Has there been any renewal conversation yet? I'll build the brief from what you share."

Minimum required before proceeding: renewal date, ARR, and at least one data point on current health or recent customer engagement.

---

Internal readiness brief (--brief)

---

Renewal Readiness Brief — [Account Name] [Date] · INTERNAL — not for distribution Renewal: [date] — [N] days

---

Renewal snapshot

Field	Value
ARR	$[amount]
Renewal date	[date] — [N] days
Contract type	[Annual / Multi-year / Month-to-month]
Renewal owner	[CSM / AE / Renewals team — per configured commercial motion]
Segment	[SMB / Mid-market / Enterprise]
Health	[Red / Yellow / Green]
Prior renewal outcome	[On-time / Late / Expanded / Contracted / Churned — if CRM data available]

---

Readiness dimensions — summary

Rate each dimension before the detail. Green = renewal-ready, Yellow = needs work, Red = block to renewal.

Dimension	Status	Top gap
Health & product usage	[🟢 / 🟡 / 🔴]	[1-line gap or "None"]
Value delivered vs. success criteria	[🟢 / 🟡 / 🔴]
Stakeholder coverage & relationship	[🟢 / 🟡 / 🔴]
Commercial readiness	[🟢 / 🟡 / 🔴]
Internal alignment (CSM + AE)	[🟢 / 🟡 / 🔴]

Overall renewal readiness: [🟢 Renewal-ready / 🟡 Needs attention — [N] gaps / 🔴 At risk — intervention required]

---

Dimension 1 — Health & product usage

Pull from configured health model.

Component	Signal	Direction	Threshold status
[Component 1, e.g., usage]	[current value]	[↑↓→]	[Above / At / Below threshold]
[Component 2]
[Component 3]

Overall health: [Red / Yellow / Green] per configured thresholds.

Usage trend over 60–90 days: [Increasing / Stable / Declining] — [interpretation in 1-2 sentences]

Churn signals present? [Yes — [signals] / No / Unknown — data insufficient]

---

Dimension 2 — Value delivered vs. success criteria

Pull from success plan if available.

Success Criterion	Target	Actual	Status
[Criterion 1]	[target]	[actual]	✅ / 🟡 / ⛔
[Primary value metric]	[configured target]	[actual]

Value story strength: [Strong — all criteria met / Partial — [N] criteria met, [N] gap(s) / Weak — criteria not established or most below target]

If no formal success criteria exist:

"Success criteria have not been formally established for this account. Entering a renewal conversation without defined success criteria removes the CSM's strongest retention argument. Recommend establishing criteria with the customer before initiating renewal motion." [review]

Primary value metric ([configured metric]): [result vs. target]

---

Dimension 3 — Stakeholder coverage & relationship

Stakeholder	Role	Last contact	Engagement	Renewal risk
[Executive sponsor]	[Role]	[date — N days]	[Active / Declining / Dormant]	[Low / Med / High]
[Champion]
[Economic buyer]

Executive sponsor status: [Confirmed and engaged / Declining — needs re-engagement / Unknown or departed]

If executive sponsor is declining or unknown:

"Executive sponsor risk is present. Route per escalation matrix before renewal conversation begins. An executive sponsor who isn't engaged during renewal will not protect ARR." [review]

Single-threaded relationship? [Yes — [name] is the only contact / No — [N] contacts active]

If single-threaded:

"Relationship is single-threaded through [contact]. Single-threaded renewal conversations carry elevated risk. Identify at least one secondary stakeholder before the commercial conversation begins." [review]

---

Dimension 4 — Commercial readiness

Has the renewal conversation started? [Yes — [date of first discussion] / No / Implicitly — renewal was mentioned on [date] in [context]]

Known commercial risks:

• [Risk 1 — e.g., "Budget freeze announced by champion in last call"]
• [Risk 2 — e.g., "Competitor mentioned by name on [date]"]
• [Risk 3 — e.g., "Prior year contract was late by [N] days — may indicate internal procurement friction"]

Price change anticipated? [Yes — [amount or %] increase / No / Unknown] If yes: "Price increase at renewal requires executive-level positioning. See /csm:renewal-readiness --price-increase-prep."

ARR escalation: If ARR meets the configured escalation threshold:

"ARR ($[amount]) exceeds the configured escalation threshold. Executive-level renewal involvement is required per the configured commercial motion. Route to [configured contact] no later than [date — N days before renewal]."

---

Dimension 5 — Internal alignment

Has the CSM + AE sync occurred? [Yes — [date] / No — needed before [date]]

Renewal strategy agreed internally? [Yes / No — pending sync]

Open internal actions required before renewal motion:

1. [e.g., "AE to pull contract for price increase scenario modeling"]
2. [e.g., "CS lead to approve executive sponsor outreach"]
3. [e.g., "Confirm CRM renewal date is accurate — system shows [date] but CSM reports [date]"] [review]

---

Renewal action plan

Specific actions to close readiness gaps before the renewal conversation. Ordered by priority. Not generic.

Immediate (do this week):

1. [Action — e.g., "Schedule executive sponsor touch. Last contact was [N] days ago. Purpose: relationship maintenance before commercial motion begins. Do not mention renewal — this is a strategic relationship call."]
2. [Action — e.g., "Run /csm:value-statement [account] to build the value story before the renewal conversation. The value case is currently [strong/partial/weak]."]
3. [Action — escalation if applicable]

Before renewal conversation begins ([date — recommended start]):

1. [Action — e.g., "Internal CSM + AE sync to agree renewal strategy and roles."]
2. [Action — e.g., "Establish success criteria if not already documented."]
3. [Action — e.g., "Confirm economic buyer identity and engagement plan."]

Renewal conversation itself:

1. [Action — e.g., "Lead with value delivered against [primary value metric]. Do not open with contract or pricing."]
2. [Action — e.g., "Have the success plan open — walk through each criterion together before discussing next year."]
3. [Action — expansion, if signals exist: "Pass expansion signal to AE prior to renewal call. Do not introduce expansion in the same conversation as renewal risk — sequence matters."]

---

Renewal timeline (--timeline)

---

Renewal Timeline — [Account Name] Renewal: [date] · ARR: $[amount] · [N] days remaining

Date	Milestone	Owner	Status
[today]	Renewal readiness brief complete	CSM	✅
[date]	Executive sponsor touch scheduled	CSM
[date]	Value statement built	CSM
[date]	CSM + AE renewal sync	CSM + AE
[date]	Success criteria confirmed with customer	CSM
[date]	Customer renewal conversation initiated	[Renewal owner]
[date]	Commercial proposal delivered	AE
[date]	Executive sponsor confirmation call (if required)	CS Lead + [Exec]
[date — 30 days before renewal]	Renewal committed in CRM	AE
[date — 14 days before renewal]	Contract out for signature	AE
[Renewal date]	Contract signed

Dates are calculated from renewal date. Adjust if your configured commercial motion uses different lead times.

---

Customer-facing renewal prep summary (--customer-summary)

Appropriate to send 60-90 days before renewal. This is not a renewal push — it is a forward-looking partnership communication that positions the renewal as a natural continuation of shared work.

---

[Customer contact name],

As we approach [date], I wanted to take stock of where we are and make sure we're aligned on what comes next.

What we've accomplished: [2-3 sentences on the most meaningful outcomes achieved this period — in the customer's business terms, with specific results. Not a feature list.]

What's ahead: [1-2 sentences on what the customer has said they want to accomplish in the next period. Connect it to what they told you at kickoff or in the last QBR.]

I'd like to set up time with you in the next [2-4 weeks] to discuss [next year / the upcoming renewal period / our work together going forward] and make sure we're aligned on priorities and the right structure to support them.

[Call to action: specific time or scheduling link. One clear next step.]

Looking forward to it.

[CSM name]

---

Note: This is a relationship communication — not a commercial document. Edit the draft to match your relationship tone. Do not include ARR, pricing, contract dates, or renewal language in this version. The commercial conversation comes after this touch.

---

Reviewer note

⚠️ Reviewer note

• Sources: [CRM ✓ live — renewal date, ARR, contract | CRM [configured but unverified] | CS Platform ✓ live — health, usage | CS Platform [configured but unverified] | call recording: [date] | user provided | not connected — conversation context only]
• Health model applied: [Configured model — [components] | signals only — no formal model]
• Success criteria source: [Account-specific from [doc] | not established — see action plan]
• Data as of: [timestamp per source]
• ARR escalation: [Applies — route to [contact] by [date] | Does not apply]
• Flagged for your judgment: [N items marked [review] inline | none]
• Revenue accountability: Renewal ARR figures and any contraction/expansion estimates must be validated with AE before reaching CRM forecast or leadership reporting.

---

Output

Renewal readiness output — format driven by flag (--brief, --timeline, --customer-summary). Internal brief covers risk rating, deal health, and recommended actions. Timeline produces a milestone table. Customer-facing summary produces a value-forward narrative. See mode-specific sections for field-level structure.

Guardrails

Renewal readiness is distinct from risk. This skill assesses all accounts approaching renewal — not only at-risk ones. A Green account with a strong health score still needs a readiness brief to ensure the commercial conversation is prepared.

Value story must precede commercial conversation. A renewal conversation that opens with contract or pricing before value is established gives the customer no reason to say yes. The action plan always places value preparation before commercial motion.

Success criteria gap is a renewal risk. If formal success criteria were never established, note it explicitly. The absence of criteria removes the strongest retention argument.

No commercial commitments in customer summary. The customer-facing renewal prep communication does not discuss ARR, pricing, or contract terms. Those belong in the commercial conversation, which the CSM schedules separately.

Single-threaded risk is renewal risk. If only one stakeholder knows the product, any change to that person's role, engagement, or availability creates immediate renewal exposure.

Expansion sequencing. Expansion conversations are initiated after renewal is committed, not simultaneously. If expansion signals are present, route to AE before the renewal call — do not introduce both topics in one customer conversation.

---

After the brief

• "Value story needs work — build it now: /csm:value-statement [account]"
• "Executive sponsor risk flagged — check stakeholder map: /csm:stakeholder-map [account] --sponsor-risk"
• "Account is Red — run risk memo before renewal motion: /csm:risk-flag [account]"
• "Renewal conversation starting — prep the call: /csm:call-prep [account] renewal"
• "Ready for the QBR before renewal — build it: /csm:qbr-builder [account]"

---

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, 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

• Pricing, discount, and negotiation content is strictly out of scope — redirect to AE/AM if raised
• ARR and contract value are internal references only — not included in customer-facing output
• Expansion signals are internal — do not surface in renewal prep materials shared with the customer
• If config files are missing or contain [PLACEHOLDER] markers, halt and prompt for /csm:cold-start-interview