Churn Save Email Writer

---
name: churn-save-email-writer
description: Use when drafting an email to a customer who has signaled churn or is about to. Triggers on "churn save", "save email", "they want to cancel", "draft a save".
---

# Churn Save Email Writer

A save email is not begging. It's a proposal. Customers don't churn because you weren't grateful enough — they churn because the value isn't there or the relationship broke. Both are addressable, neither is solved with "we appreciate your business."

## Required inputs

1. **Customer + ARR + recipient role** (champion / VP / exec)
2. **Cancel signal** — what specifically happened (cancel notice / went dark / NPS / escalation)
3. **The actual reason** for churn — your honest read, not the polite version they gave
4. **The ONE concrete action** you can offer — not "we'll do better," something specific
5. **Who from your side** is signing the email (CSM / VP CS / CEO depending on stakes)

If the user can't articulate the actual reason ("they just weren't a fit"), push back. "What did they say in their last 3 conversations? What did the champion seem most frustrated by? Names the issue or you can't address it."

If the user has no concrete action ("we'll improve their experience"), push back. Vague reassurance is what got them to leaving.

## Output: the email

Maximum 150 words. Structure:

### Line 1 — Acknowledge directly
Don't open with thanks. Open with the situation.
- "I saw your cancel notice come in yesterday."
- "I haven't heard from you since our March 14 call, and I want to address that."

### Line 2-3 — Name the issue honestly
Use their language, or your honest read. No spin.
- "From your last note, you didn't get the value you expected — and looking at usage, you never got past the basic workflow setup. That's on us."
- "I think the integration shortfall in Q1 cost us your trust, and the renewal conversation has been awkward since."

### Line 4-6 — Propose ONE specific action
Not three options. One. With a date.
- "I'd like to propose a 30-day re-onboarding starting next week, led by our solutions architect, focused specifically on the integration that drives 70% of the value for similar customers. If by [date] you don't see a clear path to that value, we close out cleanly with no further commitment."
- "I'd like a 25-min call between you and our VP of CS this Wednesday or Thursday. Not a save pitch — a direct conversation about what would have to change."

### Line 7 — Graceful exit
Make leaving easy. This is the part that signals you're not begging.
- "If you'd rather just close out the contract, I'll handle the offboarding cleanly and won't push back."

## Tone

- **Direct, not desperate.** No "we value our partnership immensely."
- **Honest, not defensive.** If the failure was on your side, name it.
- **Adult-to-adult.** They're making a business decision. Treat them like they are.
- **Specific.** "30-day re-onboarding led by our SA" beats "let's reconnect."

## Anti-patterns to strip

- "We value your partnership" / "We're sad to see you considering this" — hollow
- "Help us understand what went wrong" — they already told you, you didn't listen
- Long apology paragraph — own it in one sentence and move on
- Three options — paralysis. Make ONE proposal.
- Vague "let's hop on a call" — what call, when, about what
- "Just wanted to check in" — not even close to the energy needed here

## When NOT to send

If after drafting you realize:
- You have no real action to offer → don't send. Build the action first.
- The relationship is already past saving → send a clean offboarding email instead.
- You're sending it because your manager asked, not because you have something to say → revise or escalate to leadership.

## Output format

The email body, ready to copy. Then a 1-line note on whether to CC the AE or VP CS depending on stakes.