Customer churn is the ending of cooperation or of purchasing. It is rarely a sudden decision – it is preceded by signals that the company overlooks: declining volumes, slower responses, a change of contact person, repeated complaints, or a loss of interest in meetings. Systematically tracking these signals makes it possible to intervene before the decision takes shape. Once the departure has happened, it is worth holding an exit conversation and finding out the real reason – customers state it more openly when leaving than during the cooperation, and the company thereby gains information that can prevent further losses. Churn need not be permanent: some customers can be approached again after a while, especially if the cause of their leaving has since been removed. Winning back a departed customer tends to be cheaper than finding an entirely new contact.
See also: Customer retention, Win-back campaign, Reasons for Losing a Deal.
