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Adoption

Part of Risk detection and intervention

Investigating declining adoption before sending a generic check-in

“Usage is down” is too vague to guide a customer conversation. Find out which users, features and time periods changed before asking the customer to explain a dashboard number.

Desk Onboarding · · 2 min read

“Usage is down” is too vague to guide a customer conversation. Find out which users, features and time periods changed before asking the customer to explain a dashboard number.

Check that tracking still works and the comparison is fair. A feature used monthly should not be judged by a daily count. Look at active roles and key workflows, not only total logins. Pendo's feature-adoption guidance shows how the chosen segment, date range and selected features affect what a usage view means.

Ask whether anything changed in how the product is accessed. A new sign-in method, a mobile release or a change of login provider can alter what the analytics capture without any real change in behaviour. Confirm with the product team before you treat a fall in numbers as a loss of interest.

List plausible explanations: a completed project, a seasonal lull, fewer licensed users, a changed workflow, a usability obstacle or a product defect. Compare support requests and recent organisational changes.

Rank the explanations by how easily they can be checked. Licence counts and project calendars are quick to confirm, while a usability problem may need a conversation. Start with the quick checks so that you arrive at the customer meeting with fewer guesses and a narrower question.

Then send a specific question such as whether a named workflow still serves its purpose. Include a concise observation and an offer to help.

Keep the investigation separate from the conclusion. If the customer confirms a problem, assign an action and date. If the dip reflects a planned pause, update the expected-use baseline.

Write down what you found, even when it turns out to be harmless. A short note on the segment, the period and the likely cause helps the next person who sees a similar dip.

A generic check-in that ignores context can waste the customer's time. It can leave the real issue untouched.

Before and after a decline in feature adoption: key differences to investigate

  • User segmentIdentify if the drop affects all users or specific roles (e.g., finance vs. operations)
  • Feature usageCheck if one feature declined or multiple features across workflows
  • Time periodCompare against a relevant baseline (e.g., monthly vs. daily, pre-implementation vs. post-update)
  • Support ticketsReview recent increase in tickets related to the feature or workflow
  • Organisational changesCheck for staff turnover, role changes or project completions in the customer’s team

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