Glossary

Learn about analytics, product, and technical terms and get their definitions in our Glossary.

Table of Contents

                                                            Churn

                                                            Customer churn is an important concept for businesses, especially those relying heavily on subscriptions or recurring revenue streams. Churn refers to the number of customers who end their relationship with a company within a given period. This metric is essential to track, monitor and optimize for sustainable growth.

                                                            Below, we will explore the definition of churn and churn rates and how tracking them can benefit businesses like your own.

                                                            What is churn?

                                                            Churn refers to the number of customers who cease doing business with a company within a given period. This could happen for many reasons - some customers may find a better or cheaper alternative, while others may be dissatisfied with the product or service. For businesses, it is crucial to monitor the churn rate as it directly affects their revenue and overall business performance.

                                                            What is churn rate (and how to calculate it)?

                                                            Churn rate is the percentage of customers who end their relationship with a company within a given period. Most commonly, churn rates are calculated monthly, quarterly, or annually.

                                                            Churn rate is calculated by dividing the number of customers lost during a set period by the number of customers at the beginning of that period (see below). For example, if a company had a customer base of 500 at the beginning of the month and lost 50 customers during that month, its monthly churn rate would be 10%.

                                                            • Starting number of customers: 500
                                                            • Customers lost during period: 50
                                                            • Formula: 500 / 50 = 10% churn rate

                                                            How tracking churn benefits businesses

                                                            Tracking churn rates provide essential insights for businesses to improve their products, service, and customer experience. Companies can make changes to prevent increased churn and attrition by understanding why customers leave. Additionally, reducing churn rates can lead to significant cost savings by lowering acquisition costs for new customers.


                                                            Tracking churn rates can also help companies forecast revenues and set growth targets, providing a clearer picture of future business performance.

                                                            How to improve churn rates

                                                            Improving churn rates requires a deep understanding of customer needs and expectations. Here are some strategies that businesses can implement to reduce churn rates:

                                                            • Improve customer service: Promptly address customer needs, complaints, and requests.
                                                            • Offer customized solutions: Provide personalized services or products to meet customer needs.
                                                            • Optimize the user experience: Create a user-friendly interface and experience that offers easy-to-understand customer onboarding, if needed.
                                                            • Keep in touch: Send regular emails, newsletters, or updates to keep customers engaged and informed.
                                                            • Reward loyalty: Offer incentives like discounts or rewards to retain customers.

                                                            Churn rate is a critical performance indicator for businesses, especially those with a subscription or recurring revenue models. By tracking churn rates and implementing strategies to reduce customer attrition, companies can improve their customer experience, reduce costs, and boost revenues.

                                                            Understanding and reducing churn rates ultimately leads to long-term customer retention and increased customer lifetime value.