If you’re a customer success manager staring down a to-do list that’s growing faster than your customer base, you’ve probably heard about playbooks. They promise to automate the repetitive stuff and keep your team on track. But, let’s be honest: most “how-to” guides are either too basic or get lost in the weeds. This is for folks who need a straight-up, field-tested walkthrough on creating and managing playbooks in Custify—no fluff, just what actually works.
Why Playbooks Matter (and When They Don’t)
Playbooks sound great. Done right, they help you:
- Standardize processes for common scenarios (like onboarding or renewals)
- Catch stuff before it falls through the cracks
- Save time and sanity
But they’re not magic. Playbooks won’t fix a messy process or make bad data useful. If you’re hoping to automate your way out of not talking to customers, this isn’t the tool for you. Use playbooks to handle routine tasks, so you can spend real time where it counts.
1. Get Your House in Order First
Before you build anything in Custify, make sure your data is clean and your processes are clear. Playbooks only work if:
- You know what actions actually deliver value for your customers.
- Your team agrees on how stuff should get done.
- Key data (like lifecycle stage, health score, renewal dates) is in Custify and accurate.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure what triggers a playbook, or half your customers are missing renewal dates, fix that first. Playbooks built on bad data are just faster ways to make mistakes.
2. Map Out Your Key Customer Journeys
Don’t jump straight into Custify. Sketch out (on paper, whiteboard, whatever) the main scenarios where playbooks help:
- New customer onboarding
- Quarterly business reviews (QBRs)
- Renewal management
- Churn risk follow-up
- Upsell/cross-sell campaigns
For each, jot down:
- Trigger events (e.g., “Customer signed contract”)
- Key touchpoints or tasks (e.g., “Schedule kickoff call,” “Send training resources”)
- Who owns each step
Keep it simple. You’re not writing War and Peace. Just enough so you won’t be lost when you open Custify.
3. Build Your First Playbook in Custify
Now, log into Custify and let’s actually build something. Here’s the no-nonsense process:
Step 1: Navigate to Playbooks
- In the left sidebar, look for “Playbooks” (sometimes called “Workflows” — Custify changes labels occasionally).
- Click “Create Playbook” or the plus (+) button.
Step 2: Set Up the Trigger
This is what starts the playbook. Examples:
- New account created
- Renewal date approaching
- Health score drops below X
Don’t overthink this. You want something you can trust—if your data is spotty, start with manual triggers until you’re sure your automation won’t spam the wrong people.
Step 3: Add Steps/Tasks
Here’s where you lay out what happens, in order:
- Assign tasks to a CSM (e.g., “Welcome call within 2 days”)
- Send automated emails (if you dare—see the “What Works/What Doesn’t” below)
- Wait for a specific time or action (e.g., “3 days after last step”)
- Update fields or customer segments
Keep each step clear and actionable. Vague tasks like “Check in with customer” just end up ignored.
Step 4: Assign Owners and Deadlines
- Decide who’s responsible for each task
- Set realistic due dates—don’t just default everything to “ASAP”
- Use Custify’s reminders and notifications, but don’t rely on them alone. If your team ignores their inbox, so will they.
Step 5: Save and Test
- Save your playbook, but don’t unleash it on all your customers yet.
- Test it with one or two accounts (pick forgiving customers).
- Watch for surprises: duplicate tasks, missing steps, weird timing.
Pro tip: Walk through the playbook as if you’re a new CSM. If you get lost or annoyed, your team will too.
4. Managing and Iterating on Playbooks
Playbooks aren't “set and forget.” Here’s how to keep them useful (and not a graveyard of ignored tasks):
Regular Reviews
- Pick a monthly or quarterly cadence to review active playbooks.
- Check: Are tasks actually getting done? Are the steps still relevant?
- Ask your team what’s working, what’s a pain, and what they’re skipping.
Edit, Don’t Multiply
- Resist the urge to make a new playbook every time someone suggests a tweak.
- Edit existing playbooks, and keep a changelog if your team is large.
- Too many similar playbooks just confuses everyone.
Track Outcomes, Not Just Completions
- Did the playbook help reduce churn? Shorten onboarding? Or did it just create more busywork?
- Pull reports from Custify to see real impact, not just “tasks completed.”
Pro tip: Kill any playbook nobody uses. Less is more.
5. Honest Take: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What Works
- Automating reminders for repetitive tasks (like follow-ups or QBR scheduling)
- Assigning clear ownership—no “who’s supposed to do this?” confusion
- Simple, linear playbooks for high-volume, low-complexity scenarios (onboarding, renewals)
What Doesn’t
- Overly complex branching logic—the more “if this, then that,” the faster things break
- Relying on automated emails to build relationships; customers can smell a mail-merge a mile away
- Building playbooks for “nice to have” moments. Stick to the stuff that matters.
What to Ignore
- Every shiny new template or “best practice” you see online. Start with your process, not someone else’s.
- Playbooks for edge cases—focus on the 80% first.
6. Advanced Tips (If You’re Ready)
Already got the basics down? Here’s what’s actually useful:
- Use customer segments: Trigger playbooks for specific groups (e.g., high-value accounts get a white-glove onboarding).
- Integrate with your CRM: Pipe in events or status changes to trigger playbooks.
- Custom fields: Track the stuff that matters to your business, and use it to personalize playbooks.
- Pause and resume: If a customer goes dark, pause the playbook instead of letting tasks pile up.
But don’t get fancy until your first few playbooks are working and actually used.
Summary: Start Simple, Get Feedback, and Iterate
The best playbooks in Custify are the ones your team actually uses. Start with your most common process, build it out step by step, and test it in the real world. Don’t drown in options—keep it simple, listen to your team, and be ruthless about killing what doesn’t work. Iterate often, and remember: playbooks are there to save you time, not create more admin headaches.
Now go build something that helps—not just something that looks good in a screenshot.