Stop spreading your retention strategy too thin: here’s what to focus on first
When retention rates dip or NPS flattens, the instinct is to fix everything - fast. But trying to do it all at once rarely leads to real progress. In fact, it’s one of the biggest mistakes organisations make.
At Embark, we help brands avoid the “shopping list” trap by using a more strategic, evidence-led approach: one that identifies where your efforts will have the biggest impact on loyalty and advocacy, not just where you’re underperforming.
Here’s how we do it - and why it works.
The problem: a sea of ‘important’ priorities
Customer journey audits, customer experience (CX) diagnostics, stakeholder interviews - all valuable. But without a way to quantify which issues matter most, you end up with a long list of potential fixes, none of which feel clearly more urgent or impactful than the others.
And let’s be honest, you don’t need more things to improve. You need a clear path to results.
Our solution: prioritisation through predictive modelling
To cut through the noise, we use a robust method that combines advanced analytics with real-world insight.
We map each service or experience factor into a performance-impact matrix - like the quadrant below - to clarify where to focus and what to maintain. And to power this analysis, we go beyond traditional key driver analysis or claimed importance (from customers) by using machine learning techniques like Random Forest.
What Random Forest Does:
Analyses the relationships between customer satisfaction drivers and NPS
Ranks each factor by how much it actually influences likelihood to recommend
Allows for “what-if” scenario planning to test where improvement efforts will yield the most impact
This method doesn’t just tell you what people say matters - it reveals what really matters to their loyalty.
Performance-impact matrix
The outcome: focus where it counts
From this, we build a quadrant view:
🟦 Strong strategic assets
High-performing areas that also drive loyalty. These are your brand’s strengths - investing here builds advocacy. Think: consistent service, clear communication, emotional resonance.
🟥 High potential gains
Low performance, high impact areas. This is your goldmine - the elements that aren’t working well but have huge upside if improved. These should get your time, budget, and attention.
🟨 Low impact effort
Areas performing fine but with limited influence on loyalty. Maintain them, but don’t over-invest.
🟪 Fix if feasible
Low performance, low impact. Often tempting to fix (because the pain is visible), but improvements here rarely move the dial. Tread carefully.
Why It Works
Because it’s not about fixing everything - it’s about fixing what matters. By layering predictive analytics over customer experience data, we help brands:
✅ Cut through noise and stakeholder bias
✅ Find the friction points that actually drive churn
✅ Prioritise change that moves the needle on retention and revenue
And crucially, we turn these insights into simple, board-ready actions - no 90-slide decks required.
Want to know where your biggest gains are hiding?
Let’s run a strategic CX audit that goes beyond the obvious. You’ll walk away with clarity, focus, and a plan to drive loyalty where it counts.