Cancellations: Optimizing Cancellation Pending Accounts

Project Background 2
Project Introduction 3
Project Objectives 5
This project will help answer the following questions: 5
The goals of this project are: 5
The impacts of this project include: 6
Project Plan 6
Timeline 6
Methodology 7
Key Activities and Tasks 8
Expected outcomes 10
Final considerations 11

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Project Background
Currently, the Billing Portal has 146 accounts in Cancellation Pending Status. Among these,
71 are scheduled cancellations and 15 are internal Cloudbeds employee accounts, leaving
60 accounts pending cancellation while negotiations with the customer are underway.
Managing the duration of these accounts on Cancellation Pending requires a manual
process, involving coordination among specialists, responsible teams, and customers. This
manual process often leads to delays due to back-and-forth communication and can
result in accounts remaining in Cancellation Pending status longer than anticipated, or
even being closed without finalizing the cancellation.

Attachment 1 - Chart of accounts in cancellation Pending as of March 2024

Source: Billing Portal

This situation brings forth the need to reduce errors and streamline the cancellation
process by implementing additional automation. This, in turn, would optimize the time
required for each cancellation and expedite the overall process, ultimately leading to more
efficient account management and improved customer satisfaction.

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Project Introduction
Given the recent changes within the CS Department, including the transfer of certain
responsibilities to the Account Managers team and the escalating workload faced by Billing
Specialists, there's a foreseeable risk of delays in the Cancellation Process. Historical data
highlights instances where Billing Specialists and Account Managers (CSMs) inadvertently
extended the Cancellation Pending status of accounts, either due to internal processes or
accidental closure of follow-up tickets. These oversights result in agents losing track of the
cancellation process, leading to accounts remaining on Cancellation Pending indefinitely
and causing financial losses due to active accounts without payment.

The table and graph (attachments 2 and 3) provided below compare the Full Resolution
Times of Automatic Service Cancellation tickets between two equivalent periods in different
years: November to February of 2022/2023 (when the process was partially managed by
CSM teams) and November to February of 2023/2024 (after the management transitioned
to the Billing Team).

Period Total tickets solved Cancellation tickets solved FRT Cancellation (Avg in Hrs)

Nov - Dec 2022 4 631 939 52

Jan - Feb 2023 5 155 1177 49

Nov - Dec 2023 4 511 576 37

Jan - Feb 204 6 229 562 56

Attachment 2 - Numbers of tickets solved and average of full resolution time for
cancellation tickets

Upon analyzing the variation in the volume of cancellation tickets and the total number of
tickets solved during these comparison periods, it becomes apparent that the average Full
Resolution Time for Cancellation tickets has not yet reached its optimized potential since
the transfer to the Billing Team. Additionally, changes to Account Manager accounts could
potentially further increase resolution times.

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As such, the present project intends to implement tools and methods that will enhance
productivity for the Billing Specialists and Account Managers while managing these tickets.
The goal is to optimize the process, reduce average response times and avoid potential
losses of profit due to non-paying cancellation pending accounts.

Attachment 3 - Duration of account on cancellation pending through time

Source: Zendesk Explore

Based on this data, and past tasks completed by the Billing Specialists, we understand that
along with the time of Full Resolution of Cancellation ticket, can often not reflect the
duration of the cancellation pending status. To address the challenge of losing track of
cancellation pending accounts, this project proposal seeks to introduce innovative ideas
and tools to enhance efficiency within the cancellation process. The proposed solutions will
build upon the existing system to minimize human errors and ensure smoother operations.
Considering Cloudbeds' commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, as we
“rewrite the rules”, the primary objective of this project is to propose updates to the Billing

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Portal. These updates will include displaying information regarding the duration of the
cancellation pending status, generating secondary notifications for accounts pending
cancellation for extended periods, and improve the identification of Pooled Accounts.

This proposal intends to outline the project's objectives, detailed plan, and anticipated
outcomes, demonstrating the value that the implementation of this project would bring to
Cloudbeds.

Project Objectives

This project will help answer the following questions:

The primary objective of this project is to address key operational challenges and enhance
efficiency in managing customer accounts that are in a Cancellation Pending status. The
project aims to implement measures that provide answers to the following critical
questions:
● How to better manage accounts in “Cancelation Pending” status?
● How to optimize and expedite follow-ups by managers and specialists?
● How to avoid permanent ticket closure for tickets without a final response?
● How to minimize the need for manual checks through automation?

The goals of this project are:

​ 1. Tracking Cancellation Pending Duration: Develop a system that accurately tracks

how long accounts remain in Cancellation Pending status, enabling precise
monitoring and analysis.
​ 2. Ensuring Prompt Customer Follow-up: Implement measures to ensure that
responsible managers/specialists promptly follow up with customers as long as the
accounts are on Cancellation Pending status, improving responsiveness.
​ 3. Preventing Premature Closure of Tickets: Establish protocols to prevent customer
tickets related to account cancellations from being closed prematurely without

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 obtaining final responses and confirmations, enhancing customer communication
and satisfaction.
​ 4. Reducing Manual Checks: Introduce automation to reduce the need for manual
checks on accounts in Cancellation Pending status, improving operational efficiency
and resource utilization.

The impacts of this project include:

1. Reduce response times and improve customer satisfaction by addressing
cancellation inquiries and negotiations in a timely manner.
2. Minimize instances of premature ticket closures, leading to more accurate account
management and customer communication.
3. Increase operational efficiency by automating routine checks, allowing staff to focus
on strategic account management tasks.
4. Provide insights into the average and maximum time accounts spent in Cancellation
Pending status, enabling proactive management strategies.

Project Plan

Timeline

Date / Date Range Action Teams

March 01 - Mar 24 Assessment and Analysis Operations

March 25 - Jun 21 Solution Design Operations/Dev

Jul 1 - Sep 13 Development and Integration Dev

Sep 13 - Oct 3 Testing Specialists/Ops

Oct 22, 2024 Deployment and Training All

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Methodology
During the initial Assessment and Analysis Phase, we conducted a comprehensive review of
existing data and workflows related to accounts in Cancellation Pending status. This
involved analyzing data and trends to identify common issues and opportunities for
improvement. We also reviewed the current notification workflows and customer follow-up
processes to pinpoint areas needing enhancement.

Following the assessment, we will transition into the Solution Design phase. This phase will
involve collaboration between the Billing Team and other Customer Success Departments
to gather information about system enhancements and new features. Clear objectives and
success criteria will be defined based on the project goals, with a focus on tracking
duration, prompt customer follow-up, preventing premature ticket closure, and reducing
manual checks.

Moving on to the Development and Integration phase, we will closely collaborate with the
Development team to implement functionality for displaying "Since" and "Until" timestamps
on the Billing Portal for accounts in Cancellation Pending or Cancellation Scheduled status.
Additionally, we will integrate Account Owner information prominently into the Billing Portal
interface and incorporate icons in the Billing Portal legend to identify Assigned Managers or
Pooled CX Growth based on Salesforce account information. A second automatic
cancellation notification system will also be developed and deployed, with triggers
configured to alert agents to accounts requiring attention.

During the Testing Phase, quality assurance will be conducted to ensure the reliability,
effectiveness, and accuracy of all implemented features and functionalities. This will
include testing notification triggers, addressing any identified issues, bugs, or performance
concerns, and refining the systems through iterative testing.

Once the systems are thoroughly tested and validated, we will proceed to the Deployment
and Training phase. The updated Billing Portal with new features and enhancements will be
deployed, and comprehensive training and documentation (Guru) will be provided to

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Specialists and Managers on the new functionalities, automated processes, and notification
systems.

Finally, in the Monitoring, Optimization, and Continuous Improvement phase, we will monitor
the performance and effectiveness of the implemented solutions, gather feedback from
users and stakeholders, and implement iterative updates and adjustments based on
feedback and performance metrics. This ongoing process ensures continuous
enhancement, alignment with evolving business needs, and continuous improvement of
the cancellation process efficiency within the Billing Portal.

Key Activities and Tasks

In order to answer the proposed questions and accomplish the goals presented for this
project, the following improvements are proposed, to be conducted simultaneously :

1- Introducing “Since” and “Until” on the Cancellation Pending status on the Billing Portal:

● Develop and implement functionality to display the "Since" and "Until"

timestamps for accounts in Cancellation Pending or Cancellation Scheduled
status;
● Collaborate with the development team to integrate this feature seamlessly
into the Billing Portal interface;
● Ensure accuracy and reliability of timestamp data by synchronizing with the
backend systems.

The image below illustrates the proposed changes to the Billing Portal interface, allowing
further clarity for Billing Specialists when handling cancellation tickets, and expediting the
analysis of canceling pending dates.

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 Attachment 4: Billing portal updates on Cancellation Pending accounts

2-Add Account Owner:

● Assess existing data structures and systems to identify the most efficient method for
adding the Account Owner information on the Billing Portal;
● Implement updates to the Billing Portal to prominently display the Account Owner
information for each account;
● Display on the “Legend” of the Billing Portal an icon to identify Assigned Manager or
Pooled CX Growth according to the Salesforce account;
● Coordinate with involved teams to ensure consistency and accuracy of Account
Owner assignments.

Attachment 5: Adding Salesforce icon to identify accounts with an Account Manager

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 Attachment 6: Adding Salesforce icon to identify accounts with Pooled CX Growth

3- Second Automatic Cancellation Notification

● Analyze current notification workflows to identify gaps or opportunities for
improvement;
● Design and implement a second automatic notification system for accounts
pending cancellation for an extended duration;
● Configure notification triggers based on predefined thresholds or criteria, such as
duration in Cancellation Pending status;
● Test the notification system thoroughly to ensure reliability and effectiveness in
alerting agents to accounts requiring attention;
● Monitor the performance of the second automatic notification system and make
adjustments as needed to optimize its effectiveness.

Attachment 7: Example of Automatic Ticket for secondary notification

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Expected outcomes
Upon successful completion of the project, the following outcomes are anticipated:

Operational Efficiency Improvements:

● Reduction in manual efforts and optimized processes leading to improved
productivity and resource allocation;
● Streamlined workflows and automated notifications result in faster resolution times
for accounts in Cancellation Pending status;
● Monitoring and analysis of key metrics, such as response times, ticket closure rates,
and manual check reduction, provide valuable operational insights for continuous
improvement initiatives.
Enhanced Customer Experience:
● Customers in Cancellation Pending status receive timely and effective follow-up
from responsible managers/specialists, leading to higher satisfaction levels;
● Prevention of premature ticket closures ensures that customers' cancellation
inquiries and negotiations are handled thoroughly.
Efficiency Gains and Cost Savings:
● Minimized instances of premature ticket closures and enhanced account
management contribute to reduction in loss of profits due to non-paying
cancellation pending accounts.

Final considerations
This project proposal is in line with Cloudbeds' strategic objectives, emphasizing continuous
improvement, innovation, and customer-centricity. Its focus is on addressing operational
challenges and improving efficiency in managing accounts with a "Cancellation Pending"
status.

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The proposed solutions aim to provide tangible benefits to the Billing team by reducing
losses due to non-paying cancellation pending accounts, avoiding premature ticket
closures, and enhancing overall operational efficiency. Collaboration among teams is
crucial for the project's success, with a clear emphasis on effective communication
channels and regular updates. Continuous monitoring, evaluation, and feedback
mechanisms will enable ongoing improvements and ensure alignment with evolving
customer needs.

As the expected outcomes of the project include increased operational efficiency, an

improved customer experience, and smoother inter-departmental workflows it signifies a
strategic investment aimed at optimizing processes, enhancing customer satisfaction, and
maintaining our commitment to continual self-improvement.

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