Roadmap Chaos: a Mismanaged Roadmap is Fuelling Customer Churn

Background

The scale-up was increasing their customer base. However, as more customers joined, requests for new features and enhancements flooded in. Without a clear process to handle these requests, the company struggled. Customer feedback and feature requests weren’t processed, and internal teams were unclear on what to focus on. As a result, customers were unsatisfied and were ready to churn, especially among larger clients who needed specific features that weren’t being delivered.

The company’s roadmap was mismanaged, leading to confusion, both for customers and within internal teams.

Key Issues

Too Many Customer Requests, No Clear Priorities
The company received a huge volume of requests and support tickets from customers, but it didn’t have a system to categorize or prioritize these. This left the product team unsure of what to build next, resulting in a chaotic roadmap. Customers felt unheard, and important opportunities to improve the product were missed.‍

No Transparency About What Was Being Developed
Internal teams like sales and support didn’t know what the development team was working on. Without this information, they struggled to communicate with customers about which features were coming. This led to confusion and dissatisfaction among customers.

Solutions Implemented

A System to Organize and Prioritize Customer Requests
I introduced a feedback management system to process past requests, gather and organize new customer requests. This tool categorized requests by urgency, customer size, and potential impact. With clear insights, it was easier to make solid business decissions.

A Clear Release Plan for All Teams
I created a release plan that was accessible to all employees. This plan showed which features were being built, estimated release dates, and which customer requests were being addressed. With this transparency, all teams had a clear understanding of development priorities and could communicate these with customers.

Results

Better Internal Alignment and Communication
With the release plan, all teams could see what was being built and why, which improved alignment. Sales and support teams could clearly explain timelines to customers, reducing misunderstandings and increasing satisfaction.

Lessons Learned

• Make the Roadmap Transparent: A release plan that all teams can access ensures everyone understands development priorities and aligns with customer needs.
• Organize and Prioritize Customer Feedback: A clear system for managing customer requests makes it easier to focus on the most valuable features.
• Work Together Across Teams: Regular roadmap meetings with all relevant teams help prevent miscommunication and keep the roadmap aligned with both business and customer goals.
• Set Realistic Customer Expectations: Providing clear timelines and priority updates builds customer trust and avoids frustration from unmet promises.

Conclusion

By establishing a structured feedback system, a clear release plan, and regular roadmap review meetings, the company was able to regain control of its product roadmap, reduce customer churn, and improve internal alignment. This case shows how essential it is for SaaS companies to manage roadmaps and communicate effectively with both customers and internal teams.

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