How to Win Back Customers That Ghost You 👻

Ever had a customer disappear without warning? No replies to your emails, missed meetings, complete radio silence. It’s frustrating, anxiety-inducing, and unfortunately, all too common in Customer Success. In this special Halloween edition of The Customer Success Pro Podcast, host Anika Zubair tackles the haunted topic of ghosted customers — and more importantly, how to revive those relationships and prevent future vanishing acts.

Whether a customer ghosts you post-onboarding, during a renewal cycle, or mid-project, this episode is packed with real strategies (plus a spooky success story) to turn silence into re-engagement.

Why Customers Ghost You (And What You’re Doing Wrong)

Customers don’t ghost because they’re evil villains in a horror movie. Most of the time, it’s not personal — it’s circumstantial. But how you respond to the silence makes all the difference.

Anika breaks down the top reasons customers go dark:

• You’re too reactive: If you’re only reaching out when you need something (a renewal signature, a QBR booking), your customer sees no value. Communication should be proactive, relevant, and customer-focused — not reactive.

• There’s no clear value in your calls: If every meeting feels like a “check-in,” your customer won’t prioritize it. Calls need to feel strategic, outcome-oriented, and worth their time.

• You only know one stakeholder: Relying on a single champion is risky. If they leave, get busy, or change roles, your relationship is in danger. Multithreading is non-negotiable for long-term success.

• You didn’t set expectations: Customers disengage when they don’t understand what comes after onboarding. Set clear meeting cadences, communicate value delivery, and avoid ambiguity from day one.

• You’re not matching their communication style: Email might work for you, but does it work for them? Maybe they prefer Slack, LinkedIn, or even a quick call. Know their preference — and meet them there.

Multithreading: The Secret to Preventing Ghosting

Anika shares that many CSMs unknowingly make themselves vulnerable by building relationships with just one person. Sales teams rarely do this — they engage 5 to 10 stakeholders during the sales cycle. So why does CS only focus on one?

Multithreading doesn’t mean overwhelming yourself with 10 ongoing conversations, but it does mean having backups. If your main contact goes quiet, you should have other touchpoints who know your name and the value you provide.

If you’re not already multithreading:

• Revisit the original sales cycle in your CRM to identify who else was involved.

• Introduce yourself to additional stakeholders early in onboarding.

• Engage executives during QBRs to elevate your presence.

Think of it as building a safety net that catches the account before it free-falls into churn risk.

The Spooky Success Story: A Ghosted Customer Comes Back From the Dead

Anika shares a real (and slightly spooky) story about a customer who ghosted her after three months of seemingly smooth sailing. No replies, no meetings, no bouncebacks — just silence.

Instead of panicking, she investigated. A quick Google search revealed a major reorg at the customer’s company. That explained everything — and it wasn’t about her.

From there, she:

• Partnered with the original AE to uncover new contacts

• Reached out to a new VP with a value-based message 

• Focused on how their product previously helped the team and how it could drive new success

The result? Not only did the customer reply, but they renewed early and expanded into a new department.

Lesson learned: ghosting often signals change, not rejection. When you respond with empathy and strategic thinking, you can turn a scary situation into a growth opportunit

The Comeback Strategy (Weekly CS Challenge)

Ready to take action? Anika ends the episode with a clear weekly challenge — the Comeback Strategy:

1. Pick one ghosted customer 

2. Research what’s happening at their company 

   • Use LinkedIn, Google, company press releases, or even ChatGPT to gather intel

3. Craft a value-based re-engagement message 

   • Make it about them, not you or your product

4. Switch up the communication channel 

   • If email didn’t work, try Slack, LinkedIn, or call a new contact

5. Involve your AE or another teammate 

   • Don’t try to handle it alone

And most importantly? Don’t give up too soon. Persistence with empathy goes a long way.

If you try the challenge and bring a ghosted customer back to life, use #CSProChallenge to share your story and tag Anika on LinkedIn!

Key Takeaways

• Ghosting isn’t always about you. Often, it’s about changes happening internally at your customer’s organization.

• Multithreading is critical. Never rely on just one champion.

• Set clear expectations about post-onboarding engagement to avoid drop-off.

• Adapt to your customer’s preferred communication style to keep conversations flowing.

• Value-driven outreach wins. Reframe your message around what matters to the customer, not what you need from them.

Listen Now & Reconnect With Ghosted Customers

This episode with Anika Zubair is a must-listen for CSMs navigating tough renewals, vanishing stakeholders, and spooky customer silence. It’s time to stop blaming yourself — and start taking strategic action.

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:

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