Strategy without execution is a deck. Execution without strategy is noise.
We help you see where value leaks across the whole business, agree the few levers that actually move the retention number, and then build the operating model and the AI to move them.
Two pillars: Strategy sets the direction. AI Execution delivers it.
Pillar one
Strategy
We partner with your ExCo to agree the few levers that genuinely move the number.
Retention, Customer Journey & CRM Audit
The fastest way to see what's really happening. We audit your retention position end to end: the customer journey, the moments of truth, and how your CRM is actually being used versus what it should be doing. You get a clear map of where customers drift from value, which behaviours predict churn, and where your retention team should focus. Output: a prioritised, board-ready plan that ties ARR to behaviour.
Omnichannel Lifecycle Strategy
Your customers move across email, push, in-app, SMS, WhatsApp and more, but most communications are still planned channel by channel. We design a single, personalised communications strategy across the entire customer lifecycle, from first touch to renewal and beyond. We audit every existing touchpoint, map the journey end to end, benchmark against the best in and out of your sector, and hand you a prioritised communications framework plus the operating model to deliver it. One coherent conversation with each customer, not a dozen disconnected campaigns.
Retention AI strategy
AI is about to redraw the retention org. The Martech decision layer, churn scoring, rules engines, journey decisioning, is becoming redundant as agents move the decision upstream. We help you decide where AI belongs in your retention stack, what stays human, and how to sequence the shift without betting the base on it. A clear-eyed roadmap for CRM 3.0: what to build, what to buy, what to retire, and what your team does next.
Pillar two
AI Execution
We build the AI capabilities that allow you to impact the retention number fast.
Drift detection with embeddings
We use embeddings to place each customer's behaviour in context, relative to other customers, their own past self, and healthy behavioural clusters, so you detect the change in direction, not just a static risk score. Correct the trajectory before the value gap becomes a cliff.
AI content ingestion into your ESP + one-to-one CRM marketing
We use AI to ingest your content, offers and creative into your ESP so the right message can be assembled and delivered fast. Paired with agentic decisioning, that unlocks genuine one-to-one CRM: the right action for each customer at their moment, not one journey fired at a thousand people on the same day.
Retention agents
Retention agents watch behaviour continuously, detect drift within your guardrails, choose a proportional action, and learn from the outcome. They take the reactive work off your team and move the decision to act upstream. Human-in-the-loop throughout. Same team, different job, bigger impact.
Most engagements start with an audit
Most engagements start with a Retention, Customer Journey & CRM Audit: a fast, board-ready diagnosis of where retention is breaking across the hierarchy, and the prioritised plan to fix it. It's the quickest way to see the size of the prize before committing to bigger investment.
Results
What leaders say
AI customer lifecycle transformation
"Tom provided a strong framework for identification of detailed, valuable behavioural use cases for all lifecycle stages. He made a significant impact and added high value to our programme at a key time."
Mark Kemp
Chief Commercial Officer, William Hill & 888 (Evoke)
Personalisation at scale, 3× activation and past $1M ARR
"Tom was instrumental in helping us scope and strategize a feature focused on personalization at scale, one-to-one emails sent as if written individually, not blasted as a campaign. The impact was immediate: we saw a 3× lift in activation and day-90 retention, and that feature became a core driver in helping Aspen grow past $1M in ARR. Tom has a rare ability to connect product strategy directly to retention and revenue outcomes, and that partnership made a lasting difference for our business."
Ted Middleton
CEO, Aspen
Strategy, product rebuild & AI lifecycle execution, 7× subscribers
"Tom's support has transformed my business from one that was regularly making a loss, to one that is self-funded in just 5 months. Together we re-priced the product, built new conversion journeys, developed a new creative strategy and campaign, implemented a comprehensive CRM marketing programme, resolved multiple tech issues and implemented new Martech. All this increased average subscriber tenure and resulted in a 7× increase in subscribers."
Aaron Surtees
CEO, Subconsciously
Prioritising retention opportunities
"Tom worked with The Gym Group to help identify and prioritise retention opportunities to build into our plans. He is clearly an expert in his field and if you are looking to improve your retention, he can help."
Nick Shelmerdine
Strategy Director, The Gym Group
B2B AI SaaS retention strategy
"Tom has worked with us to develop strong retention and churn-prevention strategies for our AI SaaS startup, which helped us enhance our product. Highly recommend working with Tom!"
Nikolai Skelbo
Chief Operating Officer, Subsets AI
Upskilling retention teams
"Tom helped upskill our retention department during a large period of transformation. His passion for retention and depth of industry knowledge had a big impact on the team and this immediately translated into business impact."
Matt Ramsden
Head of Customer Growth, Kindred
The rebrand
About Retention Coach
Retention Coach rebranded to Retention AI in August 2026, driven by an increasing volume of AI execution projects. All the retention strategy consultancy Tom delivered under the Retention Coach brand continues, but we now also offer AI execution through our team of developers and CRM ops experts.
In particular Tom continues to offer one-to-one advisory for CEOs, ExCos, lifecycle leaders, and consultants. It takes the form of a weekly cadence call plus offline coaching and support. Email or DM Tom at tom@retention.coach to find out more.
Here's what others have said about Tom's one-to-one advisory
"Tom knows retention at a depth that's rare, and he's applying AI to it in genuine practice, not just theory. He pushed me to rethink my approach to every client engagement, and I'm now rebuilding how I operate to achieve stronger results for both my business and my clients."
Mike Swanson
Iydl Hands Consulting
"Tom has a rare ability to connect product strategy directly to retention and revenue outcomes, and that partnership made a lasting difference for our business."
Ted Middleton
CEO, Aspen