.png)
Feature adoption is one of the biggest challenges Customer Success Managers (CSMs) face today. With the rapid evolution of SaaS tools, businesses are constantly introducing new functionalities intended to make life easier for their users.
But the question remains: how do you ensure your customers are not only aware of these new features but actually using them to their fullest potential?
In this article, we’ll delve into practical strategies for increasing feature adoption using SaaS tools. We’ll cut through the noise and get straight to what works, providing you with actionable insights to help your customers embrace and benefit from every update you roll out.
Here’s a list of ways Customer Success professionals can use SaaS tools to enhance feature adoption, along with explanations for each:
1. In-app guidance
SaaS tools can provide in-app walkthroughs and tooltips that guide users through new or advanced features. These guided prompts appear when users engage with the software, helping them discover and use features without needing to search for support documents.
In-app guidance removes the friction between users and features by delivering instructions at the point of use. This encourages hands-on learning and boosts immediate adoption.
2. Targeted onboarding
SaaS tools can use user segmentation and behavioral data to create personalized onboarding experiences tailored to individual roles, industries, or specific use cases. Based on this data, the tool can automatically adjust the onboarding content, providing customized tutorials, relevant feature suggestions, and interactive walkthroughs that align with the user’s unique workflow.
By delivering tailored onboarding experiences, SaaS tools ensure that each user is exposed only to the most relevant features from the start, helping them quickly find value in the platform and increasing adoption of key features that are most applicable to their role.
3. Usage analytics and reporting
SaaS tools often provide detailed analytics on how customers are using features. By analyzing these reports, Customer Success teams can identify which features are underutilized and which customers might benefit from specific features. This way, they’ll be able to provide them with personalized recommendations or training sessions to drive adoption.
4. Automated email campaigns
SaaS tools like Velaris can automate personalized email campaigns to educate users about underutilized features. These campaigns can be triggered based on specific behaviors, such as when a user hasn’t accessed a particular feature in a set period.
By delivering bite-sized, actionable content in a steady stream, email campaigns make it easier for users to learn new features at their own pace, leading to higher adoption rates.
5. Feature flagging and A/B testing
Many SaaS platforms allow Customer Success teams to experiment with feature rollouts by enabling feature flags or conducting A/B testing. These tools can test different versions of features or user interfaces to determine what drives better adoption rates.
A/B testing helps Customer Success teams optimize the presentation of features, finding the most effective ways to introduce and engage users with new functionalities.
6. Customer feedback loops
SaaS platforms often integrate feedback loops, where users can easily provide input on specific features. This feedback can be gathered through surveys, in-app pop-ups, or dedicated feedback forms.
Collecting and acting on feedback helps ensure that the features being pushed for adoption are aligned with users’ needs, which increases their willingness to use them.
7. Gamification elements
Some SaaS tools include gamification features like badges, rewards, or progress tracking for feature completion. Users are encouraged to explore and adopt features to reach certain milestones.
Gamification taps into users' motivations, creating a sense of achievement when they successfully adopt new features, making it an engaging experience.
8. Customer health scoring
Using tools like Velaris with customer health scoring features allows CSMs to monitor how well customers are engaging with different features. Low scores can trigger interventions, such as a one-on-one consultation to help users understand underutilized features.
Health scoring helps CSMs stay proactive by focusing on users who might need additional guidance or education to increase feature adoption.
9. Self-serve knowledge bases
Many SaaS platforms come with integrated knowledge bases that allow users to independently learn about features through articles, videos, and FAQs. This reduces the need for direct support and empowers users to explore features on their own.
A self-serve knowledge base increases feature visibility and provides users with the resources to adopt new tools at their own pace, without the need for hand-holding.
10. Personalized user dashboards
SaaS tools can provide personalized dashboards where users see recommendations or insights based on their past behaviors. These dashboards can suggest underused features or highlight how specific functionalities could improve their workflow.
A personalized dashboard keeps users engaged by showing them how features align with their tasks, making the adoption of new tools feel more relevant and necessary.
11. Push notifications and reminders
SaaS tools can send in-app push notifications or reminders to users about newly released features, updates, or underused functionalities. This ensures that users are aware of the feature’s existence and prompts them to explore it.
Timely notifications serve as gentle reminders to encourage users to take action, making sure they don’t miss out on helpful features that could improve their experience.
12. Customer webinars and training sessions
Many SaaS tools offer built-in features for hosting webinars or live training sessions that focus on product education. These sessions are useful for providing deeper insights into new features, best practices, and use cases.
Webinars create a structured, interactive environment where customers can ask questions and understand the value of new features, making adoption easier.
13. User segmentation for feature rollouts
SaaS tools can segment users by behavior, role, or other criteria to deliver feature rollouts more effectively. Some segments might benefit from a feature earlier than others, ensuring that the right users get introduced to the right features at the right time.
User segmentation ensures that only the most relevant users are exposed to certain features, increasing the likelihood of adoption among those who will truly benefit from them.
14. Scheduling training sessions
SaaS tools often provide the ability to schedule meetings directly within the platform, allowing CSMs to act as coaches. They can guide users on how to fully leverage features through personalized consultations.
For example, Velaris allows you to automatically set up training sessions during key stages of the customer journey. Direct coaching sessions help users understand how a feature aligns with their specific goals, giving them the knowledge and confidence to adopt and use the feature regularly.
These strategies not only focus on pushing new features but also emphasize educating, supporting, and engaging customers in ways that ensure feature adoption is smooth, intuitive, and valuable.
Each of these strategies leverages the capabilities of SaaS tools to guide customers toward feature discovery, learning, and consistent usage, driving long-term adoption and satisfaction.
Next, we’ll take you through some common challenges you might face as a CSM when implementing the feature adoption process in your business.
Conclusion
Increasing feature adoption is crucial for ensuring that your customers get the most value from your SaaS product.
By leveraging tools like in-app guidance, targeted onboarding, usage analytics, and personalized dashboards, Customer Success Managers can drive meaningful engagement with new features.
Combining these strategies with proactive outreach, customer feedback loops, and educational initiatives like webinars ensures that customers not only become aware of new functionalities but also feel confident using them.
Ultimately, high feature adoption leads to improved customer satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term success for both the user and your business.
As we mentioned before, Velaris can prove to be a useful tool in this process. If you’d like to learn more about how it works, request a demo today and our team would be happy to give you a product tour.
