A fictional business profile, mapped with the same rules as the custom tool. The stage explanations are curated examples.
The main idea
Serve self-serve and enterprise customers differently. Make the handoff between those experiences a deliberate human decision.
The map
AI handles itAI drafts · you approveYou lead · AI helpsPeople handle it
Choose a stage to explore its role. Escalation can happen at any point in the relationship.
Self-serve customers
AI handles it
Self-Serve Onboarding
“Help me get to a useful first result.”
What AI does
Handle routine work around setup guidance and incomplete integration steps within agreed limits.
What people do
Set those limits, monitor exceptions, and make it easy for the customer to reach a person.
What good looks like
The customer reaches a first meaningful outcome with the product.
Check before actingAgree the first useful outcome and identify technical blockers before increasing automation.
Why this role?
AI-Owned: AI completes a bounded task end to end. People set the limits and remain accountable for exceptions. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
AI handles it
Self-Serve Adoption
“Help my team make this part of everyday work.”
What AI does
Handle routine work around adoption signals and targeted guidance within agreed limits.
What people do
Set those limits, monitor exceptions, and make it easy for the customer to reach a person.
What good looks like
The customer is using the product successfully for an agreed, useful workflow.
Check before actingConfirm that adoption signals reflect useful customer activity, and define when a person should intervene.
Why this role?
AI-Owned: AI completes a bounded task end to end. People set the limits and remain accountable for exceptions. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
AI drafts · you approve
Self-Serve Expansion
“Help me grow when it makes sense.”
What AI does
Prepare or drive work around relevant usage signals and evidence of an unmet need for human review.
What people do
Check accuracy and customer context before anything reaches the customer; take over when judgment is needed.
What good looks like
The customer agrees there is a useful next opportunity, with a clear reason to act.
Check before actingMore usage alone does not establish buying intent. Confirm the customer’s priorities before expanding the relationship.
Why this role?
AI-Led, Human-Supervised: AI prepares or drives the work. A person checks it before it reaches the customer. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
AI drafts · you approve
Community / Product-Led Advocacy
“Help me share a success I believe in.”
What AI does
Prepare or drive work around potential customer stories and first drafts for human review.
What people do
Check accuracy and customer context before anything reaches the customer; take over when judgment is needed.
What good looks like
A willing advocate approves an accurate account of their results.
Check before actingConfirm consent and supporting evidence before publishing a customer claim.
Why this role?
AI-Led, Human-Supervised: AI prepares or drives the work. A person checks it before it reaches the customer. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
AI handles it
Self-Serve Recovery
“Own the problem and help me trust you again.”
What AI does
Handle routine work around routine failure signals and recovery guidance within agreed limits.
What people do
Set those limits, monitor exceptions, and make it easy for the customer to reach a person.
What good looks like
The customer agrees the problem is resolved and knows who is accountable.
Check before actingDefine when a routine issue becomes a trust-sensitive escalation. Keep a named human accountable for recovery.
Why this role?
AI-Owned: AI completes a bounded task end to end. People set the limits and remain accountable for exceptions. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
The handoff
You lead · AI helps
Self-Serve → Enterprise Graduation
“Help me grow when it makes sense.”
What AI does
Bring together relevant usage signals and evidence of an unmet need to support the person leading.
What people do
Interpret the evidence with the customer, lead the conversation, and own the decisions and follow-through.
What good looks like
The customer agrees there is a useful next opportunity, with a clear reason to act.
Check before actingMore usage alone does not establish buying intent. Confirm the customer’s priorities before expanding the relationship.
Why this role?
Human-Led, AI-Augmented: A person leads. AI helps them prepare, understand the evidence, or complete supporting tasks. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
Enterprise customers
AI drafts · you approve
Enterprise Onboarding
“Help me get to a useful first result.”
What AI does
Prepare or drive work around setup guidance and incomplete integration steps for human review.
What people do
Check accuracy and customer context before anything reaches the customer; take over when judgment is needed.
What good looks like
The customer reaches a first meaningful outcome with the product.
Check before actingAgree the first useful outcome and identify technical blockers before increasing automation.
Why this role?
AI-Led, Human-Supervised: AI prepares or drives the work. A person checks it before it reaches the customer. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
Role varies by customer group
Enterprise Adoption
“Help my team make this part of everyday work.”
The role changes at the mid-market / enterprise line.
Below the threshold
AI drafts · you approve
What AI does
Prepare or drive work around adoption signals and targeted guidance for human review.
What people do
Check accuracy and customer context before anything reaches the customer; take over when judgment is needed.
Above the threshold
You lead · AI helps
What AI does
Bring together adoption signals and targeted guidance to support the person leading.
What people do
Interpret the evidence with the customer, lead the conversation, and own the decisions and follow-through.
What good looks like
The customer is using the product successfully for an agreed, useful workflow.
Check before actingConfirm that adoption signals reflect useful customer activity, and define when a person should intervene.
Why this role?
The rules assign different roles on either side of the customer-value threshold. Make the ownership and handoff explicit for both groups. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
You lead · AI helps
Value Realization
“Show me the difference this is making.”
What AI does
Bring together usage, progress, and evidence against the customer’s goals to support the person leading.
What people do
Interpret the evidence with the customer, lead the conversation, and own the decisions and follow-through.
What good looks like
The customer can name a business outcome supported by evidence, not just more product activity.
Check before actingConfirm that the customer’s goals and baseline are documented before treating usage as proof of value.
Why this role?
Human-Led, AI-Augmented: A person leads. AI helps them prepare, understand the evidence, or complete supporting tasks. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
You lead · AI helps
Enterprise Expansion
“Help me grow when it makes sense.”
What AI does
Bring together relevant usage signals and evidence of an unmet need to support the person leading.
What people do
Interpret the evidence with the customer, lead the conversation, and own the decisions and follow-through.
What good looks like
The customer agrees there is a useful next opportunity, with a clear reason to act.
Check before actingMore usage alone does not establish buying intent. Confirm the customer’s priorities before expanding the relationship.
Why this role?
Human-Led, AI-Augmented: A person leads. AI helps them prepare, understand the evidence, or complete supporting tasks. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
You lead · AI helps
Renewal
“Give me a clear reason to continue.”
What AI does
Bring together value evidence, usage patterns, stakeholders, and open risks to support the person leading.
What people do
Interpret the evidence with the customer, lead the conversation, and own the decisions and follow-through.
What good looks like
A renewal decision grounded in demonstrated value and a shared plan.
Check before actingVerify goals and unresolved concerns before relying on an AI-generated account summary.
Why this role?
Human-Led, AI-Augmented: A person leads. AI helps them prepare, understand the evidence, or complete supporting tasks. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
You lead · AI helps
Reference / Case Study Advocacy
“Help me share a success I believe in.”
What AI does
Bring together potential customer stories and first drafts to support the person leading.
What people do
Interpret the evidence with the customer, lead the conversation, and own the decisions and follow-through.
What good looks like
A willing advocate approves an accurate account of their results.
Check before actingConfirm consent and supporting evidence before publishing a customer claim.
Why this role?
Human-Led, AI-Augmented: A person leads. AI helps them prepare, understand the evidence, or complete supporting tasks. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
People handle it
Escalation / Recovery
“Own the problem and help me trust you again.”
What AI does
Stay out of this customer interaction and its preparation.
What people do
Take responsibility, coordinate the response, and agree the next steps directly with the customer.
What good looks like
The customer agrees the problem is resolved and knows who is accountable.
Check before actingDefine when a routine issue becomes a trust-sensitive escalation. Keep a named human accountable for recovery.
Why this role?
Human-Only: People own the interaction directly. AI stays out of the conversation and its preparation in this framework. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
AI handles it
Self-Serve Onboarding
“Help me get to a useful first result.”
What AI does
Handle routine work around setup guidance and incomplete integration steps within agreed limits.
What people do
Set those limits, monitor exceptions, and make it easy for the customer to reach a person.
What good looks like
The customer reaches a first meaningful outcome with the product.
Check before actingAgree the first useful outcome and identify technical blockers before increasing automation.
Why this role?
AI-Owned: AI completes a bounded task end to end. People set the limits and remain accountable for exceptions. These are illustrative ways to apply the assignment, not observations about how your team currently works.
Three useful next steps
01
Make ownership explicit
Choose who reviews AI output, who leads the conversation, and who takes over when something goes wrong.
02
Connect work to value
Agree which customer outcome matters at each stage. Product activity is only part of the evidence.
03
Test a bounded change
Start with one workflow. Check quality, customer effort, and exceptions before expanding it.
12 of 13 stage assignments retain their starting role. 1 assignment is tailored below. Other answers inform the checks and supporting advice; a matching map does not verify operational readiness.
Enterprise Adoption
Starting role
Varies by customer group
This map
Below: AI drafts · you approveAbove: You lead · AI helpsat the mid-market / enterprise line
How the map is made
Authored rules assign roles; the examples use curated explanations. Build a custom map to receive AI-written implications and recommendations based on the seven answers. A map is a starting point to test, not a verified assessment of an organization.