Win-back lapsed customers with a multi-channel fallback journey

A win-back journey reactivates customers who have gone quiet. This guide builds one from a CDP segment, sends a timed sequence across email, SMS, and WhatsApp, attaches a unique incentive code, guards against duplicate enrollment, and measures whether the journey actually caused conversions. For segment mechanics see CDP audiences. For journey nodes and validation see Build a campaign journey. For the fallback engine behind the channel chain see Fallback chains and Smart-send fallback chains.

1. Define the win-back segment in CDP

Create a segment under Contacts → Segments or with the Segments API. The win-back gate is behavioral: the contact was a customer but has had no meaningful activity recently. Example filter — customers with no event or purchase in the last 90 days:

curl -X POST "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/contacts/segments" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Lapsed customers — 90 days",
    "description": "Customers with no purchase or session event in the last 90 days",
    "filters": {
      "and": [
        { "field": "lifecycle_stage", "op": "equals", "value": "customer" },
        {
          "field": "event.Order Completed",
          "op": "did_not_perform_event",
          "value": { "within": "90d" }
        },
        {
          "field": "event.Session Started",
          "op": "did_not_perform_event",
          "value": { "within": "90d" }
        }
      ]
    },
    "auto_refresh": true,
    "auto_refresh_interval_minutes": 1440
  }'

Key choices:

Auto-refresh must be on. A segment trigger only fires when the segment re-evaluates; without auto-refresh the journey never gains new enrollments.
Use a 24-hour refresh or longer. Daily re-evaluation is the right cadence for lifecycle segments. A shorter interval buys little and increases compute.
Preview the count. POST /api/v1/contacts/segments/preview returns the match count before you persist the segment.

If you already use churn-risk scoring, you can combine the inactivity rule with churn_risk > 0.7 for a higher-propensity cohort.

2. Pick the trigger type

Two trigger patterns are common for win-back:

Pattern	Trigger type	When to use
Active buyers leaving	Segment exit from an “active buyers” segment	The segment already exists; lapsed customers are the ones who fell out.
Churn risk entering	Segment entry into a churn-risk segment	You do not have an active-buyers segment; the churn model already surfaces at-risk contacts.

Both patterns use the same journey node. In the dashboard under Campaigns → Journey builder, add a Journey Trigger node and set Trigger Type to Segment entry or Segment exit. Pick the segment from section 1. If you use the API, the journeyTrigger node carries triggerType: "segment" and a segment_id. The campaign’s audience_type can be "all" because the trigger itself decides enrollment.

curl -X POST "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/campaigns" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Win-back — 90 day lapsed customers",
    "type": "journey",
    "audience_type": "all",
    "message_template": "Win-back journey for lapsed customers"
  }'

3. Compose the three-touch fallback chain

The journey sends one message per channel, spaced apart, so the next channel only reaches people who did not convert on the previous touch.

Email on day 1 — the richest format for explaining the offer.
SMS on day 3 — a short reminder with a tracked link to the incentive.
WhatsApp on day 7 — the final fallback, useful where WhatsApp is the primary channel.

Wired as a journeyDefinition graph:

{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "n_trigger",
      "type": "journeyTrigger",
      "data": {
        "label": "Lapsed 90 days",
        "triggerType": "segment",
        "segment_id": "seg_lapsed_90d"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "n_email",
      "type": "sendMessage",
      "data": {
        "label": "Day 1 — win-back email",
        "channel": "email",
        "subject": "We miss you — here's 20% off",
        "body": "Hi {{first_name}}, it's been a while. Use code {{winback_code}} for 20% off your next order. Unsubscribe: {{unsubscribe_url}}"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "n_wait_sms",
      "type": "waitDelay",
      "data": { "label": "Wait 2 days", "delayMinutes": 2, "delayUnit": "days" }
    },
    {
      "id": "n_sms",
      "type": "sendMessage",
      "data": {
        "label": "Day 3 — SMS reminder",
        "channel": "sms",
        "body": "Hi {{first_name}}, your 20% off code {{winback_code}} is waiting: {{short_link}}. Reply STOP to opt out."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "n_wait_whatsapp",
      "type": "waitDelay",
      "data": { "label": "Wait 4 days", "delayMinutes": 4, "delayUnit": "days" }
    },
    {
      "id": "n_whatsapp",
      "type": "sendMessage",
      "data": {
        "label": "Day 7 — WhatsApp fallback",
        "channel": "whatsapp",
        "body": "Hi {{first_name}}, one last reminder: code {{winback_code}} for 20% off expires soon. Reply STOP to opt out."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "n_end",
      "type": "journeyEnd",
      "data": { "label": "End" }
    }
  ],
  "edges": [
    { "source": "n_trigger", "target": "n_email" },
    { "source": "n_email", "target": "n_wait_sms" },
    { "source": "n_wait_sms", "target": "n_sms" },
    { "source": "n_sms", "target": "n_wait_whatsapp" },
    { "source": "n_wait_whatsapp", "target": "n_whatsapp" },
    { "source": "n_whatsapp", "target": "n_end" }
  ],
  "exit_criteria": [
    {
      "field": "event.Order Completed",
      "operator": "is_set"
    }
  ],
  "re_entry_policy": "after_cooldown_days",
  "re_entry_cooldown_days": 90
}

Save the graph on the campaign:

curl -X PATCH "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "variables": {
      "journeyDefinition": {
        "nodes": [ ... ],
        "edges": [ ... ],
        "exit_criteria": [
          { "field": "event.Order Completed", "operator": "is_set" }
        ],
        "re_entry_policy": "after_cooldown_days",
        "re_entry_cooldown_days": 90
      }
    }
  }'

The exit_criteria here means a contact who purchases after the first email leaves the journey before the SMS or WhatsApp steps fire.

4. Attach a unique win-back incentive code

Use the incentives ledger to mint a unique code per recipient. A discount_code reward returns a code you can splice into the message template. For a campaign-level variable, issue one code per recipient before launch or use the journey’s {{coupon_code}} merge-tag, which derives a deterministic unique value from the recipient identity. To issue programmatically:

curl -X POST "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/incentives/issue" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ORBIT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: winback-2026q4-{{contact_id}}" \
  -d '{
    "reward_type": "discount_code",
    "source_ref": "winback-campaign-2026q4",
    "recipient": { "contact_id": "ct_01H..." },
    "amount": 20,
    "currency": "USD"
  }'

Response:

{
  "data": {
    "id": "ipo_7xk2q",
    "status": "issued",
    "reward_type": "discount_code",
    "code": "WINBACK-7XK2Q-20",
    "amount": 20,
    "currency": "USD",
    "issued_at": "2026-10-05T09:00:00.000Z"
  }
}

Pass the code into the campaign’s personalization context, or read it from GET /api/v1/incentives/issued?source_ref=winback-campaign-2026q4 before launching and load it into variables.per_contact_codes. If you prefer loyalty points instead of a discount, route the reward through the loyalty program redemption endpoint; the issued record still lands in the same incentives ledger.

5. Re-entry guard and suppression

Set two limits so the same customer is not repeatedly enrolled:

Re-entry cooldown. The graph above uses "re_entry_policy": "after_cooldown_days" with "re_entry_cooldown_days": 90. A contact can re-enter only after 90 days outside the segment.
Global enrollment cap. Add a campaign-level variable to cap total enrollments per contact. The recommended default for win-back is 3 lifetime enrollments:

curl -X PATCH "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "variables": {
      "max_enrollments_per_contact": 3
    }
  }'

For suppression rules and how they interact with consent, see Choose your suppression entry point. All opt-outs — CSV import, Consent API, or Preference Center — write into the same ledger that send gates read.

6. Measure uplift with a holdout

Reserve a control group so the conversion rate you see is causal, not just a count of people who would have come back anyway. Set a campaign-wide holdout before launch:

curl -X PATCH "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "variables": {
      "campaign_holdout_percent": 10
    }
  }'

After the journey has run, read lift:

curl "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01/journey/holdout-lift" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY"

The response reports treatment versus control, absolute lift, relative lift, and a confidence interval. Treat the effect as unproven until is_significant is true. For the full interpretation see Holdouts and uplift measurement.

7. Compliance pre-flight

Run these checks before launch:

Quiet hours. The platform applies tenant-configured quiet-hours windows at send time. Review your window under Compliance → Quiet hours and check the quiet-hours configuration guide.
Marketing opt-out. Every marketing message must carry a clear opt-out. Email needs an unsubscribe link; SMS and WhatsApp need “Reply STOP to opt out” or a localized equivalent.
Unsubscribe footer. The email template in section 3 includes {{unsubscribe_url}}. Verify the link resolves to your hosted preference center or a working unsubscribe handler.
Country rules. If your audience spans markets, review the country rules directory. Country-specific consent, sender-ID, and marketing-hour rules are tenant-owned controls; configure them per market rather than relying on a platform default.

Compliance controls other than the US TCPA federal voice dialing-window guard are tenant-owned and default open. You decide what qualifies as consent, opt-out, and lawful sending; the platform enforces the gates you configure. This guide is not legal advice.

8. Launch the journey

Launch from the dashboard under Outbound → Campaigns or from Campaigns → Journey builder, or call the send endpoint:

curl -X POST "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01/send" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $ORBIT_API_KEY"

After launch, monitor enrollments and conversions:

GET /api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01/journey-analytics — aggregate funnel.
GET /api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01/journey/node-analytics — per-node send, delivery, and exit counts.
GET /api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01/journey/goal/analytics — conversion rollup.
GET /api/v1/campaigns/cmp_winback01/journey/holdout-lift — causal lift versus the control group.

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Win-back lapsed customers with a multi-channel fallback journey

Win-back lapsed customers with a multi-channel fallback journey

1. Define the win-back segment in CDP

2. Pick the trigger type

3. Compose the three-touch fallback chain

4. Attach a unique win-back incentive code

5. Re-entry guard and suppression

6. Measure uplift with a holdout

7. Compliance pre-flight

8. Launch the journey

See also

​Win-back lapsed customers with a multi-channel fallback journey

​1. Define the win-back segment in CDP

​2. Pick the trigger type

​3. Compose the three-touch fallback chain

​4. Attach a unique win-back incentive code

​5. Re-entry guard and suppression

​6. Measure uplift with a holdout

​7. Compliance pre-flight

​8. Launch the journey

​See also

Win-back lapsed customers with a multi-channel fallback journey

1. Define the win-back segment in CDP

2. Pick the trigger type

3. Compose the three-touch fallback chain

4. Attach a unique win-back incentive code

5. Re-entry guard and suppression

6. Measure uplift with a holdout

7. Compliance pre-flight

8. Launch the journey

See also