Table of contents
Core Feature Usage
TL;DR
Core Feature Usage measures how often customers engage with the primary, value-driving features of your SaaS product. It's a leading indicator of product adoption, retention, and customer satisfaction. If users aren’t consistently using your core features, they’re not getting core value—and that’s a churn risk.
What Is Core Feature Usage?
Core Feature Usage tracks engagement with the specific product capabilities that directly deliver the primary promise of your SaaS offering.
Not all features matter equally. This KPI focuses on those that align tightly with your unique value proposition (UVP). Think of them as the “must-have” features—where consistent usage reflects real adoption and perceived value.
For example:
- In a CRM: logging calls, creating opportunities, closing deals
- In a project management tool: creating tasks, updating timelines
- In a video platform: hosting events, analyzing viewer data
Monitoring how often these critical features are used (and by whom) gives clear insight into how deeply embedded your product is in the customer’s workflow. Core Feature Usage can be measured as a rate (percentage of users engaging), a frequency (how often features are used), or a count (total usage events).
Why Core Feature Usage Matters in SaaS CX
Surface-level logins or passive usage can mask weak adoption. Core Feature Usage digs deeper into the right behaviors that drive stickiness and loyalty.
- Signals True Adoption: It reflects whether customers are realizing actual value, not just Browse the interface.
- Correlates with Retention: High usage of core features is strongly predictive of renewals and expansion potential.
- Prioritizes Product Improvements: Identifies where users drop off, get stuck, or never reach meaningful interactions.
- Personalizes CX Playbooks: CS and Product teams can segment outreach and education based on which core features are—or aren’t—being used.
How to Measure Core Feature Usage
Measurement depends on your product and specific goals. Typically, it involves identifying 3–5 critical features that define your product’s core value and then tracking their usage across a defined time period.
Example Measurement (as a rate of users): Core Feature Usage Rate = (Number of Active Users Consistently Using Core Features ÷ Total Active Users) × 100
You can also track usage as average frequency per user, total usage events per account, or percentage of users using a specific number of core features. Segment your data by account, user role, or lifecycle stage for deeper insights.
Tip: Work cross-functionally with Product, CS, and Marketing to define your “core” features—and revisit the list quarterly based on customer behavior and business evolution.
Final Thought
Core Feature Usage is the difference between a product that’s adopted—and one that’s tolerated. It reveals not just if your product is used, but how meaningfully. In SaaS, that depth is what drives retention, loyalty, and long-term growth.
FAQs
How is this different from Feature Adoption Rate?
Feature Adoption Rate measures how many users have ever used a feature. Core Feature Usage focuses on consistent engagement with your most important features.
How do I choose which features are ‘core’?
Select based on what delivers core value. Use retention analysis, NPS drivers, or customer interviews to validate your assumptions.
Should all customers use all core features?
Not necessarily. Tailor expectations by segment. For example, admins vs. end-users may have different usage patterns.
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