The Stripe-to-GHL “Smart Dunning” Automation That Actually Works
Stripe’s default emails are weak. To save a high-ticket mastermind client, you need “Collections Logic” that locks member access instantly and triggers a multi-channel recovery sequence.
The “Silent Revenue Killer” Summary
- The Leak: In high-ticket payment plans (e.g., $10k split into 5 months), 20-30% of payments fail due to card expiry or limits. Passive email reminders recover less than 10%.
- The Fix: Implementing CRM integration logic that listens for the Stripe `invoice.payment_failed` webhook.
- The Protocol: 1. Revoke Membership Access (The Stick). 2. Send SMS/Voice Broadcast (The Nudge). 3. Assign Human Agent (The Closer). This typically recovers 40% more revenue.
Why Standard “Dunning” Fails High-Ticket Clients
If you are running a Mastermind or a High-Ticket Coaching program, you are likely offering payment plans. It makes the $10,000 price tag digestible. But it introduces a massive operational risk: Involuntary Churn.
When a client’s card fails on Month 3 of 5, Stripe sends a generic email: “Your payment failed. Click here to update.”
Here is the reality: Your client is busy. They ignore the email. They miss the second email. By the time they notice, they are 45 days past due, they feel guilty, and they “ghost” you to avoid the awkwardness. You just lost $6,000 in backend revenue.
The “Active” vs. “Passive” Gap
Passive (Stripe/ClickFunnels Default): Sends an email. Hopes for the best. Does not restrict access immediately.
Active (Our Custom Logic):
- Detects failure in real-time (Webhook).
- Locks Membership (Immediate Consequence).
- Sends SMS (98% Open Rate).
- Alerts Sales Team.
This creates enterprise-level reliability for your cash flow.
The Tech Stack: Bridging the Gap
Depending on your current setup, the architecture changes slightly. As a Technical Architect, I handle both common scenarios.
| Scenario | The Weakness | The Automation Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Scenario A: ClickFunnels (1.0 or 2.0) | Billing is inside CF. If payment fails, CF emails are limited. Access often remains open unless manually revoked. | We use a Stripe Webhook to trigger GoHighLevel. GHL handles the SMS/Email chase, while we fire a zap to “Lock” the contact in CF. |
| Scenario B: GoHighLevel Native | GHL has billing, but the default “Payment Failed” trigger is often underutilized or set up incorrectly. | We build a custom workflow that removes the “Member” tag and adds a “Collections” tag, triggering a specific pipeline stage. |
Curious about the differences between these platforms? Read my analysis on ClickFunnels Pros & Cons.
The “Smart Dunning” Workflow Steps
Here is the exact logic we script into your backend to recover the funds.
The Trigger: Stripe Event `invoice.payment_failed`.
The Action: The system identifies the user in your membership platform (ClickFunnels or GHL). It creates a “Revoke Access” API call.
The Psychology: Humans are loss-averse. If they log in to watch Module 4 and see “Access Denied,” they are immediately motivated to fix the billing issue. This creates urgency that an email cannot match.
We do not use aggressive “Collections” language. We use “Service Interruption” language.
SMS has a 98% open rate. This solves the “I didn’t see the email” excuse immediately.
If the client does not update within 48 hours, the automation tags them as “At Risk.” It creates a Manual Call Task for your sales team or client success manager.
The agent calls not to collect, but to help: “Hey, I saw you got locked out. Is your bank blocking the transaction? Let’s get you back in.”
The ROI of Recovery
Why invest in this infrastructure? Because the math is undeniable.
If you have 100 members on a $2,000/month payment plan, and 10% fail each month (standard industry rate), that is $20,000/month at risk.
- Standard Recovery (10%): You save $2,000. You lose $18,000.
- Smart Dunning Recovery (50%): You save $10,000. You lose $10,000.
That is an extra $8,000 per month ($96k/year) recovered purely by better automation. This is how you scale your business without adding new customers.
Warning: Leaving failed payments unresolved destroys your LTV (Lifetime Value) metrics and makes your Ad Spend Management data inaccurate.
Stop the Revenue Bleed
You worked hard to sell the program. Don’t let a technical glitch or an expired card take the revenue away. I build the “Safety Net” that catches your money.
Need a full marketing overhaul? Check out my Done-For-You Marketing Services.