I built a dunning flow that handles failed payments in a way that feels human, simple, and completely stress-free for customers while quietly recovering thousands in MRR every month. I start by preventing churn before it even happens. My pre-dunning reminder (“Your next Curl Box ships soon”) gives people enough time to update an expired card before the charge runs. This alone recovers revenue that would’ve been lost without ever entering the dunning cycle. From there, every message in the flow uses warm, reassuring language – a “curl coach” tone instead of scary billing alerts. Customers never feel embarrassed or pressured, which makes them far more willing to fix the payment issue quickly. I pair that tone with a clean recovery path: multiple smart retries (Day 0, 2, 5, 8) and one-click actions to update their card, add a backup card, or fix billing info. The friction stays low, the clarity stays high, and recovery rates stay consistently strong. If a customer still lapses, I close the flow with a soft reactivation message + a value-based incentive (“Curl Comeback mini kit”). It brings people back in a way that feels like care not desperation. In short: I built a dunning system that reduces involuntary churn with clear reminders, frictionless fixes, and a brand-aligned, human tone that keeps customers feeling supported, not stressed.