Struggling to keep new clients engaged and satisfied right from the start?
A poorly managed onboarding process can lead to confusion, dissatisfaction, and even early churn. That’s why an effective client onboarding strategy is so important. It leaves clients feeling confident about your services or products.
Every client is different, so onboarding needs to reflect their unique needs. Research shows that 70% of customers remain loyal to companies that understand their specific requirements (Ecommerce Bonsai).
By aligning your onboarding process with client expectations and your business goals, you can create lasting partnerships. This article dives into the key strategies and steps to design an onboarding experience that truly works.
What is A Client Onboarding Process?
Client onboarding helps you welcome new clients and guide them to use your products or services successfully. It’s a structured approach that ensures clients feel confident and supported from the start.
In this process, you collect key details, set expectations, and provide tools to help clients get started quickly. Many businesses use client portals, which let your clients access documents, track progress, and communicate with you easily.
Even with client onboarding software available, businesses aren’t taking client onboarding as seriously as they should.
Here’s what Wyzowl found when surveying 216 people that echo the above statement perfectly.
- 63% said onboarding plays a big role in their decision to buy
- Still, over 90% of participants feel that most companies need to improve onboarding.
What are the Phases in a Client Onboarding?
A great onboarding process sets the tone for your entire client relationship. Think of onboarding in terms of these three distinct phases for a better outcome.
Phase 1: Introduction and Information Gathering
This phase is all about starting the relationship on the right note and open communication is key to that. Your goal is to meet your client’s unique needs to build trust. Pay special attention to understanding client expectations.
Steps to Follow:
- Welcome the Client: Send a warm, personalized message to introduce yourself and outline the onboarding process.
- Collect Key Information: Use a short form or call to gather essential details such as goals, preferences, and any required documents.
- Sign an Agreement: Share and finalize a clear agreement that defines terms, expectations, and deliverables for both parties.
Phase 2: Product Setup and Walkthrough
Now, your focus should shift to equipping the client with the tools and knowledge they need to confidently engage with your offering. By the end of this phase, the client should feel prepared and supported to move forward.
Steps to Follow:
- Set-Up Services or Tools: Configure your product or service to align with the client’s needs and confirm everything is ready to go.
- Walkthrough Session: Guide the client through how the product works with a brief session or easy-to-follow resources.
Phase 3: Ongoing Engagement and Support
Most businesses fail miserably when it comes to providing ongoing support. It’s a fatal mistake as it will make your customer retention rate take a dive. Making your customer feel valued after service delivery is important.
- Provide Feedback Opportunities: Encourage the client to share their thoughts and experiences with your product. Ask about its functionality, usability, and whether it meets their needs.
- Share Updates: Keep the client informed about new features, upcoming changes, or enhancements that could benefit them.
How to Onboard Clients With 7-Step Onboarding Process
How do you build an onboarding process that leaves your clients feeling that their needs are seen? Here’s a simple 7-step process to help you achieve that with new clients.
Step 1: Welcome the Client
The first step in onboarding is to create a warm, welcoming experience for your new client. This sets the tone for the relationship and shows them they’ve made the right choice by working with you.
A well-crafted welcome shows professionalism, builds trust, and prepares the client for the steps ahead.
How to Do It:
- Personalized Greeting: Start with a friendly, customized message. Mention the client’s name and something specific about their project or goals. For example, “Hi [Client’s Name], we’re thrilled to help you achieve [specific objective].”
- Outline the Onboarding Process: Give them a brief overview of what’s next. Let them know what to expect during the onboarding process, like forms to complete, meetings to schedule, or access to resources. Clarity at this stage reduces confusion and builds trust.
- Set Expectations for Communication: Share how and when you’ll communicate moving forward. Mention your preferred communication methods (email, calls, or chat tools) and provide them with contact details for their primary point of contact.
- Share a Welcome Packet: Provide a welcome packet. This should include:
- Your contact information
- An overview of your process
- Key project details
- Answers to frequently asked questions
Step 2: Get Necessary Details
Collecting the mandatory details early in the onboarding process allows you to customize your services to fit your client’s unique needs.
This step ensures you understand their goals and preferences while keeping the process smooth and efficient. With clear information, you can avoid unnecessary delays and build trust.
How to Do It
- Use a Short and Focused Form: Share an online form or survey to gather all the essential details in one go. Keep it simple and easy to complete, focusing on:
- The client’s main objectives or desired outcomes.
- Key deadlines the clients want you to meet.
- Relevant files like logos, spreadsheets, or other resources.
- Communication preferences, such as email, calls, or messaging apps.
If you use Agency Handy, you can set up intake forms for clients with text fields, drop-down menus, file uploader, radio buttons, date selection, etc. You can create an interactive form that’s easy to set up for each service.
- Schedule a Quick Call for Complex Projects: For more intricate projects, set up a discovery call. This provides an opportunity to understand the client’s needs while clarifying expectations. Use this call to discuss deliverables, milestones, deadlines, payments, and other relevant issues.
- Organize and Centralize the Information: After gathering all the details, save them in a central location like a client portal, CRM, or project management tool. Ensure your team can access this information to refer to later on.
Step 3: Sign an Agreement
You don’t want to risk disputes with clients after completing an order. If your service is of high value, skipping this step is a big no. Get clients to sign an agreement that clearly states deliverables, charges, timelines, and terms.
By undergoing this process, both parties are protected, and it helps build trust early in the relationship.
How to Approach This Step:
- Use Ready-to-Go Templates: Many client portal tools offer ready-made contracts you can customize quickly. This saves you time and effort.
- Leverage Proposal and Signature Tools: You can use Agency Handy to create proposals and get eSignatures, so you and your client can finish agreements faster.
Step 4: Set Up Services or Tools
Whether you’re a photographer or a SaaS provider, you may need to tweak your tools or products to meet individual client needs.
Of course, this step may not apply to those who provide more standardized services. But it’s important to make a good impression and have everything ready to go.
How to Approach This Step:
- Customize the Setup for Your Client: You’ve already done the hard work and know what your client wants. It’s just time to make any specific adjustments to your tools or services that are needed to meet these specific needs.
- Run Tests Before Starting: Check your product or equipment before involving the customer. Ensure everything is running smoothly. This shows professionalism and avoids unnecessary hiccups.
- Provide Easy-to-Use Guides: Get user-friendly manuals, tutorials, or step-by-step guides ready to share. These resources will minimize back-and-forth questions.
Step 5: Walkthrough Sessions
If your service involves complex features, such as project management systems, or design programs, a product walkthrough is a great idea.
Spend a few minutes showing your client how to use the key features and maximize the value of your service.
For simpler services like providing a logo or a one-time consultation, a walkthrough may not be necessary.
Step 6: Provide Feedback Opportunities
Make it easy for clients to share their thoughts and experiences with your product or service. Feedback is essential for improving your offering and understanding your client’s needs.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
- Integrate a Ticket System: Add a ticketing system to your website or use client management software with built-in ticketing. With that, clients can submit feedback or report issues easily. This provides a structured way to collect their input and track responses.
- Send Surveys or Forms: Use tools like Google Forms or Typeform to create short surveys that ask about your product’s functionality, usability, and overall satisfaction.
- Schedule Feedback Calls: For more personalized input, schedule a quick call to discuss their experience directly.
Step 7: Share Updates
This step bridges onboarding and ongoing client engagement. Keeping your clients informed about new features, enhancements, or upcoming changes is more than just good communication. It’s an opportunity to strengthen your relationship and earn more revenue in the process.
Here’s How to Approach It:
- Announce New Features or Services: Use newsletters, emails, or in-app notifications to let clients know about updates that could benefit them. Highlight how these changes align with their goals or make your service even more valuable.
- Upsell or Offer Add-Ons: Treat updates as an opportunity to provide a perfect chance to introduce additional services or premium features. For example, if you’ve launched a new tool or service tier, introduce it to current users. Be proactive.
Why Does Onboarding Matter for Your Business?
Implementing a robust onboarding process is crucial for businesses across various industries, as it directly influences customer retention, satisfaction, and overall success. Here are key reasons why onboarding matters, supported by relevant statistics:
1. Improved Customer Retention
A well-structured onboarding program significantly enhances customer retention rates. Studies indicate that increasing customer retention by just 5% can boost profits by 25% to 95%.
2. Complexity of Service/Product
The more complex a product or service, the greater the need for effective onboarding to reduce customer frustration and build confidence. In fact, SMS Country found that 74% of potential customers will switch to other solutions if the onboarding process is complicated.
3. Customer Expectations
In industries such as finance or healthcare, clear communication during onboarding is essential for compliance and trust. Notably, 90% of customers expect an effective omnichannel experience from businesses.
4. Accelerated Time to Value
Effective onboarding enables customers to realize the value of a product or service more quickly, leading to increased satisfaction and engagement.
A streamlined onboarding process can reduce the time it takes for customers to reach their first success with a product, fostering a positive user experience.
5. Enhanced Customer Engagement
A comprehensive onboarding process keeps customers engaged by providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to utilize a product effectively. Engaged customers are more likely to become repeat buyers and advocates for the brand.
Do All Businesses Need Client Onboarding Process?
Not all businesses need a formal client onboarding process, but many industries can benefit significantly from one. Whether a business requires onboarding depends on the complexity of its offerings, the need for ongoing interaction, and customer expectations.
Industries That Benefit from Client Onboarding
Certain industries benefit significantly from a structured client onboarding process, as customers need more support navigating them. Here are some examples:
Technology and SaaS
Softwares that offer solutions like CRM for agencies, project management, etc., often come with unique designs, advanced features, and interfaces that can feel overwhelming to new users. Many of these tools require a degree of technical knowledge and time to learn. Onboarding eases this process.
Financial Services
Includes banks, investment firms, and insurance providers. Onboarding helps clarify processes and build trust in handling sensitive data.
Productized Service Agencies
Agencies offering standardized, repeatable services like SEO packages, website design bundles, or content creation plans benefit greatly from onboarding. A structured process helps define deliverables, timelines, and expectations.
If you’re wondering how to create such standardized services, check out our guide on how to productize a service for actionable tips.
Healthcare Services
Clinics, telemedicine platforms, and health management apps benefit from onboarding to familiarize patients with portals, procedures, or personalized care plans.
B2B Services
Legal services, consulting firms, and HR outsourcing companies require onboarding to align with client goals and establish workflows.
Education and Training
Universities, online course providers, and corporate training programs need onboarding to familiarize students or employees with systems and expectations.
Real Estate and Property Management
Real estate agents and property managers use onboarding to explain services, contracts, and processes to clients or tenants.
Industries with Minimal Onboarding Needs
Some businesses need to focus on delivering quality products or exceptional services and a detailed client onboarding process doesn’t help the customer experience.
Retail
Stores selling everyday consumer goods typically don’t need onboarding, as products are straightforward.
Food and Beverage
Fast-food chains and restaurants rely more on quick service and product quality than formal onboarding processes.
Entertainment
Streaming platforms or gaming services might have self-serve tutorials but often don’t require detailed onboarding.
E-commerce
Businesses selling physical goods with clear product descriptions and self-checkout options don’t usually need onboarding.
Hospitality
Hotels and airlines may benefit more from personalized customer service than a formal onboarding process.
Best Practices for Building Client Onboarding Process
Client onboarding can be more fruitful for your business if you follow these five best practices:
- Start Immediately: Begin the onboarding process as soon as the client confirms their commitment. Acting promptly demonstrates enthusiasm, setting a positive tone for the partnership.
- Use Templates: Client onboarding templates are a game-changer. They save time, reduce manual effort, and keep your process consistent. With clear structures for communication and tasks, templates ensure every client feels supported, organized, and off to a great start.
- Personalize the Experience: Adapt your onboarding process to each client’s unique needs, goals, and preferences wherever possible. Automate the rest as much as possible. This balance between personalized inputs and achieving efficiency is tough to master.
- Prioritize Communication: Establish clear communication channels and schedules to keep everyone engaged and informed. Consistent and streamlined communication ensures alignment and prevents misunderstandings.
- Use a Client Portal: Implementing a client portal helps centralize information, documents, and communication. A well-designed portal enhances collaboration, gives clients easy access to resources, and improves the overall experience.
- Gather Data: Collect key details about your clients to understand their needs and expectations better. Data-driven insights enable you to customize your services and address specific requirements effectively.
Final Words
Effective onboarding ensures clients feel supported and confident, setting the stage for mutual success. From service selection to educational content, every step contributes to a seamless experience.
Investing in thoughtful onboarding drives customer retention and strengthens your brand’s reputation. You’ll be surprised to see the results for sure!
FAQs
How long should the client onboarding process take?
The duration depends on the complexity of services but should be thorough enough to make clients feel comfortable and informed. Whether it takes a few days or weeks, the focus should remain on clarity and preparation.
How can technology assist in client onboarding?
Client portals and onboarding software can centralize communication, automate repetitive tasks, and provide easy access to resources. These tools help streamline document sharing, track progress, and reduce manual efforts, resulting in a more organized and efficient process.
What challenges might arise during client onboarding?
Common challenges include overwhelming clients with too much information, lack of engagement, inconsistent workflows, and poor communication. Scope creep can also occur if deliverables are not clearly defined, leading to delays and client dissatisfaction.
How can I improve my client onboarding process?
Regularly collect client feedback to identify bottlenecks or weak points. Use onboarding metrics to refine steps and introduce automation tools to enhance efficiency. Adjust the process to better meet client expectations while ensuring consistency and clarity.
