Do we hear that someone is onboarding new clients?
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS!
The deal has been closed and you are now in a brand-spanking new partnership! Good for you! Time for a happy dance we think!
Now that you’ve done the hard work of winning the business, it should be plain sailing now… right?
Errr. Except I bet you’re thinking, “What do we do now?”
First of all, take a deep breath and go make a coffee (although make it decaf’, we need you super steady for the next steps).
Secondly, tl;dv is not only awesome for helping you onboard new team members, but we also know a thing or two about onboarding new clients. I mean, not to brag but we have a few.
Metaphorical pens at the ready, we’re going to walk you through our handy dandy, new client onboarding checklist template.
“Template?”
Yes, it is a template. And the reason why it is a template is that no two businesses are the same! What works for us may work in part for your infrastructure, but will need some tweaks to get it just right.
So read on, take this direction and adjust it to your business. Trust us, there’s no point sending out log-in details for the mainframe when you run a jewelry wholesaler… 🙂
Table of Contents
What is client onboarding?
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty of our checklist, it’s important to understand what onboarding actually is.
Onboarding new clients is the process that helps them transition from being prospects to paying customers. It involves ushering your new client through all of the steps required for them to get fully up and running with your product or service, giving them an idea of how the partnership will work, communication, timescales, and much more. Oh, and it’s also important for making sure you get paid!
Consider it client orientation, or their first day of “being your customer” school.
Onboarding should be tailored to each client, taking into account their particular business needs and goals. Onboarding helps new clients get off to the best start possible, and should set them up for long-term success – that goes for you too!
The goal of onboarding is for new clients to become fully engaged in using your product or service as quickly and painlessly as possible. Onboarding should be a smooth and seamless process so that you can begin building a strong working relationship together as soon as possible.
It’s also kind of like those first few dates when you meet someone new. Even though you’ve got the buy-in, you’re setting boundaries, and still in the process of wooing them.
Does onboarding take a lot of time?
It can, and it can’t… The idea here is that time spent onboarding, when the client is new, fresh, and super engaged, is going to pay dividends in the long run.
It’s sort of a process of discovery, where the client can learn about their new product or service and how it is going to help them in their business. Each person is different, and some clients will pick it up right away, while others may need a bit more hand-holding.
Onboarding also sets expectations for both parties, ensuring that everyone knows what they are responsible for and what the timeline looks like moving forward.
It’s also a chance to get to know your client, reassure them that you are there to help, and build on that fantastic relationship that got the deal in the first place.
When done well, onboarding can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks.
Onboarding is an investment of time and effort, but if done correctly it will ensure that your new clients get up and running quickly and are set up for success with you. It’s essentially the foundation for keeping your clients happy, and with you for a long time.
How is onboarding done?
Onboarding used to be a case of lots of telephone calls, maybe an in-office visit (Ewwww!), or even sending things like manuals and CD-ROMs (don’t worry, we’ve linked it so you know what it is!) to the client.
Onboarding today is thankfully much more digital, with almost all of it happening online nowadays. Onboarding can involve setting up accounts and onboarding processes on both sides, setting up communication channels like emails or chat apps to make sure everyone is staying in touch, and making sure that all of the right documentation is ready and available.
Pretty much the entire process can be automated, making it easy to onboard new clients without needing to spend hours and days doing manual work. Onboarding software exists that allows you to set up a step-by-step process for each new customer, automating the tasks your team needs to do to get them up and running quickly and efficiently.
Also with tools such as tl;dv, you can even leverage asynchronous collaboration tools so everybody is included. Either record meetings with your team to introduce products and send them to the client, meet with one individual from the new customer, sharing the call with the wider team later on. You don’t even need to be in the same time zone or speak the same language!
Step-by-step client onboarding checklist
Not all of these steps are going to be relevant.
Some of these steps may take longer for one type of business than another, some may take minutes and others take days.
It’s all relative.
But here is a basic Onboarding New Clients Checklist Template to get you started:
Introduction
Make sure the client knows who will be helping them and what they should expect from the onboarding process. This could be done either as video conferencing meetings, videos recorded by different members of the team, or even little mini-profiles. It’s down to you and what feels right for you and your colleagues.
Orientation
Share an overview of your product or service, including its features, benefits, and any other relevant information. Although this should have been gone over in the sales process, not all stakeholders from the company may have been involved, or there are particular features than require a deeper dive. However don’t overwhelm the new customer, and keep it light as you can go into more detail as you progress, and offer training later on.
Define Communication Preferences
Determine how often you will be in touch, what platforms you will use, and who is responsible for communication. You can either ask them their preferences or offer your preference, for communication. Email, Slack, Carrier Pigeon… get it nailed down now, along with any details of response times, and out of office times, etc. That way no customer or clients can be justifiably angry that you don’t immediately answer any questions.
Set Expectations
Carrying on from our communication preferences, really nail down those expectations. Explain the timeline of your onboarding process and what to expect at each step. Clear, concise communication, followed up with tangible, documented information, ensures that everybody is on the same page, and there are no question marks over what is expected. tl;dv, again is great for this, as the meetings are transcribed, Zoom timestamped, searchable, and clippable – you can literally create a “highlight reel” so your customer can find out quickly what, where, when, why, and who!
Collect Information
Gather all necessary documents from the client to set them up with accounts or access codes if needed. Depending on the nature of your business relationship, it may be pertinent to ask things about seasonality, peak times of the year, what they are hoping to achieve with you and your team, etc. Onboarding new clients is an ongoing process, so don’t think you have to have everything right away!
Onboarding Software
Set up any relevant software or applications needed to provide the service or product being offered. This could be setting up log-ins for your service, or introducing your client to some of the tools you use for liaising with them. Things such as Trello, Asana, or shared folders/email communications are all great ways to keep everything in one place.
Initial Training
Now that’s all sorted, it’s time to get your client up-to-speed and trained up. First off make sure that your client has access to any training materials or support they may need. This could be via video tutorials, webinars, a self-serve portal, or even just some simple troubleshooting steps they can take when something doesn’t quite go to plan. Also, this doesn’t need to be your entire training for the client, and in fact, it’s highly recommended to do regular training with your client, as their needs may change.
Create A Feedback Loop
Get feedback from the client throughout the onboarding process to ensure that everything is going smoothly. Ask them if they have any questions or feedback and make sure to take action on this. Onboarding new clients is a two-way street and it’s important to make sure that they are kept in the loop and understand the process fully.
Onboarding Complete
Once all tasks are complete, make sure you celebrate with your new client! Onboarding new clients can often take a lot of time and effort, so make sure to thank them for their patience throughout the process and remind them that you are there to help if needed.
Onboarding Follow Up
Check-in with the client after a few days or weeks to make sure everything is still running smoothly. Onboarding is an ongoing process and keeping in contact with your client will ensure that any issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently. Also, make sure the client has access to any support and resources they may need.
Keep Communication Going
Don’t just wait for there to be a problem. Even after the onboarding AND follow-up is done, make sure to have regular check-ins with your customers. These can be ad hoc, scheduled, or even automated. They just need to know that they haven’t been forgotten and that you stay in their eye line for all the right reasons.
Is onboarding a one-off process?
Onboarding should not be considered a one-off process, but the first step in the larger client journey.
Done well it will help with developing a strong and successful relationship between your business and the client.
Onboarding should continue throughout the life of the client as services or products change or evolve. Additionally, it’s important to revisit onboarding checklists regularly, ensuring that all processes are up-to-date and relevant for new clients.
Who should onboard the customer?
The onboarding process should be led by a dedicated team member or manager, but can also include anybody that is relevant to the client’s regular interactions behind the scenes.
Onboarding can involve multiple stages, such as setting up accounts, providing training and instruction on how to use the product or service, getting feedback from the client throughout the onboarding process, and more.
Having one person lead the process ensures that all tasks are completed on time with minimal confusion or miscommunication.
Additionally, having one point of contact for inquiries or questions makes it easier for clients to get answers quickly and efficiently. Ultimately, this will help to build trust with your new customers and ensure that they have a positive experience using your products or services.
What tools can help with onboarding?
There are a variety of tools that can help with onboarding, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software, project management, and automation tools.
Using a project management tool such as Trello, ClickUp, Asana, Monday, etc can provide an async playpen for client communication, onboarding tasks, and even feedback. Onboarding can be separated into individual tasks and even assigned to different members of your team.
CRM software such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM, etc can be used to store customer information and track all interactions with the customer in one place, giving you visibility into the entire process.
Also, automation tools, in particular, can save time and money by streamlining the onboarding process and providing a consistent experience to each new client. Using something such as Zapier, along with things such as Jotforms, and other applications can make it so that certain actions are triggered as soon as a step is completed.
Documentation tools and interactive video tools can also be a huge game-changer when it comes to onboarding.
tl;dv in particular is a meeting recorder that allows you to record every interaction you have with a client on videoconferencing, create a library of their customer preferences, a visual and written account of frequently asked questions, and also allow you to build a reference library of training materials that can be shared with more than one client.
What’s even better is that tl;dv integrates with SalesForce and HubSpot, ensuring that this information can automatically be pulled through into one central hub as well.
Final tips, tricks & best practices for onboarding success
Also known as “How to rock at onboarding clients”!
Onboarding should be customized
Onboarding processes are not one-size-fits-all. Create a custom process for each client that is tailored to their individual needs and preferences.
Keep it simple
Onboarding can be overwhelming, so make sure that your process is as simple to follow as possible. Keep jargon to a minimum, take everything step-by-step, and if a client tries to rush you just reiterate that you want to give them the maximum value for their time.
Automate where possible
Utilize software and technology to make onboarding smoother and faster for both your team and the client.
But don’t automate all of it!
Automation is there to make lives easier, but equally shouldn’t be used to cut corners or be lazy! Onboarding is still a human experience and should have an element of personalization and customization. In the future maybe we can have these more in-depth client relationships with robots and AI, but in the meantime, you’ll need to do some of the heavy lifting!
Follow up, follow up and follow up some more
Onboarding isn’t complete until after the client is successfully using your product or service, so make sure to follow up with them afterward. Check-in to see if they need additional training or support, and ask for feedback on how the process went. This can help you identify any areas of improvement and ensure that you are providing the best possible onboarding experience. There are plenty of follow up tools you can use, including tl;dv.
Celebrate milestones
Onboarding is a big deal, so make sure to celebrate the success of your team and the client throughout the process. Also, make sure that your client feels appreciated and valued. This can be done by sending a small token of appreciation or just simply saying thank you for choosing your product/service.
Ask questions
Invite your clients to ask questions and provide feedback throughout the onboarding process so that you can ensure their needs are being met.
Offer different types of feedback loops
I bet we all know that one time if someone has said “are you happy?” or “does this make sense?” and we have nodded, smiled, and said “YEP” when we have no idea what’s going on….so, give your clients multiple ways to offer feedback (video call, survey, etc).
Set realistic expectations
Onboarding a new client is an investment of time and money, so make sure you are setting realistic expectations and timelines. Don’t promise them things that you cannot achieve, and be realistic in your abilities. Offering a longer delivery date and then overachieving makes you look better than setting a tight deadline and getting delayed.
Don’t forget the follow-up!!!
Again, seriously! Onboarding is not finished until the client has successfully used your product or service. Make sure to check in with them after a few days or weeks to make sure everything is still running smoothly.
Have fun!
Onboarding new clients can be an incredibly rewarding experience, so make sure you take time to enjoy the process and have some fun along the way. Celebrate your successes and take pride in providing a great onboarding experience for your clients!
Hopefully this is the start of a long and happy relationship with your new client. When you take the time to onboard and get to know your clients correctly, it can pay real dividends over the client’s lifecycle with the company.
And, if you fancy a bit of “first hand” experience of how client onboarding can be done, why not get in touch and become a tl;dv client?
Happy Onboarding!
