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TABLE OF CONTENTS

First, what exactly is a new client onboarding template? A new client onboarding template is a document that helps new clients get started with the best practices for using your services. It also helps you track their progress and see how they are adapting to your company's strategy.

Creating an effective new client onboarding process can help make sure you have happy clients who use your service as often as possible!

In this article, we will go over everything you need to know about creating an effective new client onboarding process.

New clients need to know what the best practices are for your service. This is where an onboarding template can help!

An onboarding template should include a couple different key items that new customers will need to use your services properly and get started with success. The first thing you want to have on a new client onboarding template is a welcome packet.

The new client onboarding process begins when your new customer receives the welcome packet, so it needs to be enticing and informative! A new client will want to know what you can do for them with this new service they are getting started with and how it works.

Your welcome packet should include:

1. Welcome letter

2. Welcome kit (includes new login information and welcome materials)

3.  Any additional information new clients should know about your service/company's policies

A new client onboarding template should also include a first week plan. The best way to ensure that new customers will be successful with your company is by giving them clear instructions on what they can expect during their first week.

You should create a new client onboarding checklist that new customers can follow to make sure they are getting started on the right foot!

The new customer onboarding process will be much more effective if you include items like:

  1. How to access their dashboard for this new service (or even better, send them an email with login information and a new client onboarding video)

2. How to get started with the service (this can include training videos, an FAQ page, or even just access to their new account manager so they have someone who is available for questions and checking in on progress!)

An effective client onboarding template should provide new customers information about what happens after week one. The new client onboarding process needs to include a new client follow up plan!

Send your new customers an email during the first week, and then again at two weeks (and four weeks if it is still their first month).

An effective new client onboarding template should outline how you will be following up with them to make sure they are adapting to the new service and how it is helping them.

Your new client onboarding process should continue by including:

  1. A new welcome email during week one (with a link to their new account manager who can answer any question they may have)
  2. Another email at two weeks detailing what was covered in their first month of service, with links to training videos or new client onboarding materials
  3. A new email at four weeks (if it is still their first month), that asks if they have any questions or feedback and offers to schedule a time for you to talk on the phone with them

A new client onboarding document should also include information on how your firm assesses "success" in this new service.

In order to know if new clients are using the service and getting the most out of it, you will need a new client onboarding success checklist. This can include things like:

  1. How many times they have logged into their account in the first week/month
  2. If they were able to watch new training videos or use new materials that you sent them
  3. If new clients are asking for help/support from their account manager or another part of your team, and how often they reach out to you with questions/issues

Information about where new clients may go if they require further assistance should also be included in a client onboarding template.

This is very important because it will allow new customers to feel comfortable reaching out to you when they need support and will make new clients much happier with your new service.

If new customers are able to find answers on their own (through new client onboarding materials or FAQ pages) then the chances of them asking for help decrease significantly!

New customer onboarding success can be tracked by including:

  • Links to new client onboarding materials that are available online
  • Links or information about new customer success videos or training sessions that you offer for new customers, as well as any other new tools they have access to.

Attracting new consumers is crucial for growth and expansion, while maintaining a strong customer base is critical for the health of your business.

It's not simply a case of a client deciding to purchase your brand and items. You must also make sure that the ‘boarding' process for them becoming ‘on board' is as easy and painless as possible.

Onboarding is critical in the software as a service (SaaS) industry. Providing consumers with an easy and frictionless entry point to your service keeps them engaged, which will improve their customer lifetime value (LTV).

The onboarding procedure is an important element of the customer journey. You can have a significant influence on your bottom line if you get it right.

According to McKinsey findings, a one-point boost in NPS results in a 3% increase in revenue growth rate. The manner you define and offer a gateway for consumers will have a significant impact on their continuing connection with your firm.

If the entry point is difficult and unpleasant, it's likely that the relationship will fail before it has even begun!

It's critical to have a smooth customer onboarding process that welcomes each user with a positive first impression and eliminates any barriers, as well as one that encourages customers to become repeat purchasers. It will also aid in the retention of existing clients and consumer loyalty.

Creating a new client onboarding template

You may be asking, why use a template? One analogy to think of is that you would not plan a long journey without consulting a map.

And while needs may vary, I'm pretty sure that platforms such as Jotform, Pipefy, Hubspot etc have plenty of free to use templates which will cover your needs to a large extent.

Here are some key points that a good new client onboarding template should always include:

  1. Key information: Who is the main contact? What is their contact information? What do you want to achieve from the relationship?
  2. Personal message to the client
  3. Let other relevant team members know about customer acquisition.
  4. Send a support email to your client with any required info, such as other staff they may need to contact, any relevant site details, what happens next, etc.
  5. Assign any team roles as required.
  6. Set scopes of relationship, timeframes, etc., potentially through an initial kick-off call.
  7. Follow up call or email if required.
  8. Depending on your product or service, is there help or training required? If so, arrange at customer's convenience.
  9. Update call. How are they progressing? Are there any issues you can help with? This would be ideal around one week after purchase or signup.
  10. Ongoing relationship. Product updates, new products, training webinars, etc.

How do you track onboarding success?

Tracking and measuring your client onboarding is not just a matter of simply counting new sales or new sign ups. As with most critical business processes, you want more detailed metrics and analytics that give you a more focused snapshot. A snapshot that can identify any weak links in your current process (as well as validating strong elements). Think about:

How long does it take customers to complete the onboarding process?

This may vary according to what the process involves (or what is needed for them to understand the product or service).

Client progress

When it comes to client onboarding, the sooner your clients complete each step or module, the better. How quickly they finish the phases not only indicates onboarding success, but it can also show you whether any modifications are required in the material supplied.

Engagement: How often they engage with your service, product, or website after they've completed the initial phases of joining up with you is a good indication of how much they appreciated the onboarding process.

Surveys: Surveys are another tool that may be used to evaluate customer onboarding. They may also be a useful mechanism for measuring consumer onboarding, much like product testing is.

Perhaps the greatest concept is to find out what your customers' NPS (net promoter score) is willing to offer you. A positive NPS results in more client referrals.

Response times: No procedure is entirely flawless, but how quickly you react to, and address concerns and complaints may be a portion of your onboarding success. You may also add the average response times for how rapidly more general inquiries are addressed.

Churn rate: It's a good indication of how effective or ineffective your onboarding process is, but it shouldn't be your main concern. It's a decent indicator of whether or not your onboarding procedure is working well. If you have a high churn rate, you should evaluate your present method to see if any adjustments can be made.

Checklist for a Client Onboarding Template

1. Send welcome documents

This may be considered a bit meta, but the first stage in your onboarding flow is for new clients. Starting off on the right foot by offering a warm welcome establishes expectations and sets the tone for the relationship.

There are two sides to welcoming your customer: providing information about you and gathering data about them. Sending a pre-prepared welcome letter lets you answer FAQs and make sure that the client doesn't have any misconceptions moving forward.

This is also the point where you would send clients an intake form to get project details or access to documents. To make this step even easier, include a link to the intake form in your welcome document.

Then, you can automate the process of getting a notification any time a client completes your form.

2. Make sure you've got your legal ducks in a row before you do anything else.

The less you have to think about contracts during the onboarding process, the better. Having a well-established contract and NDA procedure also indicates that you're in command of the situation.

This stage differs somewhat depending on who holds the contract. Your client's firm may have an NDAs or a legal team agreement that you must sign. If that's the case, you'll have to wait for your customer to begin this process or nudge them to do so.

Look at Zapier's list of the top eSignature apps for some ideas on the best applications to use, and then automate as much as possible. Set up automations to create documents for new clients, send follow-up emails, receive alerts for completed signatures, and more with ease.

Even if your app of choice saves the contracts within its system, make sure you have copies of all agreements in your client/project management software as well.

3. Do your administrative work ASAP to get paid on time

Doing some administrative work up front will get you ready to be paid on time. nApart from your legal onboarding procedures, your financial actions may differ based on the client.

For example, you probably use your own accounting or invoicing program, but you may need to work with your client's payment system of choice.

Unfortunately, there are a slew of other expenses to keep track of. There may be tax duties to perform, such as issuing a W-9 form. And you'll need a location to record clients agreed-upon pricing (if there is any variation). If you need a deposit or payment up front, now is the time to arrange it.

If you want to automate your bookkeeping (and minimize human error), connect your payment processor to your accounting software. This way, income tracking is automatic, and you may avoid manually transferring amounts between applications.

4. Keep your communication lines open

Communication is critical for any agency or freelancer who has ever worked with a clingy client or a ghosting collaborator. It also helps to establish communication channels from the start, in addition to setting expectations around response times.

Ideally, your and your customer's preferred communication channel is the same. There will be little setup required in that situation. If you use multiple platforms, however, you may need to set up a client on their chat app or invite them to yours.

Creating a dedicated folder, channel, or label for the new client in your inbox or chat software will help you stay organized. And if there are still some things to iron out, set up a conversation for later through this stage.

5. Set up your project plan

After you've almost completed onboarding your client, it's time to get set up to work. To begin, make a place in your project management process for the new customer.

This might be a new Google Drive folder or Notion page, a Trello board or monday.com board, or anything else across the board.

The procedures for adding a new client workspace will vary depending on the project management software you're using, so be sure to adjust the checklist accordingly.

6. Share your masterpiece to get adequate feedback

Regardless of the service you're offering, you'll almost certainly have files to exchange, whether it's a pitch deck, an article draft, a customized fitness regimen, or anything in between.

So all that's left for you to do is send it off to the client and then refresh your email over and over while you wait for feedback.

Conclusion

To conclude, I have to say that knowing to make a client onboarding template is only half the battle won. To utilize this tool to its maximum potential, you need to use what you've read in this article and apply it appropriately.

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