Client Onboarding Process: 3 Core Strategies Fully Explained
If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then the way to long-term client retention is through a great client onboarding process.?
A well-thought-out and streamlined onboarding process is a recipe for success.
And, in case you’re wondering what onboarding strategy to try, we’ve got you covered.
Scroll down to find out more about different types of onboarding strategies and choose the best fit for you and your clients.
*This article is the abridged, adapted version of the blog post originally published on the Plaky blog: https://plaky.com/blog/onboarding-new-client/
What is client onboarding?
Client onboarding is a process by which any new client learns how to work with your company and use your product or service efficiently.
In essence, you guide a client through all the rules and procedures so that they can integrate into your business and adapt as quickly as possible.
Efficient onboarding ensures a long-lasting relationship between your company and your clients. It helps you form clear expectations and sets the stage for client satisfaction.?
As a result, it minimizes the churn rate and increases referrals.
3 basic client onboarding strategies
While trying to impress your clients — so that they never question cooperation with you — you and your onboarding team will have a lot on your plate.
You want your clients to get the whole picture, from your major goals to all the nitty-gritty details of your business.
So, depending on the specific needs and requirements of your client, as well as those of your business, you can opt for one of the 3 types of client onboarding:
In-person client onboarding
In-person client onboarding is the traditional type of onboarding, meaning you and your client meet face-to-face at each step.?
Clients get an office tour, join team lunches, and take part in onsite training sessions and live product/service demonstrations.
Such hands-on interactions are perfect for bonding with your clients and serve as an opportunity for them to get a sense of your company’s culture and organization.
Plus, in such a setting, clients feel more relaxed to ask additional questions. You can also get an insight into how the onboarding process is going in real time.?
The problem?
With the boom in remote work and teams scattered around the world, in-person onboarding has become quite challenging. Travel and accommodation expenses are usually high, especially if you have more people to onboard. And, apart from being costly, this onboarding strategy is often time-consuming due to scheduling conflicts.?
Virtual client onboarding
The rise of virtual onboarding started a few years ago, and it has no intention of slowing down.?
The expansion of various digital tools gave this onboarding strategy a prominent role by enabling video conferencing, document sharing, online presentations, and much more.
In addition, the use of team collaboration software makes communication and integration a breeze, so everyone can stay in the loop wherever they might be.
With virtual onboarding, your client gets a structured and efficient onboarding experience as you can share different materials such as onboarding documents, handbooks, and video tutorials.
Another benefit of virtual client onboarding is its flexibility. Since you can share training materials, clients can make use of them at their own pace and at the time that works for them.
Nevertheless, if you opt for this form of onboarding, you have to offer engaging training materials, secure communication channels, and a contact person for any questions — not to mention include online team building activities to make up for the lack of an in-person experience.
Hybrid client onboarding
Hybrid client onboarding is the happy medium between in-person and virtual onboarding.?
Using this onboarding strategy, you may be able to strike an optimal balance between in-person and online activities.?
With a hybrid onboarding style, there’s enough flexibility to personalize the onboarding process as per your client’s preferences. You are free to combine one-on-one meetings, group collaboration, and self-service learning.?
Sure, this onboarding process requires more planning and resources as well as well-prepared managers to handle the entire procedure. But, it definitely offers better control of time and travel expenses.?
For a better overview, here are the pros and cons of all 3 onboarding strategies:
How Plaky helps you with client onboarding
Onboarding new clients can become overwhelming without a reliable tool to support you in the process.
The solution for you is a simple and user-friendly platform you can use to onboard a client in just a few steps — called Plaky.??
With Plaky, you can ensure your whole onboarding process goes without a hitch.?
For starters, there’s a client onboarding template, which helps you onboard your new clients fast by allowing you to:
With Plaky, you and your client can also get real-time insights into the onboarding process and its progress. For instance, you can visualize your onboarding pipeline with Plaky’s Kanban view. There, you can use the drag-and-drop functionality to move tasks and sort them by relevance so that everything is transparent.
Plus, you can easily stay up-to-date with the onboarding process by checking:?
Bonus? In case you or your clients need assistance with the software, Plaky offers 24/7 customer support to all users.?
Want a smooth and structured onboarding process for you and your clients? Sign up now and get a 14-day free trial of all premium Plaky features!