Streamlining Your Client Onboarding System for Greater Retention
Sales and Marketing are both essential aspects of growing your business, but Client Onboarding is one area that is often overlooked. The reason that it’s often overlooked is because this is the one area of your business that you and your team have the least interaction with.
If you think about it, every other area of your business is high-touch for you and your staff. You work with your Marketing Department to design and execute campaigns; you work with your Financial Team to stay on top of your numbers.
Chances are, however, that your Client Onboarding System is automated. Your team may not have much contact with a new client at all until this process is complete – and if something falls through the cracks, it could be weeks or months before you find out.
This will not only affect your client retention, but it can also affect your referrals, growth, and profitability. By taking a few key steps to map out the process, you can anticipate any issues and streamline your client’s onboarding experience!
Your Client’s Onboarding Experience
It’s easy to look at your client onboarding process as just a process, but it’s actually one of the most important parts of their time with you. It allows you to set expectations and get the primary information you need to serve them, but more importantly, it sets the tone for their entire perception of you.
Take a moment to think about the professional offices you have worked with. Which are you likely to recommend to your friends and colleagues – and what was it that gave you the confidence to do so?
It may have their service, their consistency, or their friendliness. Something gave you the confidence in their company to refer them to others.
And most likely, whatever it was probably evident from the moment you started working with them.
The same is true with your company. What experience will your clients share with their friends?
Mapping Out Your Onboarding Process
Your client’s onboarding experience is something that deserves your focus, but it’s difficult to know that all the details are in place.
Your team can easily tell you if a system that affects them isn’t working. If your Client Onboarding System isn’t working, your clients probably won’t say anything; instead, they’ll likely just drift away.
To keep this from happening, set aside some time to map out the process, starting with the proposal, contract, and payment. What triggers each step, and how easy is it for your client to navigate? Are they sent a welcome packet or box? When are they introduced to key team members they’ll work with? Are they prompted to send you information early on, and do they have the instructions they need to successfully work with your company?
These are vital questions to ask and answer – and by mapping out the details of your onboarding process, you can do so!
This is something I do periodically, and I find it to be a valuable exercise. As my business has grown, I’ve noticed that I need to make tweaks to my onboarding process, and the only way I can do that is by analyzing it.
I diagram the process, talk with my team members to make sure it’s working correctly, and look at my client retention and referral numbers. Then, we find ways to streamline and make it even better.
This is a great way to find any gaps and plug them before they take a toll on your bottom line!
Automating the Process
As I mentioned above, much of your Client Onboarding process can (and should) be automated. Once you have the system mapped out and streamlined, there’s no reason to dedicate consistent payroll to carrying it out.
There are a number of platforms you can use for this, and I recommend you select one that is tailored to your needs. Some platforms are designed specifically for law offices, medical practices, or real estate brokerages; others are designed to accommodate a number of industries.
Don’t just set it up and let it go, though. Put some internal checks in place so that if something glitches, a team member can catch it quickly and remedy the issue. This allows you to stay on top of the process and ensure that your clients receive excellent service from the moment they sign with you!