The top 5 things to consider in your Onboarding Process

We know that if you get Customer Onboarding right in your practice you’ll have happy customers, higher retention rates and an increased LTV. Get it wrong and even if the effects aren’t immediate you could not only lose existing customers but also damage your reputation and future deals.  At Skore, we’ve been involved in 1000s of workshops, capturing and improving the onboarding processes for all sorts of businesses. Working with start-ups breaking into the market to the big players trying to keep one step ahead of the competition, it’s safe to say we’re experts in this vital process. 

So, here is our experience broken down into the top 5 points to consider when practices are trying to improve their onboarding journey.

1. DATA

Keep in mind that you are collecting data on the customer from the very first contact you have with them, even before they become a customer. You need to consider how the information you gather flows through the process and how it is shared with the right people at the right time. Take the onboarding journey and capture where data is captured, read and updated, then check for duplicates (especially if it’s data you’re asking the customer for).

2. PEOPLE

This is always a fine balance and you need to ensure that you involve everyone needed at the best moment. Make sure that your handovers are planned to go smoothly focusing on the continuity for the customer at all times. Communication is key. 

3. VALUE

Presumably, you will have agreed the deliverables as part of your conversations. A good onboarding process will deliver on these, and the customer will be happy. A great onboarding process will look at how you deliver extra value in those early weeks and months. You want to get to the end of the onboarding with the customer's expectations being blown away.

4. FLAVOURS

Remember that onboarding takes time, which means there is a very direct cost. Couple this with the fact there are different customer types, there is often a desire to have different versions (or flavours) of the process. Whether it's as simple as an onboarding process for 'small' vs 'big' customers, or something more complex remember rarely does one size fit all. Make sure you are prepared to manage this expectation and know how you are going to describe the process. 

5. CONSISTENCY

This is a tough one. We all want a standardised process which is the same for all. However every customer thinks they're different. So how do we deliver a standard onboarding process, while making the customer feel special? Make it easier for your practice by looking at the process and picking a couple of key steps where a little customisation will go a long way. Keep your customer happy and at the same time ensure the process is manageable for your practice.

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING 

We haven’t even started to consider the technologies available to you to manage your onboarding process. From bespoke low-code solutions to off-the-shelf packages, there is something for everyone. However, remember that unless you’ve captured and agreed what you want from the initial process then you have no way of knowing what you need from any technology upgrades. 

Contemplating these five steps is just the beginning of an enhanced onboarding process that will delight your customers. Make sure before you invest in the time and money needed that you really have considered the basics mentioned above. This way you can ensure that any changes you make will result in success for your business and your customers. 

Take a look at this customer onboarding template to help you get started

Skore is the Process Improvement Software designed to make life easier for Accountants. A simple two shape systems and easy to understand analytics means everyone in your Practice can get involved and collaborate.