Generally, onboarding begins when prospects agree to become your client but for those who take a bit longer to decide, onboarding can include that follow up period where you answer more questions and hopefully guide them toward making a purchase.
Preparing a thorough client onboarding system will save you time, money, and a bit of your sanity because any system resolves a problem and, in this case, that problem is getting all the client info you need, tracking all that paperwork, plus making them feel welcome.
Here is What You Get with the “Client Onboarding Planner“:
The Step-by-Step Planner Covers:
- Step 1: Take Stock
Every process improvement begins with a good, hard look at what you currently have. From client agreements to membership sites, you need to know exactly how your systems work today. Only then can you work toward full automation.- Exercise: Map Out Your Existing Client Onboarding Flow
- Step 2: Think Like a Business
Jeff Bezos doesn’t process Amazon refunds, Bill Gates doesn’t troubleshoot the Blue Screen of Death for computer users, and Richard Branson isn’t serving drinks on any Virgin Airlines plane. So why are you playing Jane of All Trades? Hire the right people for the job, and you’ll be amazed at how smooth the client onboarding system can be.
- Exercise: Identify Tasks You Should Not Be Doing and Make a Plan to Replace Yourself
- Step 3: Find the Holes
If you’re like most coaches, there are trouble spots in your current systems. There’s no shame in that unless you pretend they don’t exist. Make a list, then start checking them off as you fix them.
- Exercise: Review Emails, Help Desk, Social Channels, Phone Logs for Trouble Spots and Recurring Issues
- Step 4: Invest in Solid Systems
Nothing makes automation more difficult that piecing together sub-par systems. If you’re still handing customer support with a Gmail address, relying on back-and-forth email to schedule appointments, or keeping client notes in a Word doc on your desktop, it’s time for an upgrade.
- Exercise: Make and Prioritize an Upgrade List
- Step 5: Create a Policies & Procedures Manual
Consistency matters, not only when it comes to improving your efficiency (and adding cash to your bottom line) but for customer experience as well. A clear policy and procedures manual will ensure everyone on your team is on the same page.
- Exercise: Create a Policy and Procedures Manual
- Step 6: Build a Library of Copy/Paste Documents
If you have to re-invent the wheel every time you send a proposal to a potential client, you’re wasting precious time. Instead, create your agreements, intake forms, and other documentation once, then simply customize it for each new client.
- Exercise: Develop a Documentation Library
- Step 7: Cross Train Your Team
If you don’t want your business to grind to a halt when a key staff member takes a vacation, then cross training is a must. Identify similar positions, and ask them to train one another on at least the basics of their jobs.
- Exercise: Identify Team Members for Cross Training
- Step 8: Take a Cue From the Manufacturing Industry
Just because you’ve made improvements doesn’t mean you’re finished. In fact, whether they’re building cars or making candy bars, one thing all manufacturers have in common is a policy of continual improvement. Every process that can be automated or made more efficient saves them money… and it will for you, too.
- Exercise: Create a Continual Improvement Policy and Schedule
