Streamlining Onboarding Processes in B2B Platforms

After 5 years helping 800+ companies streamline onboarding, here's the most underestimated way I’ve found to eliminate delays: Prescriptive playbooks. Most onboarding failures happen before customers even start using your product. We dump endless configuration options on them and ask them to figure out what they want. I know a software vendor in our space who gives a spreadsheet with 800 rows for their customers to fill, before they can “start” implementing. The result? Analysis paralysis, delayed launches, and frustrated users wondering if they're doing it "right”. Customers do sometimes blame themselves for these delays, but they’ll steer away from your software and software in your space if they have this experience Ever notice how many tools give you templates instead of a blank page? There's a reason for that. Smart companies use more prescriptive and preset configurations: For ex, Slack: Suggested channels and workflows This leverages two psychological principles: → People are more likely to use tools when they feel they've already started → Once started, momentum keeps them going Instead of asking "What do you want to set up?" start with, "Based on companies like yours, here's what we recommend." Map your customer types to proven configurations. Present these as the starting point. This approach eliminates decision fatigue, ensures customers benefit from your best practices, and de-risks launches with proven setups Your customers don't want infinite choices. They just want confidence that they're set up for success.

Last month, I had a call with a CEO who was about to make a $50,000 mistake. He wanted to hire a new employee to handle their growing client onboarding process. "We're drowning, each new client takes 40+ hours to get set up properly." I asked him one simple question: "Can you walk me through your current process?" What followed was painful to hear: → Manual contract creation (2 hours per client) → Back-and-forth email chains for signatures (5+ days) → Manually setting up 12 different software accounts (3 hours) → Creating folder structures in 4 different platforms (1 hour) → Scheduling multiple onboarding calls (30+ minutes of coordination) The most insane part: his team was re-entering the same client information into 7 different systems. The same exact information seven times. Instead of hiring a new person at $50K, we built a simple automation system in 2 weeks: ✅ Smart intake form that captures everything once ✅ Auto-generates contracts with client data ✅ Triggers signature requests automatically ✅ Creates all software accounts simultaneously ✅ Sets up folder structures across all platforms ✅ Schedules onboarding calls based on client preferences Onboarding time dropped from 40+ hours to 2 hours. Client satisfaction increased (they loved the smooth process). His team could focus on actual value-add work instead of data entry. Total cost: $8,000 Annual savings: $50,000+ Before you hire more people, ask yourself: "Are we solving the right problem?" Sometimes the answer isn't more hands. It's smarter systems. Follow me Luke Pierce for more content on automations, AI, and scaling systems that actually work.

In the last year, Demandbase has cut our TTV (time to value) by 55%. How? Our onboarding leader Graham Grome redesigned our onboarding process around 6 core principles: 1. Start Onboarding During the Sales Process Onboarding doesn’t start with the onboarding kick-off meeting, it starts with the first conversation with the customer. The very first interaction begins the process of understanding needs, roles and responsibilities, and timelines. Through the sales process the scope plan is in development and it is essential that this is handed off to CX and the onboarding team (and that pre-Sales resources stay involved) after the deal is closed. 2. Ground in Strategy to Generate a Value Roadmap Even with the scope in place, it’s critical to begin with strategy in onboarding (not dive into tactics and tasks). You need to know what the business outcomes the customer wants to achieve and the path to get there. That is why we begin with GTM Strategy Discovery sessions and deliver a Value Roadmap with clear now, next, and later actions that align to the customer’s GTM goals. 3. Tailor Configuration to Outcomes Every onboarding should be tailored to customer priorities. No two GTM’s are the same, being flexible in configuration is really important. Out-of-the box will not grow with your goals. We keep projects moving on target, surface risks early, and ensure that platform configuration supports business outcomes, not just your setup. The goal is to help you drive measurable value as quickly as possible. 4. Bring Customer Success into Onboarding As you grow, Onboarding and Customer Success become specialized functions. To maintain a “zero hand-off” approach make sure to include the Customer Success team members who will work with the customer moving forward through the onboarding process. 5. Make sure you leave Onboarding with a Value Measurement Plan You cannot show value without it. Every customer leaves onboarding with a Value Measurement Plan aligned to their objectives, so progress and impact are clear from day one. 6. Measure CSAT Post Onboarding It all sounds good, but how do you know it’s actually happening and where the process can improve? Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys. Feedback on onboarding has to be operationalized, it’s too important to have any blind spots or to stagnate as customer needs evolve. ——— Customers have more options than ever, they are under pressure to justify their spending, they want results now (as they should!), and they know new AI-driven solutions are coming out every day. If you don’t adapt your onboarding to meet these demands, you will be in a world of hurt on churn.