Suppose you’ve just had a new customer sign up to your product or service, congratulations! That first purchase is only the beginning though. What happens next is absolutely vital to customer loyalty and retention, and ultimately the success of your company. You want to ensure that your new clients can quickly and easily get started with using your product or service, plus get the maximum value from it as they do so. Read on to find out more.
What is customer onboarding?
Customer onboarding refers to the process of introducing a new customer to your product or service, getting them used to how it works, and guiding them towards their first success with it. It involves showing people all the features and functionalities of what you have to offer and answering the key questions they may have about it. All of which should be done gradually and effectively to ensure that the experience is as positive and effortless as possible for people.
What are some ways of doing customer onboarding?
How you carry out your customer onboarding will vary depending on the exact nature of the product or service that you offer. One possibility is to have an in-product tour, where new users are guided through step by step and learn by doing. The key is to make each stage simple and intuitive as well as enjoyable, showing off the highlights of what your product can do.
Another option is to use videos. These are great at keeping people’s attention, explaining things simply, and evoking excitement and emotion in viewers. Plus nowadays many people prefer to watch a video rather than read a piece of text to learn how to use new software. Finally, the classic email method can be used to welcome new customers to your brand, send reminders, and highlight product benefits.
Why is customer onboarding important?
Customer retention is something many companies struggle with. Perhaps you’re not seeing many free trial users convert to paying subscribers, or maybe a large percentage stop using your service after just a short time. The initial period after a customer signs up with your company is vital in retaining them. Do it well, and you can gain a customer for life. Do it badly, and you risk sending them straight into the arms of your competitors.
As well as customer retention, a positive customer onboarding experience makes people more likely to recommend your product or service to others. Therefore, a good process can also increase your reputation and boost sales via word of mouth. This is key because attracting new customers is often the most expensive part of doing business, so by keeping those you have and benefiting from referrals you can reduce the amount of budget you need to dedicate to advertising.
Good customer onboarding not only benefits you, but it also benefits your customers. This is because it enables them to get the most out of the service you’re providing – which is, after all, what it’s all about.
