Onboarding new clients: Making the first 100 days count

So you've won a new client, yay!

But what next? You see, your client has agreed to work with you because they have undergone a journey from not knowing you, to knowing you, to liking you and trusting you, but what next?

When they agreed to buy from you they had these conflicting emotions running through their head...

The first is excitement that they're going to be working with a new accountant who's going to deliver them lots of value and help them to achieve their goals and objectives.

The opposite emotion is fear and nervousness that they will be in the same position or worse than they were at before. So if they weren't happy with their old accountant then they are nervous that they may get more of the same.

That's why the first 100 days of a new client's experience with you is so important.

Some of the things you can do to reassure your client that they have made the right decision is to have touchpoints in those first 100 days, that make them feel that they have absolutely done the right thing.

Some practical ways could be make it easy for them to come on board, to fill in the forms required for you to get the data you need from them. So rather than them having to print off reams of paper and manually enter information which perhaps they've already given you, make it easy for them. Create a Google Form with the information that you need that they can really easily submit back to you.

Keep them updated of how you're getting on with their professional clearance, with becoming their agent, with HMRC. Map out the processes to what's going to happen in that first 100 days and beyond, graphically, so they know exactly what to expect and what's coming.

Schedule a call with the account manager who's going to be looking after them so they get a chance to develop a relationship with the person that's going to be looking after them.

Send them a surprise welcome gift to welcome them to your family of clients, to your community. Make them feel loved because them coming on board is a big thing. You may have lots of clients but your client only has one accountant so make them feel that the choice they made was the right one.

What do you do in your onboarding process to wow your clients?