Why You Need a Customer Onboarding Program

The onboarding process is a truly unique stage in the customer journey with your product and your company. During this phase, customers are eager to get started with your product or service, and the customer service they receive sets the tone for all future interactions that they'll have with you. Onboarding is a time when your customer support is key and can make or break a user’s opinion of your company. If you are on the fence about whether or not a customer onboarding program is worth the time, effort, and financial investment, this post is here to tell you why it is essential to your company’s success. Customer onboarding is the beginning of the path to value for customers, when they purchase and learn how to use the product. The length of onboarding can vary, but its impact lasts from their very first download to the renewal of their subscription, or from their first purchase to their fifteenth purchase. Onboarding is the key to retaining customers. It is your first opportunity to show each user how your product works, how it will benefit them, and why they should choose your product over your competitors'. A successful onboarding program means ensuring that each customer feels supported and prioritized, which in turn will make them more loyal to your company and more likely to buy again. It means positioning your company as one that is dedicated to their individual success with your product, which will make their overall product adoption run quickly and smoothly. A well-designed onboarding program is also a good way to ensure that your current and returning customers speak well of you and refer colleagues and friends to your product. If they receive stellar customer service and training that helps them deeply understand the product, they will feel supported and valued, which leads to overall positive associations with your company. Word-of-mouth marketing is free and is one of the most effective forms of persuasion, so placing your customer success first and creating onboarding content that is engaging and easy to follow will make a significant difference in overall revenue. More positive word-of-mouth marketing means more customers, and more customers means more profit for your business.