Creating an Onboarding Framework/Strategy - Tools, Workflows, Practical Steps

Archive User

Hey Everyone, does anyone has any experience, suggestion around onboarding framework creation for complex products? I have many dilemmas, but what I keep thinking about is:How to design a framework for a 30 days trial model?
 

• I am sure we need to do it in a high touch mode since the product is going to launch soon and focus later on the automation and scaling
• I am sure we need to support it with many kbase articles (which of course still needed to be created as we have 0 support tickets and no product )
• What I am not sure is what type of high touch events we should include and what is the appropriate format?
• So should the onboarding framework take into consideration the conversion? Or should that be irrelevant?
• Key Challenges:
  • There is no data from customers as the product is not live yet
  • My internal onboarding for the product is not completed yet
  • My industry (eCommerce) knowledge is still under development
  • The GoLive date is on 1st of September
  • We have no established tools for this process

Any input would be highly appreciated, especially coming from high complexity product background (as it is for an eCommerce platform and there are lot of actions needs to be done on the Customer side).

Ed Powers

I suggest you start by taking the customer's perspective, @Peter Sajevics. Spend time learning about the segment and personas (or the Decision Making Unit, comprised of the Economic, Technical, and User buyers), in particular what they are currently doing and what benefits they expect with your solution. More than anything else, CSMs are change facilitators, helping customers transition from where they are to where they want to be. If you deeply understand what must change (in people, process, and technology) and how your customers respond to those changes, then you and your team can facilitate the process. 

Customer journey mapping is then a handy tool to think through the sequence of events and design how you will help your customers. I use an approach called Mindful Customer Experience Design which takes the customer's perspective and helps you articulate and meet their effective (rational) and affective (emotional) needs. If you know what the gaps are, your can close them with appropriate actions. Hint: Pay very close attention to the handoff between Sales and Customer Success and remember that change management is essential for widespread adoption, usage, and achievement of economic goals.