How to Improve Your Client Onboarding Process Before It Costs You More Time & Revenue [Free eBook Inside]

Closing the deal is the easy part. What comes next—onboarding—is where things start to get tricky.

Have you experienced any of the following?

• Endless back-and-forth emails just to collect basic info
• Clients going quiet before they’ve submitted what you need
• Confusion over what’s next (on both sides)
• Your team spending hours on tasks that could be automated

If so, it’s a clear sign your client onboarding process needs work.

Most businesses don’t realize how much time (and money) they’re losing in this phase. It feels normal, but it’s not efficient.

The great news? You can fix it.

In this article, we’ll break down the hidden costs of poor onboarding and show you how to improve your process with a smarter client onboarding workflow and a free eBook that provides a full roadmap for getting started.
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What Is Client Onboarding?

Client onboarding is the step-by-step process of turning a signed contract into a ready-to-start project. For service businesses, that usually means gathering info, setting expectations, collecting files, and making sure both sides know what’s next, without delays or confusion.

Why Your Customer Onboarding Process Might Be Holding You Back

It’s easy to overlook the problems in your client onboarding process.

You’re getting new clients through the door, and eventually, things move forward. But what feels “fine” on the surface often hides inefficiencies that chip away at your team’s time and delay revenue.

Here’s what the data shows:

• Teams lose 5+ hours per client on repetitive onboarding tasks like collecting documents and manually inputting information.
• Without automation, onboarding delays can stretch project start times by days or even weeks.
• Slow onboarding = delayed revenue. Many businesses don’t recognize income from new clients until long after contracts are signed; simply because the onboarding process drags on.

And that time isn’t free.

Let’s say your team spends 5 hours per client, and you onboard 20 clients a month. That’s 100 hours lost every month or $7,500, if your team’s average billable rate is $75/hour. Over a year, that adds up to $90,000 in lost productivity—just from inefficient onboarding.

Even worse, a clunky onboarding experience creates doubt in your client’s mind before the real work begins. That’s how churn starts.

Common Mistakes That Make Onboarding Inefficient

Now that we’ve covered how inefficient onboarding impacts your time, revenue, and client experience, let’s take a closer look at what’s causing it.

Most of the problems aren’t dramatic. In fact, they show up in small ways: tools that don’t integrate well or one too many emails. But those small issues compound quickly, especially as your client load grows.

Relying on manual work

From collecting documents to sending reminders, many businesses still handle onboarding tasks manually. That might work when you have a handful of clients. But once you scale, those tasks become time sinks.

Teams report spending 5+ hours per client on repetitive onboarding work—usually tasks like:

• Chasing down forms
• Manually entering client info into multiple systems
• Following up via email or Slack when clients miss steps

The longer it takes to collect what you need, the longer it will take to start the actual work, recognize revenue, and deliver results.

📉 Sites at Scale used to onboard clients with a mix of Zoom calls, emails, and spreadsheets. The result? Bottlenecks that slowed down projects before they even began.

Lack of a standardized onboarding process

If your customer onboarding process changes depending on the client or which team member is running it, it’s a recipe for confusion.

• Clients get frustrated when they don’t have clear next steps
• Internal teams duplicate work or make avoidable errors
• Time is lost reinventing the wheel for each new client

According to industry data, teams that implement templated onboarding workflows reduce setup time by up to 50% per client.

Scattered communication

Not all onboarding delays come from technical issues. The other culprit is scattered communication.

If you’re bouncing between email, Slack, Asana, and Zoom to move one client through onboarding, you're almost guaranteed to lose track of what’s been shared and where things stand.

This kind of fragmented communication causes:

• Delayed decision-making
• Missed updates and deadlines
• Clients feeling like they need to “chase” the project

It also adds internal stress. Your team is forced to waste time tracking down who said what and when.

Too much repetitive data entry

Copy-pasting client details across multiple tools is risky. That's because manual data entry leads to:

• Errors that need rework
• Duplicate or conflicting info
• Wasted time that could’ve been spent on strategic work

Service businesses implementing smart intake forms and CRM integrations often save 5–10 hours per week without changing anything else about their onboarding process.

Low client engagement

Even the best-designed onboarding process will stall if the client isn’t completing their steps.

Common issues that kill engagement include:

• Clients forget to send files or sign forms
• They lose track of what’s needed or get overwhelmed
• They don’t understand how important certain steps are

This creates a frustrating cycle: your team sends reminders, the client delays, and the kickoff keeps getting pushed back.

But there’s a fix: companies that use automated reminders and loginless portals report 2x faster onboarding completion rates and up to 90% fewer chaser emails.

📉 String Marketing doubled their client onboarding completion rates simply by making it easier for clients to see what they needed to do next.

How to Improve Your Client Onboarding Process (Step-by-Step)

Once you know what’s slowing you down, the next step is figuring out how to fix it without rebuilding your entire system from scratch.

Most onboarding problems don’t require expensive tools or months of process redesign.

Below are seven practical ways to build a successful client onboarding process.

Step 1. Document your pre-onboarding handoff

Your onboarding experience is only as strong as the handoff from sales to delivery.

Before onboarding begins, make sure your delivery team has access to the context they need, like the client’s goals, purchased services, key decision-makers, and any early red flags flagged during sales conversations.

One simple way to collect this info? A structured customer onboarding questionnaire. It helps you gather everything upfront so you don't have to chase it later.

Without this, onboarding may start with confusion, duplicated questions, and missed expectations.

You can also create a simple internal handoff doc or shared dashboard that gives your delivery team quick access to everything they need before onboarding begins. It should include:

• Signed contract
• Services and scope
• Client goals and success criteria
• Communication preferences
• Notes from the sales call

💡With Motion.io, a customer onboarding platform, you can assign internal handoff tasks before the client even receives their first onboarding email.

Step 2. Set clear expectations from day one

One of the biggest sources of client frustration is not knowing what’s expected of them or when something will happen. Avoid that friction by setting expectations upfront in a way that’s simple, repeatable, and transparent.

Include a “What to Expect” section in your onboarding materials or portal. It should clearly answer:

• What will happen over the next 2-4 weeks?
• What does the client need to complete (and by when)?
• How should they communicate with your team?

Bonus: Reiterate your role in the relationship and what success looks like. Setting expectations is just as much about defining boundaries as it is about timelines.

Step 3. Use a kickoff call strategically (not just for introductions)

Too many kickoff calls are 30-minute icebreakers with no follow-up. Instead, treat yours like the launchpad it should be.

Use the call to:

• Confirm goals and outcomes
• Walk the client through your onboarding flow
• Assign the first 1-2 action items live
• Ask for missing info on the spot

And always screen-share your onboarding dashboard or checklist. When clients see the plan visually, they’re far more likely to follow it.

Recording the call and sharing it afterward also gives your team a reference point and builds client confidence in your process.

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⚙️ Don’t want to build your onboarding checklist from scratch?
Our free downloadable template includes pre-built steps and checklists you can plug into your workflow today.

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Step 4. Automate manual tasks that slow you down

Manual onboarding is expensive.

Every time your team sends a reminder email, copies data from a form into a spreadsheet, or checks in to see if a client uploaded something, they’re burning hours that could be automated.

Customer onboarding automation isn’t about saying goodbye to the human touch. It’s about removing the repetitive parts that don’t need it.

Here’s where to start:

• Document collection: Replace email attachments with smart forms or upload links.
• Reminders: Set up automatic nudges when clients haven’t completed a step.
• Data entry: Use tools that auto-fill and sync with your CRM or project management system.

This doesn’t require complex tech. Many teams start with a simple form builder or a lightweight automation tool. Others use client onboarding software like Motion.io.

💡 Motion.io makes it easy to automate repetitive tasks like reminding clients to upload files or submit forms without your team having to follow up manually.

You can set up a step-by-step onboarding flow in advance, including task deadlines, file requests, and form submissions. Once it’s live, Motion.io will handle the reminders and track your progress.

Step 5. Standardize your workflow with reusable templates

Did you know? Teams that implement standardized workflows report reducing setup time by up to 50% per client!

If your onboarding steps change every time depending on who’s managing it or what kind of client you signed, you’re wasting time and increasing the chance of mistakes.

A standardized workflow ensures that:

• Every client follows a consistent, professional onboarding experience
• No key tasks are missed (contracts, approvals, brand asset handoffs, etc.)
• Your internal team knows what to do without starting from scratch

Start with a simple onboarding checklist that outlines each stage of the process. From there, build reusable templates for key assets like:

• Welcome emails
• Intake forms
• Contracts
• Kickoff call agendas
• FAQs or resource libraries

You don’t need a complex system to standardize.

For example, Motion.io lets you build reusable onboarding templates that include every task, file request, and message you want new clients to receive. Instead of starting from scratch each time, you can launch a fully structured onboarding experience with just a few clicks.

Step 6. Centralize everything in one place

Another reason onboarding breaks down is fragmentation. Your client gets a welcome email in Gmail, signs their contract in PandaDoc, shares assets in Google Drive, and books their kickoff call in Calendly.

Every tool on its own is fine. But together, they can create friction for both your client and your team.

When you centralize your onboarding experience into one platform (or at least one shared space), you remove confusion and cut down on wasted back-and-forth.

Benefits of a centralized onboarding system:

• Clients always know where to go
• Your team can see what’s complete, what’s overdue, and what’s next
• Communication stays in context
• You reduce the need for status update calls or email threads

💡 Motion.io gives you a centralized space where everything related to client onboarding lives—tasks, files, forms, and communication. Clients get a simple, login-free link to complete their part, and your team can monitor progress without bouncing between tools.

Step 7. Track drop-offs and improve over time

The first version of your onboarding flow doesn’t have to be perfect. But it should be trackable.

Look at where clients tend to stall:

• Are they skipping steps?
• Ignoring reminders?
• Confused about what to do next?

Even simple data, like average onboarding time or most-missed tasks, can reveal where things are breaking down. From there, you can adjust your instructions, simplify steps, or re-order the process to keep things moving.

You don’t need advanced analytics to do this. Just a clear system that shows progress, plus a few minutes each month to review what’s working.

How Motion.io Helps You Streamline Client Onboarding

You don’t need ten tools and a complex system to make onboarding work.

If you want everything in one place, Motion.io is the right tool for you.

Here's how it helps:

🔁 Launch new projects in minutes

Instead of rebuilding your onboarding steps every time, Motion.io lets you create reusable templates with predefined tasks, file requests, forms, and messaging. Just choose the right template, customize if needed, and send it off.

It’s fast, repeatable, and scalable—whether you're onboarding five clients or fifty.

✅ Automates follow-ups 

Motion.io handles the nudges you’d usually send manually. If a client forgets to upload something, the system reminds them automatically. No need for your team to send chase emails or calendar invites. That means less bottlenecking, fewer delays, and a smoother experience on both sides.

🔓 Friction-free for clients

Clients don’t need to log in, download anything, or figure out a new tool. Everything they need is laid out clearly from the moment they click their onboarding link. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Client Onboarding

How long should client onboarding take?‍

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but a strong onboarding often concludes within a few weeks. If it drags beyond 30–60 days (especially with repeated handoffs or delays), it may be a sign your process needs streamlining.

What makes a great client onboarding experience?‍

A good client onboarding process gives clients clear direction and keeps projects moving. It shows them what to do, when it's due, and who to contact if they need help.

What types of tools help with client onboarding?‍

Many teams use a mix of form builders, CRMs, file-sharing, and project management tools. But cobbling them together often leads to lost information. Client onboarding software like Motion.io combines everything into one place, so onboarding runs more smoothly for everyone.

What is a client onboarding portal?

A client onboarding portal is a central place where clients can submit forms, upload files, and see what’s next. It keeps the entire process organized and makes things easier, especially when it doesn’t require a login.

How do you measure the success of client onboarding?‍

You can measure onboarding success through metrics like task completion rates, time to onboarding completion, client satisfaction scores, and churn within the first 90 days. If clients are completing onboarding quickly and sticking around, your process is doing its job.

Don’t Let Onboarding Keep Holding You Back

You don’t need any more theory. Now it's time for you to build a system that helps your team onboard clients without the mess.

You could try to build it manually. Create templates in Google Docs. Set up forms. Link everything together with reminders and spreadsheets. 

But that approach still leaves you managing the process across multiple tools and wasting time fixing issues that arise.

Or you can use Motion.io.

Motion.io gives you everything you need in one centralized platform—reusable templates, automated follow-ups, clear task tracking, and a login-free experience your clients will actually complete. 

No more patching together five tools. No more chasing updates. Just a workflow that runs itself.

👉 Start your 14-day free trial of Motion.io today.