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Ever signed up for a new tool, got super excited, and then… nothing? No clear next steps, no guidance — just you staring at the screen, wondering what to do next. That’s what bad customer onboarding feels like. And guess what? If your customers feel the same way, they’ll likely walk away.
In fact, 86% of people say they’d be more loyal to a company that provides onboarding content, and a whopping 74% of customers will switch to another solution if onboarding is too complicated.
The message is clear: if you don’t get onboarding right, you’re leaving money on the table.
A solid customer onboarding checklist prevents this. It gives customers a clear path from "just signed up" to "fully engaged and loving it." Whether you're onboarding new users to your product, service, or platform, having a standardized process can boost retention, increase customer satisfaction, and, most importantly, keep people coming back.
As HubSpot puts it, “The best onboarding experience doesn’t just teach customers how to use a product — it shows them how it fits into their lives.”
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the must-have steps of an effective customer onboarding process and share a checklist to help you get it right.
Understanding customer onboarding
Let’s start with the basics: why is customer onboarding important?
Customer onboarding is the process of helping new customers understand, use, and find value in your product or service — as quickly as possible. It’s more than just a welcome email or an intro call. It involves guiding users every step of the way so they don’t just try your product, but integrate it into their workflow, see results, and ultimately, stick around.
And it matters. A lot.
Here’s why:
- 63% of customers say onboarding directly influences their decision to purchase a product (Wyzowl).
- 90% of customers feel that the companies they buy from could "do better" at onboarding (Precursive).
- Companies with a strong onboarding process improve new customer retention rates by 50% (Harvard Business Review).
Take Notion, for example. When new users sign up, they’re not just given a blank workspace. They're greeted with a pre-filled, interactive demo page that walks them through the tool’s core features, helping them get started immediately. Their customer onboarding template also includes short, engaging training resources, showing users exactly how to customize the platform to fit their needs.
Another great example is Duolingo. Instead of just explaining how the app works, it immerses users in a real lesson within seconds of signing up, demonstrating value upfront.
This kind of onboarding experience isn’t just helpful, it’s addictive.
So, if you don’t prioritize onboarding, you’ll probably lose customers before they have a chance to see what makes your product great.
Successful onboarding process to rule them all
Imagine this: You sign up for a new business tool. Within minutes, you get a welcome email with a short video tutorial explaining how to get started. A few days later, you receive a personalized check-in message asking if you need help. There's also a live chat option available whenever you have a question.
Now, compare that to another scenario:
- You sign up and get dumped onto a blank dashboard with no guidance.
- There’s no intro, no instructions — just you, alone, trying to figure things out.
- After struggling for a few minutes, you give up and close the tab.
Now, be honest. Which tool are you more likely to continue using?
As you can see, great onboarding should not only focus on teaching people how to use a product. It’s supposed to show customers why it matters to them.
It builds trust, reduces friction, and most importantly, makes customers feel confident in their choice.
Why onboarding = loyalty
Think about the last time you stuck with a product for years.
Chances are, you had a smooth experience from the start. That’s no coincidence. Customers who experience an easy, structured onboarding process are far more likely to stay long-term.
Research shows that getting customers to see value faster makes a big difference in keeping them around. When onboarding is quick and engaging, users are likelier to stick with a product and use it long-term.
That’s why the best companies focus on getting customers to that “aha moment” as fast as possible.
- Slack: They guide new users through a quick setup, offer helpful tips, and introduce the product’s value in minutes.
- Dropbox: A clean, simple onboarding flow encourages users to upload their first file right away, so they instantly see the product’s benefits.
- Netflix: The entire onboarding experience is personalized — from the moment you sign up to the content recommendations tailored to your tastes.
No matter the industry, the takeaway is clear: when customers “get it” fast, they stick around.
Now that we know why customer onboarding is so important, let’s break it down into key stages — from the very first interaction to turning clients into loyal advocates.
Key stages of customer onboarding
A great customer onboarding experience doesn’t happen by accident but is designed.
The best companies treat onboarding like a journey, guiding users step by step from first sign-up to full engagement.
Every interaction matters, from the first email they receive to the moment they hit their first big milestone.
1. Pre-onboarding: laying the foundation for success
Onboarding starts before the customer signs up. This is where your customer success team prepares all the necessary material, tools, and strategies to ensure a smooth experience.
Not every customer has the same needs. The more you know about them upfront, the better you can personalize their journey. Tools like Typeform or HubSpot allow companies to collect key details at signup, such as industry, company size, and primary goals, so that customer onboarding can be tailored accordingly.
What does success look like for a new customer?
Whether it's setting up an account, completing a first transaction, or integrating with another tool, defining clear goals helps make the process easier. Take Trello — they guide new users toward their first "aha moment" by encouraging them to create and organize their first board immediately.
If you're in SaaS or B2B, having a dedicated point of contact can be a game-changer. Many companies assign customer success managers (CSMs) to high-value accounts, ensuring customers always have direct support.
You can keep things simple by offering more communication channels for customers to reach out. Email, scheduled calls, and LiveChat make it easy to get quick, real-time help, while private Slack channels and office hours give them a more direct way to stay connected and ask questions as they go.
2. Welcoming new customers: first impressions matter
That first interaction sets the tone for the entire customer journey. If users feel confused or lost right away, the chances of them dropping off increase dramatically.
A good welcome email doesn’t just say, "Thanks for signing up!" It guides the customer to take the next step. Airbnb does this well by immediately directing new hosts to set up their listing and get their first booking as one of the onboarding tasks.
Users don’t want to read an instruction manual. They want a simple, frictionless way to get started. Companies like Grammarly show new users a quick demo of their tool in action the moment they sign up rather than expecting them to figure it out themselves.
No one likes surprises (unless it’s cake). Setting clear expectations, whether it’s timelines for customer onboarding, key milestones, or how to get help, eliminates confusion. A great example is Asana, which gives new users a guided checklist for setting up their first project so they always know what to do next.
3. Product or service implementation: hands-on learning
At this stage, it’s all about getting customers to use the product and making sure they don’t feel stuck.
People learn best by doing. That’s why products like Canva use interactive, in-app tutorials that walk users through key features in real time. Instead of overwhelming new users with everything at once, they introduce features gradually, right when the user needs them.
Some products require a bit more hand-holding. That’s why Zoom offers live onboarding webinars for new users — giving them a chance to ask questions and get expert guidance right away.
Nothing kills momentum like getting stuck. Having instant access to help, whether through LiveChat, chatbots, or real-time support, can make all the difference.
Chatbots can handle quick, common questions, guiding users without delay, while LiveChat connects them to a real person when they need more hands-on help. For more complex issues, real-time support via live agents ensures customers get the assistance they need without breaking their customer onboarding flow.
4. Customer engagement & early wins
The sooner a customer sees value, the more likely they are to stay. The goal here is to get them to achieve a small but meaningful success as soon as possible.
What’s the one action that proves a customer is on the right track? Whether it’s sending a first message, setting up a first task, or making a first sale — guiding users toward that early win increases engagement.
The longer customers wait to use your product, the more likely they are to churn. That’s why apps like Duolingo send push notifications reminding users to complete their daily lesson. They don’t just wait for users to return but actively nudge them back into action.
Instead of waiting for customers to ask for help, smart companies anticipate problems before they happen.
5. Ongoing support & building long-term relationships
Great onboarding doesn’t stop once the customer is up and running, but continues to provide ongoing value over time.
A simple “How’s it going?” email can go a long way. Some companies send personalized progress reports to users, showing them their achievements and suggesting ways to improve.
Some users prefer individual learning, while others thrive in community spaces. That’s why brands like Notion offer a community forum where users can share tips, templates, and advice, making it easier for users to learn from each other.
The client onboarding process should evolve based on real user behavior. Tools like Hotjar allow companies to track user interactions through heatmaps and session recordings, helping identify where users get stuck or drop off during onboarding. Similarly, LiveChat’s chat tracking and post-interaction surveys provide direct customer feedback, revealing common pain points or unanswered questions.
Bringing in new customers is just the beginning. Keeping them engaged and invested is what truly matters. Businesses that prioritize a well-designed onboarding process don’t just attract users. They create lasting relationships, boost retention, and drive long-term success.
Essential steps of a customer onboarding checklist
A great onboarding experience needs to be structured, repeatable, and optimized. The most successful companies use a well-defined onboarding checklist to ensure every new customer gets an engaging introduction to their product or service.
If you’re looking to build or refine your process, a client onboarding template can be a game-changer. It helps standardize the experience, ensuring no critical steps are missed while still allowing for personalization. A structured template makes it easy to track progress, automate tasks, and guide customers through a smooth transition from sign-up to success.
Let’s break down the essential components of a high-converting client onboarding checklist.
Create a structured step-by-step checklist
A clear step-by-step process keeps onboarding consistent and efficient.
Without structure, customers can feel lost or overwhelmed, increasing the chances of early drop-off.
A well-structured client onboarding checklist template should cover:
- Account setup: Guide users through registration, profile completion, and key preferences.
- First-time walkthroughs: Show users the basics of your product with in-app tooltips, onboarding tasks, or tutorials.
- Initial engagement: Encourage users to take the first action that delivers immediate value (sending a message in Slack, uploading a file in Dropbox, etc.).
- Support & resources: Provide easy access to FAQs, customer support, or knowledge bases.
- Follow-up & progress tracking: Keep users engaged with friendly check-ins, progress reports, or milestone celebrations.
For example, Monday.com gives users a visual, interactive client onboarding checklist when logging in.
Instead of dumping all features on users at once, they guide them through small, manageable steps — ensuring they see quick wins without feeling overwhelmed.
Tailor the experience to different customer segments
Not all customers are the same, so why should their onboarding be?
A one-size-fits-all approach can feel generic and miss the mark for many users. Personalization ensures each user gets an experience relevant to their needs, goals, and background.
Ways to personalize the onboarding checklist include:
- Segmenting users based on role, industry, or experience level (first-time users vs. experienced pros, etc.).
- Dynamic content that adapts based on user behavior (showing advanced features only after a user completes the basics, for example).
- Personalized recommendations based on what the user wants to achieve.
A great example is Spotify. When new users sign up, they’re asked about their music preferences. Based on their answers, Spotify curates a personalized playlist right away, giving immediate value instead of making users search for music themselves.
Similarly, Grammarly asks new users about their writing needs, whether their writing style is business, casual, or academic, and then tailors suggestions and features accordingly.
This kind of customization makes onboarding feel personal and relevant from day one.
Use tools and automation for smoother onboarding tasks
A manual onboarding process can be time-consuming and hard to scale, especially for SaaS companies or businesses with a high volume of users. That’s why the best companies use automation and smart tools to streamline the onboarding journey.
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
Managing customer relationships during onboarding ensures users don’t fall through the cracks. Many platforms allow businesses to track customer interactions, monitor onboarding progress, and automate follow-ups based on user behavior.
For example, if a new user hasn’t completed a key onboarding step, a CRM can trigger a personalized email reminder or a support check-in. These tools also provide valuable analytics on customer engagement, helping teams identify which parts of the onboarding checklist work best and where users may be dropping off.
Email & drip campaigns
A well-crafted email onboarding sequence can educate, engage, and encourage action at the right moments. Instead of overwhelming users with too much information at once, you can send a carefully spaced series of emails, each one introducing a new feature or next step in the onboarding journey.
The first email might welcome users and highlight core features, while the next one offers tips on customization. Later emails can include user success stories, advanced features, or best practices, ensuring that customers stay on track with the onboarding checklist and reach key milestones without feeling lost.
Chatbots & AI assistants
Not every user wants to reach out to support via email or a help desk ticket. Many prefer instant answers without waiting. That’s where chatbots and AI-powered assistants like LiveChat come in. These tools allow businesses to offer 24/7 assistance, answering frequently asked questions, guiding users to tutorials, and even triggering proactive messages when a user appears stuck.
For instance, if a user lingers too long on a setup page, a chatbot can offer helpful tips or connect them to a live agent. This reduces frustration, increases engagement, and ensures smooth and uninterrupted onboarding.
Product tours and walkthroughs
No one enjoys reading a long-winded user manual or digging through documentation just to get started. That’s why interactive, in-app product tours are a must-have in any customer onboarding checklist. These guided walkthroughs help users learn by doing, making it easy to navigate features, complete key onboarding steps, and see value as quickly as possible.
Instead of dumping a new user into a complex dashboard with no guidance, these guides provide real-time walkthroughs, showing customers how to navigate features, complete onboarding tasks, and get value quickly.
For example, a SaaS platform might use a step-by-step tooltip system, where each pop-up directs users to click on essential features in a logical order.
Live support vs. self-service: give customers the right help
Every customer has different preferences when it comes to support. Some want immediate, real-time assistance, while others prefer to figure things out on their own. A strong onboarding strategy offers both options so that customers get the help they need in the way they prefer.
Live support (for those who need hands-on help)
Some customers prefer a personalized, hands-on experience during onboarding, especially if they’re using a complex product or service. Live support ensures they get immediate assistance when needed, preventing frustration and keeping them engaged.
Real-time support via tools like LiveChat allows users to ask questions and get immediate answers without having to submit tickets or wait for email responses. This is especially useful for first-time users who may feel stuck at a crucial step. For instance, an ecommerce platform might use chatbots for quick FAQs while providing the option to escalate to a live support agent for more complex issues. This combination of automation and human assistance makes onboarding efficient and customer-friendly.
Some users may not need one-on-one help but still benefit from interactive group training sessions. You can host regular live webinars where new users can watch product demos, ask questions in real time, and see best practices in action. These sessions also provide recordings so users can revisit the material at their convenience. This approach balances scalability and personalization, making onboarding efficient without overwhelming the support team.
Self-service options (for those who prefer independent learning)
Not everyone wants to talk to support or attend training meetings. Many users prefer to explore at their own pace. A strong self-service onboarding system allows customers to find answers quickly, reducing the need for direct support interactions.
A well-organized help center is a go-to resource for users who want to troubleshoot issues themselves. Notion, for example, has a clean, searchable knowledge base that makes it easy for users to find answers without needing to contact support. Many companies structure their help centers with step-by-step guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting sections, ensuring users can resolve most common issues independently.
For businesses looking to create an effective knowledge base, platforms like KnowledgeBase offer powerful tools to build customized self-help centers, making information easily accessible and improving the overall onboarding experience.
Some users prefer visual learning, making video walkthroughs an invaluable onboarding tool. You consider creating bite-sized, engaging tutorials that guide users through key features without overwhelming them. A great example is LiveChat, which provides short explainer videos demonstrating how to use its advanced chat customization suggestions — making client onboarding smoother and more engaging.
Level up your customer onboarding process
The best companies don’t stop at “good enough.”
They continuously refine their onboarding based on customer feedback, optimizing each step for a smoother experience.
Whether it’s simplifying workflows, personalizing interactions, or adding live support, small improvements can drive big results.
Take action today!
- Use a client onboarding checklist to streamline the process.
- Test a live chat solution (like LiveChat) for real-time support.
- Explore demo tools to create interactive walkthroughs.
- Gather feedback and iterate to keep improving.
A great client onboarding process is a competitive advantage — start refining yours today!
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