A business is nothing without customers. And customers won’t stick around if they don’t get the support they need when they first start using a product or service. This is where customer onboarding software can help.
We understand that customer onboarding is a difficult process to get right. But that doesn’t make it any less important that it does it get done right – from the get-go.
We’ve worked hard to address everything our new customers would need in our onboarding process. It’s our goal to ensure we give new customers the best experience possible.
And we use our very own product, Process Street, to document this process and create a centralized hub for all customer onboarding knowledge. Here’s a guide to help you do the same.
Official Website Link: Process Street
Process Street is a no-code process management platform that helps businesses create, track, automate, and complete tasks to streamline processes and improve efficiency. It offers AI-powered workflow design that adapts to unique operational needs, driving productivity and growth.
Businesses looking to streamline their processes, improve efficiency, and leverage the power of AI.
Process Street pricing page.
Process Street provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Process Street integrates with various tools including Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Sheets, Jira, DocuSign, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Stripe, Greenhouse, Zapier, Power Automate, Google Forms, Airtable, BambooHR, Hireflix, Monday, and Workable.
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Official Website Link: CommandBar
CommandBar is an AI-powered user assistance platform that combines in-app help, natural language search, and non-annoying nudges. It allows users to make their help docs, walkthrough videos, and blog posts searchable in-app, and to train a custom AI-powered chatbot.
Developers and product teams looking to improve user experience with in-app help and AI-powered features.
CommandBar provides documentation for developers and product teams. However, the specifics of their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
CommandBar integrates with several tools including Algolia, Appcues, Intercom, Segment, WordPress, YouTube, and Zendesk.
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Official Website Link: UserGuiding
UserGuiding is a platform that helps improve user onboarding by creating interactive product walkthroughs. It allows for the creation of in-app experiences tailored to different personas at different stages of their user journey.
Teams looking to improve user onboarding and feature adoption, and to collect customer feedback.
UserGuiding pricing page.
UserGuiding provides a help center and customer support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but UserGuiding is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Inline Manual
Inline Manual is a Digital Adoption Platform that helps businesses create dynamic walkthroughs, tooltips, surveys, and support articles to accelerate user adoption and drive engagement. It is designed to guide users through applications, increase adoption and conversion rates, reduce churn, and automate employee training.
Businesses looking to improve user and employee onboarding, feature adoption, and in-app support.
Inline Manual pricing page.
Inline Manual provides a support portal, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but Inline Manual is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Whatfix
Whatfix is a Digital Adoption Platform that empowers organizations and software users to unlock the full potential of applications across web, desktop, and mobile interfaces. It provides personalized onboarding, interactive guidance, and on-demand support in the flow of work.
Organizations looking to improve user adoption, manage change efficiently, train remote team members, and onboard new users or employees faster.
Whatfix pricing page.
Whatfix provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but Whatfix is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Apty
Apty is a Digital Adoption Platform designed to solve the unique challenges enterprises face when trying to orchestrate people, processes, and technology. It enables employees to use your technology, enforces business process compliance, and accelerates digital transformation.
Enterprises looking to improve user adoption, manage change efficiently, train remote team members, and onboard new users or employees faster.
Apty pricing page.
Apty provides a customer support center, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Apty works with any web or mobile application and integrates with all the apps you currently use.
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Official Website Link: GuideCX
GuideCX is a client onboarding and implementation software that helps businesses make a good first impression on their customers by providing a shared workspace environment. It is designed to improve customer experience, deliver projects faster, scale without adding headcount, and decrease churn.
Businesses in various industries including SaaS, HealthTech, EdTech, AutoTech, and FinTech, looking to improve their client onboarding process.
GuideCX pricing page.
GuideCX provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but GuideCX is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Userpilot
Userpilot is a product growth platform that helps product teams deliver personalized in-app experiences to increase growth metrics at every stage of the user journey. It is designed to help new and existing users discover more value, get qualitative user feedback, and run in-product growth experiments.
Product teams looking to increase growth metrics, boost feature adoption, reduce churn, and unlock growth opportunities.
Userpilot pricing page.
Userpilot provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but Userpilot is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: WalkMe
WalkMe is a Digital Adoption Platform that simplifies software usage for any type of user across any application. It enables organizations to leverage data to take immediate action to simplify user experiences across enterprise applications. It helps in reducing live training, decreasing employee support tickets, and reducing time spent generating a quote.
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Businesses looking to simplify user experiences across enterprise applications, reduce live training, decrease employee support tickets, and reduce time spent generating a quote.
WalkMe pricing page.
WalkMe provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but WalkMe is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Tallyfy
Tallyfy is a workflow and process management platform that helps businesses automate tasks between coworkers and clients. It allows for the capture and automation of every process in a company without coding, flowcharts, or complexity. It is designed to reduce busywork, eliminate stress at work, and integrate seamlessly with existing apps.
Businesses looking to automate tasks, track progress, and streamline their processes.
Tallyfy pricing page.
Tallyfy provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Tallyfy integrates with existing systems, but specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage.
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Official Website Link: Userlane
Userlane is a no-code Digital Adoption Platform used to measure how employees use applications, identify areas for improvement, and offer real-time guidance directly within any application. It is designed to help new and existing users discover more value, get qualitative user feedback, and run in-product growth experiments.
Businesses looking to improve user adoption, manage change efficiently, train remote team members, and onboard new users or employees faster.
Userlane pricing page.
Userlane provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but Userlane is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Wrike
Wrike is a versatile and robust project management software that provides a platform to manage projects, organize work, enhance collaboration, and accelerate execution across all departments. It is designed to streamline work processes for maximum efficiency, empowering teams across all departments to collaborate, manage projects, drive strategic initiatives, and achieve goals.
Businesses looking to streamline their processes, improve efficiency, and leverage the power of automation.
Wrike pricing page.
Wrike provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Wrike integrates with over 400+ popular apps including Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Slack, Salesforce, Zoom, Tableau, Outlook, MS Excel, Dropbox, Okta, OneLogin, HubSpot, and Jira.
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Official Website Link: Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a customer service software that provides a platform to manage tickets, automate workflows, and engage with customers in real-time. It is designed to handle any and every customer issue with ease, scaling support experiences without scaling costs.
Businesses looking to improve customer service, manage tickets and workflows, and provide real-time customer engagement.
Freshdesk pricing page.
Freshdesk provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage, but Freshdesk is designed to work with various tools.
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Official Website Link: Intercom
Intercom is a customer service solution that combines the power of automation and human customer support. It helps businesses resolve issues faster and boost customer satisfaction while reducing team workload. It offers a range of features including AI-powered chatbots, automation tools, a shared inbox, proactive support tools, and omnichannel messaging.
Businesses looking to improve customer service, manage tickets and workflows, and provide real-time customer engagement.
Intercom pricing page.
Intercom provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Integrations: Intercom integrates with various tools, but specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage.
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Official Website Link: HubSpot
HubSpot is a CRM platform that provides a suite of software, integrations, and resources to connect marketing, sales, content management, and customer service. It aims to grow businesses by focusing on what matters most: the customers. HubSpot’s connected platform enables businesses to grow faster by providing incredible insight into every contact at each stage in their customer journey.
Businesses looking to improve customer service, manage tickets and workflows, provide real-time customer engagement, and streamline operations.
HubSpot pricing page.
HubSpot provides 24/7 customer support via call, chat, or email. They also offer onboarding services and free courses & certifications.
HubSpot integrates with over 1,400+ apps, but specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage.
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Official Website Link: Salesforce
Salesforce is a comprehensive CRM platform that unifies marketing, sales, service, commerce, and IT. It aims to personalize every experience along the customer journey with the Customer 360. Salesforce provides a platform to connect with customers in a whole new way, offering solutions to modernize businesses, save time, and lower costs.
Businesses of all sizes looking to improve customer service, manage tickets and workflows, provide real-time customer engagement, and streamline operations.
Salesforce pricing page.
Salesforce provides support, but specifics about their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Salesforce integrates with various tools, but specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage.
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Official Website Link: monday.com
monday.com Work OS is an open platform where anyone can create the tools they need to run every aspect of their work. The platform is designed to boost team alignment, efficiency, and productivity by customizing any workflow to fit your needs. It allows you to centralize all your work, processes, tools, and files into one Work OS, connecting teams, bridging silos, and maintaining one source of truth across your organization.
Businesses of all sizes looking to improve team alignment, efficiency, and productivity.
monday.com offers 24/7 support with a 2-hour average response time.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage.
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Official Website Link: Userlist
Userlist is a customer messaging tool for SaaS companies. It allows you to send onboarding emails, time-based one-off messages, and behavior-based campaigns. Userlist also provides user segmentation based on their behavior and properties.
SaaS companies looking for a tool to handle both marketing leads and customers within the same tool.
Userlist pricing page.
Userlist provides regular customer support for the Basic plan and premium support for the Professional plan.
Specific integrations are not mentioned on the homepage.
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Official Website Link: Jotform
Jotform is an online form builder that allows users to create professional-looking forms with no coding required. It uses conditional logic, accepts payments, generates reports, and automates workflows. However, more specific information is needed to see if this product is a good fit.
Businesses of all sizes that need to create forms for registrations, applications, orders, and payments.
Jotform provides a user guide, webinars, and options to report abuse or copyright issues. However, the specifics of their customer support availability (e.g., 24/7, live chat, email) are not mentioned on the homepage.
Jotform integrates with over 150+ business apps, including email marketing services, project management boards, CRMs, and cloud storage apps.
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Official Website Link: Clustdoc
Clustdoc is a client onboarding software that enables companies to create and implement industry-specific client onboarding workflows without requiring any coding. It is designed to streamline the collection and management of forms, documents, eSignatures, payments, and essential information, all in one secure location.
Companies in various industries including financial services, real estate, legal services, administration, consulting, and insurance.
Clustdoc pricing page.
I’ve contacted Clustdoc to ask them what customer support options they offer & will update this post when I hear back.
No-code: Clustdoc integrates with many business process apps via Zapier, Make (previously Integromat), Glances, and Pabbly Connect. You can read more on Clustdoc’s integrations page.
Developer: Clustdoc’s API and Webhooks features offer more advanced integrations.
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Customer onboarding software is specifically designed to help customer success teams efficiently transition customers from potential leads to active users.
This software creates a centralized hub where all onboarding documentation can be used whenever a new sales prospect becomes an active customer.
Customer success employees can then follow this onboarding process through the software, making it easier to perform.
Providing a good customer onboarding experience is crucial for retention, and using effective software makes it easy to deliver this stellar customer experience.
After considering these statistics, it’s easy to see why delivering a good onboarding experience is so important. That doesn’t mean onboarding is an easy process.
Customer onboarding software makes the process more straightforward and helps decrease the workload on your customer success team. Onboarding comes with extensive tasks that all need to be done in a specific order.
Software helps you track this task completion and ensures everything is followed in the right order for a consistent and efficient experience.
Highlight and automate your recurring tasks for a more streamlined experience. This savesyou time and reduces the risk of human error.
All-in-all, your employees can spend more time building a strong rapport with your customers and delivering a personalized onboarding experience.
You might already have a customer onboarding process in place. But you might not see the necessity in using software to enhance this customer onboarding experience.
Here are some clear indications that your business is ready to use customer onboarding software.
Through onboarding your new customers, your team has found that they have a wide range of learning styles. For this reason, your team has created varied onboarding content to help these customers understand your product.
This onboarding content is in the form of audio formats, text, and video and can be accessed in different libraries. These include your help center, knowledge case content, blog, or Youtube channel.
Because this trail of content is long, it becomes tedious to update. This makes it difficult to keep track of crucial metrics based on your user’s journey.
Modern customer onboarding software provides flexible content hosting, supports multiple content formats, and allows on-demand training capabilities. This ensures all your onboarding content is available in a central location and your user’s journey can be tracked through the software.
It’s typical for customer success teams to schedule training calls to educate new users on their products. This is definitely an efficient way to offer a personalized onboarding experience if the customer load is small. However, it’s impossible to scale over time.
Manual training comes with its own set of difficulties. Knowledge is challenging to convey through scheduled calls. Scheduling conflicts may hinder participation. It can also lead to inconsistent customer onboarding results.
A better alternative is to provide various pre-made training that can be delivered instantly regardless of instructor availability or time zones. This can be done with customer onboarding software. On-demand training is more cost-efficient when you consider the resource and time perspective.
With customer onboarding software, training materials can be updated through the platform and its customization functionality can be used to cater to different user needs.
Support inquiries grow if customers aren’t sure about how to use your product. This results in the customer support team’s workload increasing.
If this is the case, customer onboarding software can play a significant role in reducing this workload. New users will have access to all the information they need to start using your product.
Through customer onboarding software, each user follows a process that gets them acquainted with the product while customer success teams can then track the user’s journey.
Many businesses use customer relationship management and marketing automation tools to maximize their customer experience. However, none of these systems are designed to accommodate customer onboarding.
When you adopt customer onboarding software, you can integrate it with your customer relationship management (CRM) system, which leads to a more efficient experience. Customer success teams have a better understanding of their user journey and other metrics relating to successful onboarding.
By integrating training with CRM, customer success teams gain valuable insight that can measure the impact of their programs related to customer retention and product adoption.
Before you decide on a customer onboarding software tool, you want to consider these features:
You want your onboarding process to be as interactive as possible. This means using a customer onboarding software that allows you to easily add media within a process. No-code is the way to go in this case.
Your chosen customer onboarding software should allow you to add onboarding videos and other materials that can be used to make your process more engaging. These interactive on-screen tutorials help your customers see how to use your product or service.
Analyics are vital for your customer onboarding process as this data can help you make data-drive decisions when it comes to improving overall experience. When you have access to accurate reports, you can:
You want a customer onboarding software solution that helps you connect with like-minded people.
This community can help you improve your onboarding process through brainstorming sessions, workshops, and other events nurtured by your software provider.
Using a software that has an active community of users is an excellent way for you to learn more about the product from people who are also users.
This is one of the most crucial features of any customer onboarding software. Your onboarding software should offer continuous improvement to meet new changes related to user behaviors and trends.
Instead of showcasing plans, it should have a history of continuous improvement. This way, you know your chosen vendor doesn’t just make plans and promises. It actually follows through.
This will ensure you’re working to the most efficient level possible. Otherwise, if your vendor isn’t dedicated to improving their product, you’ll likely be left with an outdated software tool.
When it comes to choosing a customer onboarding software vendor, you should take this criteria into consideration:
You want a software tool that’s easy to understand. That means its user interface should have clear designs and navigation. When you have an effective interface, your team won’t have to waste time trying to navigate the software.
You don’t want to be paying for things you aren’t using. It’s important to understand what you wish to use from a certain onboarding software and what isn’t needed. That way, you can find a package plan that fits your needs (and your budget).
Essentially, you want a customer onboarding software tool that lets you integrate with other automation or productivity tools in your tech stack to reduce data entry and create a more centralized knowledge base.
Introducing new software can be challenging. In order for you to see real results, you need to make sure this transition is as soon as possible. It’s tricky business but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Here are 5 tips to help you get the most out of introducing customer onboarding software to your company:
To start, you need to expect there to be apprehension when you introduce customer onboarding software. It’s normal for employees to fear the unknown, especially when the older way has been around for a while.
Understand why your employees might be nervous about transitioning to customer onboarding software.
As a best practice, you want to assume the best case scenario. Instead of viewing your employees as uncooperative or lazy, get to the underlying anxieties they have.
There are two common reasons for employees being apprehensive:
Understanding what is the cause for your employees apprehension is the first step to addressing it.
You shouldn’t downplay the complexity of transitioning to a customer onboarding software tool. Instead, assure your customer success team that you understand the difficulty of this change.
But also enforce the benefits that comes along with using it. This way, no one feels as though they’re expected to become an expert at this new system overnight. But they’re also motivated to learn and gain these advantages.
Here’s a simple process you can use when introducing a new customer onboarding tool into your organization:
You should also share this process with your employees so you’re transparent about what they can expect.
Before your employees will buy in to the new system, they need to understand how it benefits them. One of the reasons for implementing this customer onboarding software is to make your employees’ work easier. You need to describe how this software will do exactly that.
You’ve probably already got a great, motivated team who want to:
The goal would be to explain how your new customer onboarding software can help them achieve this. For example:
When you introduce customer onboarding software, you want to address one of the most common questions:
“How is this solution better than what we’ve been doing before?”
Even if your employees don’t ask this question, they will be thinking about it so address it from the get-go. After all, it’s a fair point. Why even switch if the new solution isn’t distinctly better?
You want to clearly communicate what advantages come with using the new customer onboarding software.
Here are two considerations to make:
Here’s an example:
You use Gmail for your customer onboarding process. The problem is that multiple employees can end up replying to the same user because there isn’t a clear record of ownership.
In Process Street, you can see which team member is responsible for what thanks to its role and task assignments.
Efficient customer support is invaluable for both customer loyalty and the organization’s bottomline. The Harvard Business Review found that customers with great past experiences with a company spent 140% more than customers with poor company experiences.
And what is the first company experience your customers have?
Their initial onboarding.
That means a more efficient customer onboarding experience equates to more money for your company. The next step would then be to showcase how your new customer onboarding software can support these vital experiences:
When you’re providing your new customers with the support they need, you’re making them feel appreciated and seen. Far too often, customers feel like a number with a fat wallet – that companies couldn’t care less about their experience.
By investing in your customer onboarding process, you’re telling your customers that this isn’t the case. And in doing so, you win over their loyalty. Customer onboarding software enables you get your ducks in a row to ensure you deliver this stellar customer experience.