Describing Our New Client Onboarding Process

We believe the term onboarding actually starts in sales and the initial client discussions. And because onboarding to us isn’t a singular process that results in one deliverable, it varies from client to client. In a typical project scope we expect the “onboarding” to take about 1-3 months. This onboarding period then transitions to strategic initiatives based on scope such as User Experience initiatives, the start of Data Modeling for development, etc. 

What kinds of things are included within a client onboarding? Below we have listed a sense of post-engagement (ie deal signing) onboarding activities:

Gathering legacy data

This includes the gathering of all data known to you as an organization that you deem “important” for the business goals targeted with the project type. 

Getting the team collected

Reviewing details you provided, researching the market and inspiration and getting to the point of initial introduction of the first wave of strategists and projects members that will work with your organization.

Figuring out project-specific needs

Typically the longest span of time, this includes all the necessary strategy discussions, workshops and assessments needed to arrive at a true understanding of the scope, expectations and business-based goals we are going forward to build.

Creating a project plan 

Combining the details of the intended scope into the project management tools and processes that will best serve both sides in carrying out status, reporting and communication during the project.

Client Onboarding Discussion

Within the video you will find the below discussions about client onboarding and how at LLT we view the process to help tailor to the client needs.

Tony: Describe our new client onboarding process, for example, you know, how do we learn about the website, the code base, design features, what they want, who their team is, stuff like  that.

Austeja: Sure, so personally I think that really the onboarding process happens during sales. So, we’re hoping to gather enough info about you as the client in order to figure out whether it’s a good fit, whether we’re able to provide to you what you’re looking for.  But after signing, if we kind of zero in on the onboarding, it really is getting the dedicated team collected, so figuring out what are the needs of your specific project as a client, and what are going to be the appropriate people to work on it. So, for sure you get an account manager, that’s somebody who throughout the process of the project will be there to ensure your success, so they’re your client advocate within the agency.  After that, you have the project manager who is responsible for the project as a whole. So, making sure from A to Z everything is buttoned up, the timeline is solid, that you as a client know exactly what you’re looking for and what your responsibilities are that us on our side are meeting those deliverables. And then from there it’s the designers that are going to be the best for your specific project, the developers are going to have the skill set to respond to the need, and yeah, that would be the team as a whole.  

Tony: And typically how much time is required for the onboarding process? 

Austeja: So, for us as an agency, onboarding isn’t necessarily this process that takes weeks and weeks, and you get some sort of deliverable out of it, it really is this experience and kind of like the verb, “you’re onboarding”, but as you’re onboarding, what really goes into it is we figure out the strategy for your project, we do the discovery process, and it’s kind of like all the steps in between, and not so much this onboarding that has a line item and a price tag on it.  

Tony: So, do we charge for that? 

Austeja: We do, but it’s within those line items that are the deliverables, not so much onboarding as this X amount.  

Tony: So it would be if they’re doing personas or stakeholder interviews, or wireframes, or UX, and discovery, and all those, it would be tying it to the time and effort and the value we see back to what they’re getting.  

Austeja: So, onboarding isn’t so much you the client getting onboarded to LLT, it’s us figuring out what do we need to know to execute the project successfully.