synthetic_policies/client_onboarding_process.md

OPS-SOP-020: Client Onboarding Process

Effective Date: 2025-09-01 Revision: 1.1 Owner: Customer Success Department

1. Purpose

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) defines the phased approach for onboarding new clients. The objective is to provide a consistent, high-quality experience that drives rapid time-to-value and sets the foundation for a long-term, successful partnership.

2. Phase 1: Pre-Onboarding (Sales Handoff)

This phase begins as soon as a client contract is signed.

• Trigger: "Closed-Won" opportunity in Salesforce.
• Action: The Account Executive (AE) completes the Sales-to-CS Handoff Form in Salesforce. This form includes:
  • Key client stakeholders and their roles.
  • The client's primary business objectives and pain points.
  • Any specific promises or commitments made during the sales process.
• Assignment: A Customer Success Manager (CSM) is automatically assigned based on territory and capacity.

3. Phase 2: Kickoff & Discovery (Week 1)

• Action: The assigned CSM reaches out to the client's primary contact within 2 business days to schedule an official Kickoff Call.
• Kickoff Call Agenda:
  1. Introductions and role definitions.
  2. Review of client's goals and desired outcomes.
  3. Establish and agree upon key success metrics (KPIs).
  4. Outline the onboarding timeline and next steps.
  5. Identify key users for training.
• Output: A shared Success Plan document is created by the CSM and sent to the client for approval.

4. Phase 3: Implementation & Training (Weeks 2-4)

• Account Setup: The CSM provisions the client's account and performs initial configuration based on the Success Plan.
• Training: The CSM schedules and delivers tailored training sessions for the client's team. This typically includes:
  • An "Admin" session for account administrators.
  • A "User" session for general users.
• Technical Support: The CSM can loop in a Solutions Engineer for complex integrations or data migration needs.

5. Phase 4: Value Realization & Handover (Weeks 5-12)

• Regular Check-ins: The CSM conducts bi-weekly check-in calls to monitor progress against the Success Plan, answer questions, and provide proactive guidance.
• First Value Review (Day 90): The CSM schedules a formal review with the client to demonstrate the value realized to date, measured against the initial KPIs.
• Transition to Support: After the 90-day review, the client is transitioned to the general support queue for day-to-day issues, though the CSM remains the strategic point of contact.

6. Tools & Documentation

• Salesforce: For sales handoff and tracking client health.
• Gainsight: For managing the Success Plan and CSM activities.
• Confluence: For internal and external knowledge base articles.

7. Revision History

• v1.1 (2025-10-22): Added a phased approach, specified handoff triggers, and detailed the tools used.
• v1.0 (2025-09-01): Initial version.