A fast-growing SaaS company successfully acquires new subscribers through aggressive marketing and sales efforts. Their sales team closes deals well, and the product promises value. However, after purchase, customers are left to figure it out alone with minimal guidance or proactive support.
Entrepreneurship
The Overlooked Customer Onboarding: Why First Impressions Matter Beyondthe Sale
2 min read
The Scenario
What Happened
Despite high acquisition, the company experiences significant churn within the first three months. Users become frustrated or overwhelmed by features and abandon the product without realizing its value. Support is reactive, addressing problems only after customers reach out, by which time many have disengaged.
What Should Have Happened
The company should have implemented a proactive onboarding program including:
- Personalized welcome and dedicated contact.
- Guided setup via tutorials or sessions.
- Proactive communication of key features.
- Regular check-ins to support progress.
- Access to knowledge base and self-service resources.
Additional tips: segment onboarding, celebrate wins, collect feedback, and offer proactive help based on usage data.
What They Can Do Now
To reduce churn and regain trust, the company should:
- Analyze churn and pain points.
- Develop a minimum viable onboarding to help users achieve quick wins.
- Clearly communicate product value throughout onboarding.
- Train support teams for proactive engagement.
- Pilot the new process with select users and iterate.
The Takeaway
Acquiring customers is only half the battle; onboarding is where value is delivered and loyalty built. Neglecting post-sale guidance leads to high churn and wasted spend. Investing in a proactive onboarding process ensures customers realize product potential and become long-term advocates.