Client onboarding is like a relay race. Sales passes the baton, and then Customer Success takes the lead. Like a decorated sprinter, they must transition new clients into your bookkeeping practice efficiently and accurately.
Your client’s onboarding experience is a critical lap in your partnership. It reassures them they’ve picked the right accounting partner, contributing to retention.
Below, we explore the benefits of client onboarding and share an actionable bookkeeping checklist that ensures you and your clients have a strong start out of the blocks.
Benefits of Client Onboarding
When done right, onboarding transforms the client experience past a simple transaction. It helps your firm by:
Reducing Customer Churn
Think of customer churn as runners dropping out of the race. Smooth onboarding proves to your clients that their business is in capable hands, decreasing the likelihood of frustration. When clients are satisfied, they stay engaged for the long haul, saving you the cost of acquiring new ones.
Shortening Time to Value
A streamlined onboarding process accelerates time to value (TTV)—how fast new clients gain value from your product or service—by quickly gathering critical financial information, setting up systems, providing training, and delivering insights that matter.
When clients see the tangible benefits of your service early, it’s like hitting that runner’s high—it validates their decision to partner with you.
Strengthening Brand Reputation
Your onboarding process shapes your client’s first impression of your firm. The more efficient their experience, the more likely they are to view your firm as reliable and competent. This reputation will help your brand grow in a competitive industry.
Bookkeeping Client Onboarding Checklist
To help streamline your onboarding process, we’ve put together a bookkeeping checklist you can refer to when a new client signs on. Remember to personalize it using information gathered during the sales process and your team’s resources.
1. Send a Bookkeeping Services Contract
A well-drafted contract is the framework for a transparent and mutually respectful partnership. It should outline your services, payment terms, and confidentiality clauses. These offer legal protection and clarity if issues arise.
2. Welcome Your New Client
While seemingly unnecessary, a branded welcome packet signals to your client that you’re a trusted partner, not just another vendor.
Here’s what a welcome packet should include:
- Welcome message – Let your client know how excited you are to work with them in achieving their goals.
- Business overview – Provide a refresher about your business and mission. While you’re at it, introduce the team that will be collaborating with your new client.
- Communication preferences – Outline how you can be reached, response times, and points of contact.
- FAQs – Address common concerns upfront. These might range from client portal access to invoicing schedules.
- Timeline – Lay out a high-level timeline that maps out milestones in the onboarding process.
- Pricing explanation – Break down what’s included in your services and explain any potential added charges.
TOA Tip: In your welcome message, mention a thing or two from your discussions when your client was still a lead. That little touch goes a long way in building rapport.
3. Send a Bookkeeping Onboarding Questionnaire
Sales might have shared some background information on your client following the pitching process. But if you need more insight into their operations and goals to hit the ground running, a bookkeeping client onboarding questionnaire is your friend.
These questions should cover:
- Business name, address, and structure
- Previous or existing account systems
- Key contacts and preferred communication mode
- Goals and pain points
- Products and value offerings
- Target audience
- Competitors
TOA Tip: Keep your questionnaire simple but specific. You don’t want to overwhelm your new client from the outset.
4. Gather Financial Documents
Take the time to understand your client’s financial history by requesting access to the necessary documents. These may include previous tax filings, balance sheets, bank statements, and expense reports. Doing so will help your firm identify any discrepancies and set up accurate bookkeeping moving forward.
5. Host a Kick-off Meeting
A kickoff meeting defines how you and your client will function together. To avoid redundant discussions, be sure to review their completed questionnaire beforehand. Then, during the meeting, you should:
- Introduce the team
- Confirm preferred communication methods
- Reiterate goals and scope of work to measure the right KPIs
- Clarify deliverables
- Present your Service Level Agreement (SLA), which specifies the who, when, and how of your partnership based on the bookkeeping onboarding questionnaire
TOA Tip: Save time by using ChatGPT to draft an email invitation to your kick-off meeting. Don’t forget to personalize it with specific details about your client.
6. Set Up Technology & Tools
Just as a runner wouldn’t compete without the right equipment, the right tools can be the difference between an efficient and confusing onboarding process.
Align with your client on technology. Create a space for your new client in your accounting practice management workflow and CRM. If you work across tools, you may need to invite them to yours.
You’ll also want to establish a secure file-sharing protocol. Consider setting up automation to trigger notifications when you upload deliverables. That way, everyone is on the same page.
TOA Tip: If necessary, provide training on your tech stack and set up check-ins to solve any issues. These will give your clients confidence in your financial management.
Read More: The Beauty of Accounting Workflow Software
7. Schedule Follow-Ups
Maintain a consistent communication cadence with your client. Don’t just talk to them when you need them to do something; keep them in the loop on updates.
However, be mindful of overscheduling. Not everyone will have the bandwidth for multiple calls a week—opt for sending email updates as an alternative.
TOA Tip: Make it a practice to keep and share minutes of your meetings calling out action items.
8. Execute Go-Live
As you approach the go-live milestone, do a final check to make sure nothing is dropped in the transition. Review all data entries and reconciliation for accuracy.
You should also double-check access levels so only authorized personnel can access sensitive financial information. Finally, confirm that all reports are set up and delivered to the right people at the right time.
9. Conduct Post-Onboarding Follow-Up
After 30 to 60 days, it’s time to evaluate the run. Schedule a review meeting to address any questions and fine-tune the process, including adjusting the scope of work or service frequency, if necessary. This final lap helps ensure you and your client are satisfied with the process.
Onboarding Pitfalls to Avoid
Even the most seasoned runners can stumble if they’re not careful. The same goes for onboarding new bookkeeping clients.
Here are four onboarding mistakes you should avoid:
Lacking Clear Communication
Without clear guidelines on how and when you’ll communicate, clients may feel neglected or frustrated. Remember that the more involved they are in the process, the more valued they feel as a customer.
Collecting Incomplete Data
Missing key documents like tax returns or financial statements is among the biggest time wasters in onboarding. After sending a bookkeeping onboarding questionnaire, follow up with your client so you have all the required data before you begin offering services.
Skipping the Scope of Work Discussion
Failing to define the scope of services can lead to unmet expectations. Clients may assume certain tasks are included that aren’t part of your agreement.
Fortunately, misunderstandings are avoidable. Clearly outline what services are provided, set boundaries, and document everything in a formal contract to prevent scope creep.
Delaying System Set Up
Waiting too long to set up software or file-sharing platforms can slow your team’s progress. Clients expect you to be prepared from day one. Prioritize setting up necessary tools early in the onboarding process to avoid unnecessary delays and show that you’re ready to deliver.
Onboard for Long-Term Success with TOA Global
In the end, client onboarding is about setting the pace for a successful long-term partnership. And a new bookkeeping client checklist like the one above ensures your process is on track. Edit it to make it your own, and you’ll see its impact on client retention.
Looking to streamline your bookkeeping onboarding process and deliver a world-class customer experience? Our offshore accountants might just be who you need! Schedule a call with us and let’s cross the finish line together.
