Customer onboarding is one of the key phases in a startup’s relationship with its customers, and for startups that want to scale quickly, getting this right is essential. But manual onboarding can last for a very long time and it’s prone to errors, especially as you start getting more customers.
This is where intelligent automation (IA) comes in; it automates key tasks like data collection, document verification, and personalized customer engagement.
With IA, your startup can streamline onboarding, free up time for you and your employees, and improve customer experience from day one.
In fact, before we begin, it is important to understand that 75% of users are inclined to abandon a product if it’s hard for them to understand the product within one week. This data alone (from the SMS Country report) shows just how important it is for startups implementing IA to create a smoother onboarding experience.
The 4 Stages of Customer Onboarding and Automation Opportunities
A successful customer onboarding process has a few key stages and each of them is extremely important to make sure that your new customers have a smooth experience as they start using your product or service.
The problem with these stages is that a lot of them involve a lot of repetitive tasks and are prone to human error, especially in fast-paced startups where resources are stretched thin. IA can help in each of these stages; we’ll show you how.
- Data Collection and Verification
Collecting and verifying customer data is the first and one of the most critical steps in onboarding.
If you try to manually collect information like names, contact details, and ID documents, it will take you a long time, plus your concentration will have to be impeccable to get everything right and not make mistakes.
Mistakes lead to delays, frustration on the customer’s end, and compliance issues for your business. IA tools, like the ones on Abbyy Process Mining, can make this process simpler and easier because they can automatically collect all data.
For example, automation systems can extract information from documents like IDs and proofs of address, instantly validate them against trusted databases, and flag the ones that seem off.
Based on the State of Connected Customer report, we can see that 58% of customers say that it is absolutely critical to receive a personalized experience when interacting with a company/brand.
- Account Setup and Configuration
Once all customer data is collected, next is setting up accounts or profiles.
Again, if you try to do this manually, it will take you a long time plus you’re likely to make mistakes because you’ll need to enter all names and configure settings to meet individual preferences. It’s very repetitive and the slightest oversight during the setup can cause issues down the line.
If you automate this phase, you’ll save a lot of time, and you won’t need to worry about errors. Automation tools will fill out customer information, generate their credentials, and configure accounts based on pre-set rules or customer preferences.
- Personalized Onboarding Content and Training
Every customer has their own expectations and needs, so you can’t go with the one-size-fits-all approach. Personalized content, like targeted tutorials and/or training sessions can make a big difference in how quickly and successfully customers adopt your product.
IA can help deliver a highly personalized interaction. Based on the customer’s behavior and preferences, it can send customized emails, tutorials, or product guides to help users get the most out of the platform.
For example, if a customer is having trouble with a particular feature, an automated system can trigger a step-by-step guide or a video tutorial tailored to what they need.
- Compliance and Handling Documents
Compliance is critical, especially for startups operating in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, or insurance. Collecting documents and storing them securely will make sure you’ve met all the regulatory requirements, but this part can be very tricky.
Automated systems can make this process a lot simpler because they can manage compliance and documentation. IA tools will collect all the required documents during onboarding, store them safely, and verify them in line with regulatory standards.
They can also provide automatic alerts if some documents are missing or if compliance requirements change.
According to Userpilot, startups that adopt IA for manual documentation handling report a 15-20% reduction of service costs.
How to Implement IA in Your Startup’s Onboarding
The first thing to do is to assess what you’re currently working on, which would be your system. Map out each step of onboarding and see where the delays and inefficiencies occur to see which areas could benefit from automation.
Once you’ve pinpointed those, the next step is to choose the right tools, and those would be the ones that match the specific needs of your business. Make sure the tools you choose are scalable so that they can grow alongside your business.
After you’ve selected the tools, you need to integrate them with your systems, like your CRM or customer service platforms. You’ll need to make sure that data flows freely between the platforms, which means you’ll probably need a professional to set everything up.
Keep in mind, though, automation isn’t just something you set up and then forget about. You should monitor the automated onboarding process to make sure everything works correctly, and you should also collect feedback from customers to fine-tune the IA tools over time.
Conclusion
IA will reduce the amount of manual work there is to do, and you won’t need to worry about making mistakes. It will offer personalized content to your customers and make the whole onboarding process a lot more pleasant – both for you and for the customer.
According to Forbes, 84% of businesses looking to improve customer experience saw an increase in revenue. This shows just how effective and worthwhile implementing IA can be for the success of your company.
If you choose the right tools and keep an eye on it, your system will stay ahead of competition and your customers will be happier with your service.
