Telecom Onboarding Success Strategies

Your first 90 days with a customer can make or break the entire relationship. I've seen it happen too many times: - Great sales process - Solid product demo - Strong contract value - Excited stakeholders Then onboarding happens. And everything falls apart. Why? Most companies treat onboarding like a checklist: - Setup call ✓ - Product training ✓ - Technical integration ✓ - Documentation shared ✓ But here's the truth about onboarding: It's not about your process. It's about their success. After managing hundreds of onboarding sessions, here's what I've learned: The best onboarding isn't standard. It's personalized. Think about it: - Every customer has different goals - Every team has different challenges - Every organization has different paces - Every stakeholder has different priorities Your onboarding needs to reflect this. Here's what works: 1. Start with clear expectations - Define success metrics upfront - Set realistic timelines - Map out key milestones - Align on responsibilities 2. Build a dedicated team - Assign specialists who understand their industry - Create cross-functional support - Have clear escalation paths - Enable quick problem-solving 3. Monitor health signals - Track early usage patterns - Watch engagement levels - Note stakeholder participation - Measure progress velocity 4. Automate the right things - Regular check-in reminders - Progress updates - Resource sharing - Usage alerts But here's where most companies fail: They don't plan for challenges: - Low customer engagement - Complex technical integrations - Unclear success metrics - Resource constraints - Scalability issues The solution? Build feedback loops: - Collect input at every stage - Adjust plans based on signals - Iterate on materials - Improve processes continuously Remember: Onboarding isn't about getting customers to use your product. It's about helping them achieve their goals through your product. The first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. Make them count. What's your approach to customer onboarding? What challenges have you faced? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1993+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

Onboarding is killing your velocity, not hiring. Most #GCCs obsess over offer rollouts and interview velocity. Then Day 1 arrives and your star hire spends 2 weeks hunting VPN tokens, tool access and “who owns what.” That’s not culture; that’s a latency tax. What to fix (and what to measure): Time to First Meaningful Commit (TTFMC): Target: ≤ 7 days for engineers; ≤ 10 days for analysts to ship a first insight. If you don’t track it, you’re guessing. Access in One Hour, Not One Week: Pre-provision prod-safe sandboxes, repos, dashboards, experiment tools. If it needs an email chain, it needs a policy change. Onboarding Pods, Not Orientation Decks: Pair every new hire with a buddy + product owner + SRE for 14 days. Goal: one real task shipped, one pager rotation shadowed. 90-Day “Evidence > Excuses” Plan: Week 1: ship something tiny. Week 2–4: own a bug class or dashboard. Day 30–90: lead one small change end-to-end (with a post-ship write-up). Kill the Tool Maze: Publish a single launcher (links, creds, APIs, logs, style guides). If your new hire needs to ask “where is X?” twice, the doc is broken. Scoreboard to make this real (post it publicly in the #GCC): TTFMC median (weekly) % new hires shipping in Week 1 Access SLA met in 60 minutes Drop-off in “where is…” tickets after 30 days Bottom line: If Day 1–30 is chaos, your “cost arbitrage” evaporates into backfills and burnout. Make onboarding a product. Ship value in Week 1. Everything else is theatre

I improved retention and onboarding success by making a change to the first step in the onboarding process. A few years (and a few companies) ago, I made a small tweak to the way we onboarded new customers—a tweak that ended up making all the difference. We stopped diving headfirst into the technical implementation. Instead, we started with what I called a Partnership Kickoff. This one shift transformed the customer experience, boosting retention and improving onboarding success rates. Here’s why: The Partnership Kickoff brought intention to the relationship right from day one. Instead of rushing to “get things done,” we: 1️⃣ Engaged all the key stakeholders in the partnership 2️⃣ Discussed goals and confirmed success criteria upfront 3️⃣ Set proper expectations on BOTH sides 4️⃣ Clarified roles and responsibilities for onboarding and beyond 5️⃣ Created space to ask questions and address concerns This wasn’t just a feel-good meeting. It was about getting ahead of risks, ensuring alignment, and setting the stage for success. Here’s the secret sauce: ⚫️ Set expectations early Sales aligned on the importance of this meeting, and CSMs communicated the who, what, and why in their first email. ⚫️ Use a New Customer Intake Form We asked customers to provide key information upfront—no assumptions or overreliance on Sales handoffs. ⚫️ Prep the right way Sending the kickoff deck in advance meant our meeting focused on conversation, not presentations. ⚫️ Lead with goals and expectations Capturing customer goals was the priority, setting the tone for how we’d measure success. ⚫️ Clarify next steps We left every kickoff aligned on what happens next and who’s doing what. The result? Customers felt heard, understood, and set up for success. It wasn’t magic, but it sure felt like it. That small change? It delivered BIG impact—the kind every CS leader dreams about. Are you being intentional about how you’re starting your partnerships? If not, maybe it’s time to rethink step one. ________ 📣 If you liked my post, you’ll love my newsletter. Every week I share my learning, advice and strategies from my experience going from a CSM to CCO. Join 12k+ subscribers of The Journey and turn insights into action. Sign up on my profile.

Stop “welcoming” new hires. Give them a win in 30 days instead. When I first hired 8 years back, I thought the best onboarding was all about making new hires feel at home. I was wrong. New hires actually struggle with: → Understanding the business and their role. → Aligning with company culture and expectations. → Getting that first “win” to build momentum. → Building relationships with colleagues. I’ve now completely changed our onboarding process. The only goal is to get new hires to their “first win” fast. Instead of generic training, we work backward from their first big achievement. Here’s the framework: Step 1: Define the “first win” (within 30 days) Every new hire gets a specific, meaningful milestone. 1. It should be important enough that not doing it has a business impact. 2. Something that pushes them but is achievable with team collaboration. 3. It should give them real insight into how we operate. Our new Demand Gen Marketer’s first win was securing Market Development Funds (MDF) from a partner. To do this, they had to: - Work with our internal team. - Engage with a partner manager. - Propose a campaign relevant to both companies. This wasn’t just a task (it was a meaningful contribution). Step 2: Provide context (without overloading them) Most onboarding programs drown new hires in endless presentations. We limit training to what they need for their first win. 1. A 45-minute deep dive on the company’s journey, priorities, and challenges. 2. Targeted learning on only what’s relevant for their milestone. 3. Hands-on guidance instead of passive training. For the Demand Gen hire, we focused on: - Who the partner manager was and their priorities. - How the partnership worked. - What MDF campaigns typically get approved. Step 3: Align them with our work culture Culture isn't learned in a handbook. It’s experienced. Every new hire is paired with a mentor to guide them through: → Quality Standards → What "good" looks like in our company. → Processes & Tools → How we work and collaborate. → Feedback Loops → How we review, iterate, and improve. The result? New hires achieve something meaningful within their first month. They feel pride, momentum, and confidence (not just onboarding fatigue). Great onboarding isn’t about information. It’s about impact. 💡 How do you set up new hires for success?

Your customers don't care about your tasks. They care about outcomes. But most onboarding processes are just glorified to-do lists. → "Complete your profile." → "Upload your data." → "Schedule training sessions." → "Review documentation." That's not onboarding. That's busy work. When I was leading CS at Troops, I used to think a successful onboarding meant customers completed all our tasks on time. Check the boxes, move to the next phase. Then I started actually talking to customers who churned early. They'd say things like: "We did everything you asked, but we still don't see how this helps our business." That's when it hit me: customers have to see the entire plan to achieve success. Not a list of disjointed to-dos. They want to understand the journey from where they are today to where they want to be. And they want to see progress toward that outcome at every step. Here's how to flip your onboarding from task-focused to outcome-focused: 1. Start with their desired end state. What does success look like for them specifically? It’s not your generic definition of success — it’s theirs. 2. Map backwards from that outcome. What are the actual milestones they need to hit to get there? 3. Show them the connection. At every step, explain how this task moves them closer to their goal. 4. Celebrate progress toward outcomes, not task completion. "You're now 40% closer to reducing manual reporting" hits different than "You completed step 3 of 8." Customers aren't buying your product to complete your tasks. They're buying transformation. They're buying results. They’re buying completion of a job Your onboarding should be framed around that from day one.

"You guys are completely different from the last agency we worked with" Had a client kick-off call yesterday that reminded me why thorough onboarding matters. This prospect came to us after their previous outbound agency failed to deliver results. Interestingly, they didn't mention the failed partnership during discovery - it only came up during kick-off. Here's what we covered in our standard onboarding process: 1. Call Handoff Protocol Design Since we're booking meetings on their behalf, we mapped out: • Lead qualification criteria • Handoff timing and process • Context sharing between teams • Follow-up responsibility ownership 2. Post-meeting Follow-up Strategy For prospects who ghost after initial interest: • Their internal tea will handle phone follow-ups • We provide complete context: lead magnet interactions, email history, engagement patterns • Coordinated multi-touch approach without overlap 3. Objection Handling Framework We proactively identified: • Common objections specific to their industry • Pre-meeting concerns that kill bookings • Response strategies for each scenario • Team training on objection handling 4. Brand-aligned Copy Development Instead of templates, we: • Analyzed their existing messaging for tone and positioning • Developed new copy that matches their voice • Ensured alignment with their value proposition 5. Angle Testing Strategy Rather than super generic outreach, we designed: • 4 distinct testing angles based on different pain points • Hypothesis for why each angle might resonate • Testing methodology and success metrics • Optimization plan based on early results Halfway through the call, our client stopped us and said "You guys are completely different from the last agency we worked with." They were impressed by: • The depth of our research and preparation • Our strategic approach to testing angles vs. generic copy • The thoroughness of our onboarding process • Our willingness to push back when they instincts conflicted with best practices By the end of the call, they felt genuinely optimistic about the campaign's potential. The difference between average and exceptional service delivery isn't the tactics you use - it's the systems you build around client success. Most agencies focus on getting clients. Elite agencies focus on keeping them successful.

Most onboarding programs are too focused on checking the boxes. Provide login credentials, walk through benefits, introduce tools, share links to content. Of course these things matter, but if you think this is what a great onboarding looks like, you are focused on the wrong things. Do you want to ensure that every new hire is set up for success? Instead of going through the motions, focus on how you make people feel in the first few weeks. Here’s a list of things I do for new hires so they feel immediate support: ✅ Assign a peer. This can be someone who started at the same time or an experienced vet. It is ok for some of the conversations to be more social than professional. ✅ Schedule structured 1:1s across multiple departments. While these should be casual, be clear on expectations for both sides. ✅ Set small goals for new hires to own in the first 30 days. I tend to focus on learning goals. ✅ Minimum two check ins per day. One in the morning to talk about the plan for the day and an end of day check in for questions and feedback. ✅ Celebrate the little wins early. It’s all about momentum. Yes, this is resource intensive but it’s an investment. If you are truly excited to add someone to your team and you believe they will make an impact, the time spent during onboarding is paramount to their success. If you want to see a further breakdown on how I think about onboarding schedules, let me know!

What a monumental waste of time. 30% of employees leave during the first 90 days on the job (Job Seeker Nation 2023). That is ridiculous, expensive, and completely avoidable. Great onboarding isn't hard, it just takes a little intention. Try this... 01. It starts the second the contract is signed. Send them paperwork so they don’t have to spend their first day filling it out - things like payroll and tax forms, benefit applications. Include your employee handbook so you can address any of their concerns in advance. Send their equipment and passwords in advance to their home. Ensure they have an IT contact for any problems. 02. A few days before they start work... Send them a note sharing how excited you are to have them join your team. Let them know what time they need to arrive, where to park, who to ask for and what the dress code is. Send them an agenda for their first week so they know what to expect. 03. Announce your new hire to your current staff. Send an email to your current staff (cc the new employee) introducing their new co-worker about a week in advance. Share what the person’s role will be, include a headshot, a brief bio and something fun about the colleague so your team can welcome your new hire on their first day. Organize a team lunch for that day. 04. Set up their workstation before they arrive. Make sure they have someplace to land on their first day by getting their workstation set up. Consider leaving something to make them feel welcome, like notes from their new co-workers, notepads with the company logo or a coffee mug. 05. Set expectations early. On day 1, discuss what you need from them and what they’ll receive from the company to help them achieve their goals. Provide them with a detailed job description and a comprehensive list of their responsibilities - along with a 30/60/90 day plan that tells them what will be expected of them for each milestone. Discuss how their job fits into the bigger picture and helps the business meet its goals. 06. Check in frequently For the first month, the leader should meet with the employee at least once a week for regular check ins to identify any concerns early on and allow the employee time to ask questions and give feedback. 07. It's never too soon to discuss career aspirations. Talking to your new employee about their career aspirations tells them you care from the onset. It's a great time to discuss a longer term career plan.

Good Morning ☕ 67% of expansion opportunities die during onboarding. Not in renewal. Not in year 2. In the first 90 days. Here's why 👇 Traditional onboarding focuses on: ❌ Feature adoption ❌ User training ❌ Technical setup ❌ "Success" metrics Revenue-focused onboarding focuses on: ✅ Business outcome mapping ✅ Expansion roadmap creation ✅ Stakeholder expansion ✅ Growth conversation timing The difference is massive: Traditional approach: "Let's get you using the platform!" → 23% expansion rate in year 1 Revenue approach: "Let's map your growth goals to our capabilities" → 67% expansion rate in year 1 My Revenue Onboarding Framework: Week 1: Business case documentation  Week 2: Stakeholder expansion mapping Week 3: Growth goal alignment  Week 4: Expansion timeline creation Month 2: First expansion conversation  Month 3: Pilot expansion deployment The companies that expand aren't the ones who use your product best. They're the ones who see your product as their growth engine from day one. How does your onboarding set up expansion conversations? #CustomerOnboarding #RevenueGrowth #ExpansionRevenue #CustomerSuccess

Stuck with the 15-45-90 days ramp-up plan? Here is a structure to steal. Slide 1: First 15 days Goals - Understanding [Company]: Who we are, what we do, and how we do it? - Studying the market (Industry, Ideal customers, and Lost Deals): When people say “Yes”? And when they say “No”? - Practicing the pitch (family, friends, former clients) to build self-confidence How to achieve these goals? - Blocking coffee chats with key people from other departments (engine) - Discussing-Shawdowing Salespeople, and asking all the questions - Reading the Playbook every day and taking notes Success criteria: You have the big picture of how the company's engine works and master a 30-second customer pitch. ___ Slide 2: Next 30 days Goals - Identifying competitors: When to use them? When to use us? - Starting taking inbound leads-calls: from preparing to practicing - Trying things, failing, trying again, and succeeding - ultimately learning How to achieve these goals? - Breaking down your objectives into daily actions for consistent efforts - Learning from existing and lost customers, adding stories - Continuing reading the Playbook and taking notes every day Success criteria: You generate at least 80% of the monthly onboarding target and master a 90-second customer pitch. ___ Slide 3: Next 45 days Goals - Understanding the market, the ICPs-Personas, their ambitions-challenges, and what they can achieve with the Product - Dealing with your outreach and being relevant when engaging prospects - Being self-confident and completely comfortable in client meetings How to achieve these goals? - Creating routines to accomplish actions that lead to goals - Starting creating a network of experts (other salespeople, customers, industry experts) with whom you discuss market trends and best practices - Participating in the Playbook optimization Success criteria: You generate at least 80% of the monthly onboarding target and master a 5-minute presentation about the company and Product. ___ Works fine in Mid-Market and can be adapted to SMB (facing prospects faster) & Enterprise (adding account mapping and multithreading).