ReportWire

Tag: Onboarding

  • Why Growth Turns HR Into a Founder Problem

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    The first thing growth takes from founders is not money. It is attention. At some point, usually earlier than expected, entrepreneurs realize they are spending more time clarifying pay, contracts, roles, and responsibilities than thinking about customers, strategy, or growth. None of these interruptions feel serious on their own. Together, they quietly slow the business down. 

    Most founders misread this moment. They assume it is a temporary mess. A side effect of hiring fast. Something that will settle once the next milestone is reached. If this feels familiar, it is because almost every growing company passes through this phase and most do not notice it until it has already changed how the business feels to run. It rarely does settle. 

    When informality stops working 

    What is actually happening is structural. Informal people systems that worked when the company was small are starting to collapse under complexity. HR has stopped being background admin and started becoming growth infrastructure. 

    Elite organizations encounter this moment early because the consequences of getting it wrong are immediate. When Arsenal Football Club, one of the world’s most recognizable soccer organizations, announced a partnership naming Deel as its official HR platform partner this week, the decision was not about branding or sponsorship. It was about control. Operating at speed, across borders, and under scrutiny requires systems that remove ambiguity before it spreads. 

    With the men’s World Cup coming to North America next year, global soccer is drawing increased attention from U.S. investors and executives. However, the relevance of this example has little to do with sport. It has to do with pressure. Organizations that operate under it cannot afford people chaos. 

    Fast-growing small and medium-sized enterprises face the same inflection point. They just experience it later and with less warning. Early on, founders are the system. They know who is paid what, who is contracted how, and which exceptions exist. Decisions are informal. Questions are answered quickly. The business moves fast because the founder holds everything together. 

    Growth changes that. Distance appears. Employment types multiply. Regulations vary. A contractor becomes an employee. Someone works from another state or country. Payroll slips once. A question arrives that no one can answer with confidence. 

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    Benjamin Laker

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  • Inside look: Frost Bank’s AI and payments strategy | Bank Automation News

    Inside look: Frost Bank’s AI and payments strategy | Bank Automation News

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    Frost Bank is investing in its AI, payments and customer onboarding experience to remain competitive and penetrate new markets.  In the second quarter, the $49 billion San Antonio-based bank upped its technology spend 8% year over year to $35.9 million, according to its July 25 earnings report. “We have plans to use AI … [and] […]

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    Vaidik Trivedi

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  • Gant Travel Turbo Charges Onboarding With ’15-Minute Implementation’ Process

    Gant Travel Turbo Charges Onboarding With ’15-Minute Implementation’ Process

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    BLOOMINGTON, Ind., June 25, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Gant Travel, a leader in the travel management industry, is proud to announce the launch of its innovative “15-minute implementation” process, transforming the client onboarding experience. This breakthrough is the result of years of experience, during which Gant onboarded an average of 400 accounts annually, and will now provide a path for new clients to use its travel management platform within 15 minutes of completing the required information in an online booking tool.

    Historically, client onboarding at most travel management companies required numerous hours of detailed work to populate critical travel program information across a variety of disconnected systems. At Gant, a dedicated team of implementation specialists managed this process with meticulous attention to detail. The necessity to automate these manual tasks was obvious to even the most casual of observers. Gant’s innovation has freed its implementation specialists from mundane tasks, allowing them to provide more valuable services during the onboarding process, such as sharing best practices and aligning travel policy with company culture. This enables Gant to configure the complex systems of a modern travel program to drive desired results for new clients almost instantaneously, improving the customer experience and reducing the lag time for the client to achieve its desired return on investment on a managed travel program.

    By leveraging experience from thousands of client implementations, Gant Travel’s developers have engineered a state-of-the-art solution using advanced scripting and AI to streamline what is normally a complex process. This technology seamlessly integrates travel policy and vendor data into the quality control system, significantly reducing the need for manual intervention and cutting labor costs by more than 80%. As a result, from the time a new customer finishes entering information into the online booking tool of choice, all technology systems are updated, allowing new accounts to book travel within 15 minutes. Using its CRM as the central repository of truth combined with enhanced fraud detection automation, Gant Travel has improved not only the efficiency and customer experience of the implementation process but also significantly increased security and fraud detection.

    Gant Travel’s “15-minute implementation” model integrates with industry online booking tools, including two designed by Gant. After an account passes the AI-powered fraud detection process, the new implementation process ensures that clients using Gant’s TripCircuit, an online booking tool specifically designed for the needs of small to medium-sized enterprises, and GantTogether, a meeting management tool that applies meeting travel policy at the attendee level, have a seamless, rapid, and hassle-free implementation experience. This ensures an organization’s travelers can quickly begin harnessing the benefits of a managed travel program. 

    “This achievement underscores Gant’s overarching mission: to become the best travel management company on the planet for the travel champion, the traveler, and the accounting team,” said Donna Schmidt, Gant Travel’s Director of Travel Solutions and Integrations. “We are thrilled to offer this groundbreaking solution to our clients and look forward to the enhanced efficiency and satisfaction it will bring.”

    Note: Gant is a carbon-conscious company, and this innovation does not actually use an internal combustion engine or a physical turbocharger. If it did, Gant would use some sort of bio-friendly fuel for it.

    About Gant Travel

    Gant Travel helps travelers enhance their experience while controlling the expense of business travel. Gant’s “digital forward capabilities” provide advanced technology, processes, and highly trained people to coordinate business travel properly. Gant has been recognized multiple times for its innovative approaches, winning the Concur Innovation award twice and being listed on the Inc 5000. Gant is also currently ranked #30 on Travel Weekly’s Annual Power List. More information about Gant Travel can be found at www.ganttravel.com.

    Source: Gant Travel

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  • Podcast: Broadridge Financial Services | Bank Automation News

    Podcast: Broadridge Financial Services | Bank Automation News

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    Financial institutions are implementing technology throughout the customer experience, including account opening, servicing and even transactions, but banks also need to know if clients are having problems navigating digital offerings.

    That’s where engagement results, client monitoring and customer surveys come in, Debbie Miglaw, head of digital business development at Broadridge Financial Services, tells Bank Automation News on this episode of “The Buzz” podcast.

    Banks can access client feedback by using technology to listen, she said, and they can use data to determine how clients are interacting with digital options.

    Are clients dropping off at any point of digital account opening? Or is there friction in digital check depositing? Banks are already collecting metrics on their technology use, and they can use that data to measure whether the technology they have releases is successful, Miglaw said.

    Listen as Broadridge’s Miglaw discusses how banks can improve the customer experience by leaning on data and insights.

    Subscribe to The Buzz Podcast on  iTunes, Spotify, Google podcasts, or download the episode. 

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    Whitney McDonald

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  • Cashfree Payments partners with NPCI to launch customer onboarding feature

    Cashfree Payments partners with NPCI to launch customer onboarding feature

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    Fintech company Cashfree Payments has launched ‘AutoPay on QR’ in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

    The feature helps in the customer onboarding process through a two-step workflow of scanning the QR code and approving an e-mandate via UPI apps within 30 seconds.

    The company said that ‘AutoPay on QR’ eliminates the necessity to download an app or register on the website and directly activates a unique subscription for each customer.

    Cashfree Payments’ AutoPay on QR would enable subscription-based businesses to enhance customer acquisition, support retention, and facilitate rapid growth, said the company statement.

    “This will help the merchants convert their users into lifetime customers by making it easier for users to pay. Our commitment remains centered on addressing the needs of businesses, driving the development of innovative and efficient solutions that enhance their operational effectiveness, and fostering rapid growth,” said Akash Sinha, CEO and co-founder, Cashfree Payments.

    The company said that it enables more than 3,00,000 businesses with payment collections, vendor payouts, wage payouts, bulk refunds, expense reimbursements, loyalty, and rewards.

    Apart from India, its products are used in eight other countries, including the USA, Canada, and the UAE.

    Backed by Y Combinator, Apis Partners, the State Bank of India (SBI), and incubated by PayPal, Cashfree Payments has raised a total of $42 million in funding over five rounds.

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  • Want to Onboard Like a Pro? Here are 5 Ways to Retain Good Clients and Staff | Entrepreneur

    Want to Onboard Like a Pro? Here are 5 Ways to Retain Good Clients and Staff | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In my many years of running my own PR agency, I’ve experienced a lot of hiccups when it comes to onboarding. And if I’m being honest, I must admit I caused most of those hiccups. I’m just not particularly good at it — it’s not one of my strong suits.

    Though fine-tuning my onboarding techniques is a work in progress, it doesn’t come naturally to me. Once I find a potential team member I like or I’ve got a hot lead on a potential client, my tendency is just to jump into the deep end, all enthusiasm and “we’ll figure it out as we go along” and very little step-by-step processing that would pave the way for a mutually beneficial and lasting connection.

    On occasion, the “winging it” approach might work. But usually, it doesn’t. So I recently looked closely at my firm’s onboarding procedures from the inside out, which yielded some interesting insights. Before I share them, it’s important to note that the objectives here could not be more straightforward: Regarding internal onboarding, the goal is incorporating a new staffer into a welcoming and positive work environment. When it comes to external onboarding, the goal is as simple as keeping the client happy. That’s it. That’s the end game. Here’s how to win it.

    Related: The Secrets Behind Successful Employee Onboarding

    Winning steps for internal onboarding

    1. Immediately upon bringing a new staffer on board, express gratitude for their contribution. Acknowledge the skills that led you to hire them, tell them how those skills will bolster team efforts and make them feel like you’re lucky to have them, not vice versa. Everybody wants to feel valued at work, even from the very first day.
    2. Pay on time and pay above-market rates. This one may sound like a no-brainer, but small businesses sometimes don’t have automated payroll in place to ensure timely payment. Landlords and banks don’t accept delays, so don’t chase promising new hires away with delays of your own making. As for salary, a higher-than-market rate will often secure you better-than-average talent, but if you can’t afford that right now, other forms of compensation work equally well to solidify employee buy-in, like half-day Fridays, remote work options, the use of company equipment, and a results-based bonus plan.
    3. Provide an overview of the organizational structure, preferably in the form of an org chart. This is essential. People need to know where they fit in to feel like they fit in.
    4. Allow the individual’s abilities to shine bright by supplementing and supporting their output. Here at RPR, every piece of content that is written for our clients passes my desk and is copyedited/proofed by our editorial support people. At first, my content writers sometimes balk at being reviewed, but it’s a win-win for everybody when our customer reviews come back glowing about error-free and accurate assets. Teach your team to, lead your team to and support one another in their roles, not just fulfill their own.
    5. Check in with your people for no reason. For no reason at all. Just send a text, write an email or call to regularly reach out to them to (a) ask how things are going — do they need any support and (b) reinforce continual messaging of how fortunate you feel to have them on board.

    Related: Are You Guilty of Poor Onboarding? The Consequences Are Worse Than You Think.

    Winning steps for customer/client onboarding:

    1. Send a warm introductory email detailing what the client can expect for your initial engagement. Having this in writing can avoid many explanatory phone calls, provide a tangible form of your commitment, and assure the client that they’ve entered a functional, efficient workflow.
    2. Continue to send a chain of emails to follow up; first, to ask the client to confirm that they received the last communiqué you sent them; second, to always open a window for them to write back with questions or concerns.
    3. Go beyond the to-do list. It may be enough just to do your job or what you were hired to do. But to retain long-term B2B clients, why stop there? Be exceptional by exceeding expectations with unanticipated gestures, like forwarding an article of interest, sending the client something that reminded you of them, providing them with referrals or having flowers or lunch delivered for a special occasion.
    4. Speaking of which, recall step #1 for your internal onboarding: Showing gratitude to your client base, as well, is a little action that generates a big reaction. Sending a thank-you note is the simplest but tremendously significant way to let someone know how much you appreciate their business.
    5. Finally, another repeat: Check-in for no reason. You can never go wrong with any contact in the business world by being reliably present, open-eared, and always interested in how they’re feeling about your relationship status. Some people are afraid to initiate unnecessary contact if they receive negative feedback. Better to catch any lapses that are occurring so you can attend to and remedy them than to lose the client based on a lack of authentic communication.

    As I see it, onboarding is the “honeymoon phase” of any business relationship. Once you’re united with this business partner under mutually agreed-upon terms, you want to have fun with them, go places with them in a favorable climate and create and sustain a memorable impression that will fuel and ground your future interactions. Basically, you want to start things off on the best possible footing to point the way toward a smooth and successful venture ahead together.

    So put some effort into planning every onboarding process per new contact, just like you would map out your honeymoon destination and activities. The advanced planning and customized blueprint will lay a strong, solid foundation on which the relationship can continue to grow and expand in positive, productive, and fruitful ways for years to come.

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    Emily Reynolds Bergh

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  • Huntington originates more than half of loans with e-contracting | Bank Automation News

    Huntington originates more than half of loans with e-contracting | Bank Automation News

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    Huntington Auto Finance is leaning on digital channels to speed funding and improve consumer experiences.   More than half of Huntington auto loan originations are completed through e-contracting, Rich Porrello, president of auto finance and dealer services at the bank, told Auto Finance News, a sister publication to Bank Automation News.  “We’ve made [e-contracting] a priority because it’s a better experience […]

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    Riley Wolfbauer

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  • Are You Guilty of Poor Onboarding? The Consequences Are Worse Than You Think. | Entrepreneur

    Are You Guilty of Poor Onboarding? The Consequences Are Worse Than You Think. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Starting a new job is like diving into a swimming pool. A refreshing and invigorating dive can make for a memorable experience, while a belly flop can leave you in pain and feeling embarrassed. The onboarding process is the dive, and just like a dive, when done poorly, it can leave lasting consequences on new hires, especially remote and hybrid workers. A recent survey by Paychex reveals the effects of poor onboarding on new employees and their inclination to stick around.

    First impressions matter: The onboarding experience

    Picture this: You’re attending a party, and the host greets you with a warm welcome, introduces you to the guests, and offers you a drink. You’d feel comfortable and well-received, right? Onboarding should be like that — a seamless, positive and engaging experience. But the reality is different for many employees.

    Only 52% of new hires feel satisfied with their onboarding experience, with 32% finding it confusing and 22% disorganized. Remote workers fare worse, with 36% of them finding the process baffling. It’s like trying to assemble an IKEA furniture without the instructions.

    Interestingly, 54% of finance industry employees are most likely to be satisfied with their onboarding experience, compared to only 31% of employees in the business industry. Generationally, Gen Zers are the happiest (62%) while Gen Xers lag behind (43%). This generational gap is a crucial factor for HR departments to consider while designing their onboarding processes.

    Related: 3 Steps for Onboarding Remote and In-Person Employees That Make Your Hybrid Team More Collaborative

    Onboarding gone wrong: The fallout

    A poor onboarding experience is like an ill-fitting shoe; it leaves employees feeling uncomfortable and dejected. The most significant impact is that 52% of new hires feel undertrained, with small company employees (66%) and remote workers (63%) suffering the most. It’s like trying to win a marathon with flip-flops.

    The generational factor also plays a role, with 58% of Gen X feeling undertrained compared to 45% of millennials. Addressing these gaps is vital for companies to retain their workforce and maintain productivity.

    Pushing new hires out the door

    An undertrained and disoriented new hire is like a fish out of water — they’ll flop around, gasping for air, and looking for an escape. In this case, escape means quitting. A staggering 50% of newly hired employees plan to leave their job soon, skyrocketing to 80% for those feeling undertrained due to poor onboarding. On the flip side, only 7% of well-trained employees plan to leave soon.

    Size does matter, as small-company employees are more likely to quit (59%) compared to those in large companies (38%). Surprisingly, despite feeling satisfied with their onboarding, Gen Zers are the most likely to plan a swift exit (58%). It seems that onboarding is a crucial make-or-break experience for new hires, particularly for older generations.

    Re-onboarding is like giving your employees a second chance at a first impression. By taking all employees through the onboarding process again, you can re-engage and revitalize your team. The results are impressive: employees become more focused (47%), energized (42%), productive (34%), and efficient (33%). Plus, re-onboarding increases employee retention by a whopping 43%.

    Case studies of poor onboarding

    I’ve seen a number of case studies of poor onboarding harming companies. For example, a middle-market SaaS firm experienced high turnover rates among its remote and hybrid employees due to a poorly executed onboarding process. New hires were not provided with clear guidelines, expectations or adequate training. As a result, employees felt undertrained and undervalued, leading to a lack of engagement and commitment to the organization. Within six months, the company saw a 60% turnover rate among remote and hybrid employees, leading to significant recruitment and training costs.

    A large marketing agency encountered growth challenges due to its poor onboarding process for remote and hybrid workers. New employees were not equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their roles, leading to subpar work quality and missed deadlines. The company’s reputation suffered as clients became dissatisfied with the level of service provided. The agency struggled to attract new clients and retain existing ones, which hindered its growth and expansion plans.

    A mid-sized financial services firm faced compliance issues due to poor onboarding of its remote and hybrid employees. The onboarding process did not adequately cover essential policies, procedures, and legal requirements, leading to errors and oversights by the new hires. The firm was eventually penalized by regulatory bodies for non-compliance, causing financial strain and damage to their professional reputation.

    In each of these case studies, the organizations faced significant challenges due to poor onboarding of remote and hybrid workers. Proper onboarding is crucial to ensure employee satisfaction, productivity, and company success in today’s increasingly remote and hybrid work environments.

    The psychological pitfalls of onboarding

    In addition to the logistical challenges of onboarding new remote and hybrid hires, cognitive biases can also play a significant role in shaping the experience. These biases can cloud judgment, hinder decision-making, and create misconceptions about new employees’ performance and potential. Let’s explore two specific cognitive biases and their impact on the onboarding process: the halo effect and optimism bias.

    The halo effect occurs when an individual’s positive qualities or achievements in one area influence our perception of them in other areas. In the context of onboarding, a new hire with an impressive resume or a glowing recommendation might be seen as more competent and capable than they actually are. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a lack of appropriate training and support during the onboarding process.

    For example, a remote employee who is an expert in their field may be assumed to excel in all aspects of their job, including time management and communication skills. However, they may struggle with the unique challenges of remote work, such as staying organized and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Failing to recognize these potential shortcomings due to the halo effect can lead to insufficient support and training, ultimately affecting the new hire’s performance and job satisfaction.

    To combat the halo effect, it’s essential to provide equal training and support to all new hires, regardless of their past achievements or qualifications. This ensures that each employee receives the necessary resources to succeed in their role, setting them up for long-term success.

    Optimism bias is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of positive outcomes and underestimate the probability of negative ones. In the onboarding process, this bias can manifest in several ways, such as underestimating the time and resources required for effective onboarding or assuming that new employees will easily adapt to their new work environment without much support.

    For instance, a manager might be overly optimistic about a hybrid employee’s ability to balance their time between the office and remote work. This misplaced confidence can result in inadequate training and support, causing the employee to struggle with time management, communication and collaboration.

    To counter optimism bias, it’s crucial to approach the onboarding process with a realistic mindset, recognizing the potential challenges that new hires might face, especially in remote and hybrid work settings. By proactively addressing these issues and providing appropriate training and resources, you can create a more supportive and successful onboarding experience for your new employees.

    Related: 7 Common Customer Onboarding Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

    How to optimize your onboarding process

    Having worked with a number of large and middle-market companies to optimize their onboarding process for hybrid and remote staff, I can say that a successful onboarding process should be like a warm embrace, making new employees feel welcomed, informed and valued. By refining the onboarding process, you can boost employee retention, morale and productivity. Customizable onboarding software and tailored approaches can help create a smoother experience for all employees, especially remote and hybrid workers who require extra attention. By focusing on the unique needs of employees in different industries, generations, and company sizes, you can ensure that everyone has the support and resources they need to succeed.

    Here are some tips to enhance your onboarding process:

    1. Prepare a comprehensive onboarding plan

    A well-structured onboarding plan is like a roadmap, guiding new hires through their initial days and setting them up for success. Outline the goals, key milestones and timelines for new employees, ensuring that they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

    2. Assign buddies or mentors

    Pairing new hires with experienced colleagues can provide invaluable support and guidance during the onboarding process. This mentorship can help them quickly navigate the company culture and address any concerns they may have, fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie.

    3. Offer continuous training and support

    Onboarding isn’t a one-time event, but an ongoing process. Regularly provide new hires with opportunities for growth, skill development and support, ensuring they feel well-equipped to tackle their roles. This can be particularly crucial for remote and hybrid employees who may need additional resources to succeed in a virtual work environment.

    4. Encourage open communication

    Establish a culture of open communication, encouraging new hires to ask questions, share their thoughts and seek help when needed. This can help employees feel more comfortable in their roles and promote a sense of trust and transparency within the team.

    5. Gather feedback and iterate

    As with any process, there’s always room for improvement. Gather feedback from new hires on their onboarding experience and use this insight to fine-tune your process. By continually iterating and adapting, you can ensure that your onboarding experience remains fresh, relevant, and effective.

    Related: 5 Best-Practice Tips for Onboarding Remote Employees

    Conclusion

    A thoughtful and engaging onboarding experience is the foundation for employee success, particularly for remote and hybrid workers who face unique challenges. By investing in a comprehensive onboarding process and providing ongoing support, companies can foster a motivated, well-trained and loyal workforce that is ready to contribute to the organization’s growth and success. Just like a well-executed dive, the right onboarding process can make a splash and leave a lasting impression on your new hires.

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    Gleb Tsipursky

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  • 4 Ways Marketing Can Improve the Customer Onboarding Process | Entrepreneur

    4 Ways Marketing Can Improve the Customer Onboarding Process | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Digital identity verification is a critical step in customer onboarding, especially for businesses operating in highly regulated industries such as financial services or payments.

    However, the traditional methods of identity verification, such as a person reviewing government-issued IDs or conducting manual background checks, can be time-consuming and expensive. Onboarding is an opportunity for businesses to make a strong first impression, but those methods can lead to poor user experiences and customer abandonment. Yet if onboarding processes are not well-designed, they can open the door for fraudsters and lead to significant financial losses.

    In the current economic environment, companies are striving to onboard the right customers at the right costs. That requires help from all areas of the business, and it’s where marketing can play a role.

    Marketing is all about understanding customer needs and behaviors and using that information to create strategies that help businesses achieve their goals. By applying marketing principles to identity verification at user onboarding, businesses can make the process more efficient and create positive customer experiences that build trust, enhance the brand reputation and reduce abandonment.

    When responsible, ethical marketing intersects with identity verification at onboarding, customers and businesses can reap the benefits. Here are four ways that can happen.

    Related: 7 Strategies to Revamp Your Customer Onboarding

    1. Simplifies the verification process

    The marketing team can help its colleagues simplify identity verification by providing clear, concise instructions to users so they know exactly what to do and are more at ease during onboarding. That can be especially helpful for those who may not be familiar with the verification process or who may have limited access to technology. The right tone and voice from marketing can help a user through a daunting process while leaving a positive association with the brand.

    Recent research from Trulioo, for instance, found that 53% of payment service providers consider empathy — showing an understanding of customer needs, concerns and values — a top factor in building trust through identity verification. The same research showed that 92% of consumers consider empathy to be as important or more important during onboarding, compared with how they felt two to three years ago.

    Marketing also can support product design teams as they create intuitive user interfaces that guide customers through the verification process step by step. For example, businesses can use visual cues, such as progress bars or check marks, to indicate to customers their progress in the verification process. Those cues can create positive experiences that encourage customers to complete onboarding. When the cues use a visual system that aligns with a company’s brand promise, yet another strong positive association is made between the company and customer.

    2. Creates a sense of urgency

    Marketing can help create a sense of urgency around the verification process. For example, businesses can use messaging that emphasizes the importance of verifying identity, such as highlighting how it helps prevent fraud.

    When it’s appropriate, businesses can use techniques such as countdown timers or limited-time offers to give customers a stronger sense of engagement with the onboarding journey. Offering incentives for completing the verification process can encourage users to continue through the onboarding steps. This may not make sense in all industries, but it can help reduce the number of people who abandon the onboarding process.

    Related: 7 Common Customer Onboarding Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

    3. Builds trust

    Identity verification is a critical element in building trust between a business and its customers. By verifying digital identities, businesses create a safer environment for customers.

    Marketing can convey that message clearly throughout onboarding to enhance the brand reputation and ensure customers understand exactly why they’re providing information for verification. The messaging can emphasize the security benefits or leverage social proof, such as customer reviews or testimonials, to demonstrate the process is secure and efficient.

    That type of communication can pave the way for positive user experiences and customers who believe the company is taking steps to ensure their security and data privacy. When companies showcase their commitment to a secure digital environment, customers are more likely to trust the process and provide the necessary onboarding information.

    Businesses also can use branding elements such as logos or color schemes to create a consistent and recognizable user experience. That can help reinforce the business’s brand identity and create trust with customers.

    4. Builds personalized and customized experiences

    Businesses can leverage marketing tactics to personalize and customize identity verification workflows. When a company understands its customers’ needs and behaviors, it can tailor onboarding steps to each person, striking the balance between security and meeting consumer expectations for speed and convenience.

    Personalization can also give people the feeling that a business really knows them, such as when it greets them by name or uses messaging specific to their industry or interests. Those nuanced techniques can create more engaging experiences that encourage users to complete the verification process.

    Related: How to Turn Strangers into Loyal Customers With User Onboarding

    Marketing forms the foundation of long-lasting relationships

    Harnessing best-in-class marketing techniques for the identity verification process can create a more positive onboarding experience and strengthen the relationship between businesses and their customers.

    When businesses truly leverage this type of holistic approach, they can realize the benefits of increased customer satisfaction, retention and trust. Clear communication, an engaging process and personalized experiences help ensure businesses onboard the customers they want while building trust and confidence in the brand.

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    Dawn Crew

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  • The Power of Franchisee Training Videos | Entrepreneur

    The Power of Franchisee Training Videos | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Franchisors love to tout the training and support offered to franchisees in their system, which is designed to provide an education on the ownership and operation of their respective brands. It’s vital to communicate the instructions that make up the corporate training process, as the majority of franchise concepts make the valid claim that prior industry experience isn’t necessary to run the business models. But when job safety and accident prevention are often key components, you simply can’t underestimate the value and importance of training new franchisees.

    This is why some franchisors go all out during the onboarding phase. Many have developed elaborate programs, billed as “[insert brand here] University,” that provide countless hours of classroom and on-the-job training sessions. But are these dry, classroom-style sessions truly the most effective – and cost-efficient – way to reach new franchisees?

    In search of a better and more cost-effective solution to training new franchisees, should brands consider transitioning their valuable resources and money elsewhere? Below makes the case for using video as the primary medium.

    Related: 4 Big Benefits of Improved Employee Training

    What’s at stake

    Training new franchisees on operating a business model where they often have no prior experience requires a serious and sober approach, especially if new owners plan to handle the day-to-day operations. For instance, you can’t expect a former CPA to run a pest-control franchise without first communicating the associated risks and hazards that come with handling dangerous and harmful pesticides and chemicals. Just the same, a successful medical device sales executive has no business operating a chainsaw at great heights soon after purchasing a tree-trimming franchise. In both of these cases, communicating the associated workplace risks is every bit as important as teaching new franchisees how to acquire new customers and manage online ad campaigns.

    The value propositions of video

    What franchisors should value more than any other aspect of the training process is engagement. And securing the right level of engagement requires a training program that’s interesting, informative and even appealing. If franchisees find the instruction to be entertaining and enjoyable, they’re much more likely to retain the knowledge you’re trying to communicate. Forrester Research has conducted studies that reveal employees are 75% more likely to watch a video than read documents, web articles or emails. And thanks to the repetition and sharing that videos allow, retention rates rise, increasing trainees’ ability to remember details and concepts.

    One study, undertaken by the SAVO Group, found that — in the absence of video learning — employees were unable to retain as much as 65% of the material presented. Instructional video also allows for consistent messaging, meaning the information franchisors need to convey is absorbed equally by viewers. Lastly, the use of video — an effective, portable and engaging medium — also comes with metrics, allowing franchisors to track views, sharing, comments and even downloads. Why the discrepancies in effectiveness? Most experts attribute this to a theory known as The Cone of Experience, which holds that individuals can recall up to 50% of what is presented to them. If that sounds discouraging, the recall rate is 30% for what they see, 20% for what they hear and only 10% for what they’ve read.

    Related: How to Scale Your Training with Video and Learning Management Systems

    Is eLearning a thing?

    The sudden onset of the global pandemic brought radical changes to many industries and business channels that needed to adapt quickly to the public health threat. Education, with its pivot to online, or eLearning, offers one of the strongest examples. But is eLearning a thing? Video-based instruction and visual learning entered the mainstream almost overnight, and the results have been intriguing.

    Businesses and organizations are in near-total agreement that videos help them train their employees better and faster, and they plan to continue using the medium as part of their overall digital learning strategy. The flexibility that comes with video instruction has proven invaluable. Through video learning, users have the ability to pause, rewind and even rewatch content — giving the viewer full control over learning and comprehension of the proposed subject matter.

    How video saves time, money and resources

    The current training programs and onboarding platforms offered by many franchisors require the repetition of expenses in time, money and resources. It’s a time-consuming process, but transitioning to video could eliminate a majority of repetitive fixed costs. There are no scheduling conflicts or plane tickets to secure for instructors or franchise trainees. There are no venues to book, rooms to reserve or meals to cater. In fact, with the simplicity that comes from video training, trainees can absorb the required instruction whenever and wherever they choose — including the comfort of their own homes.

    As industries across the spectrum continue their rapid transformation to an all-digital world, the portability, engagement and effectiveness of video will play a central role in the comprehension of valuable information. The world of franchising is particularly suited to take advantage of the benefits that video production offers, and they go well beyond training programs. Many leading brands, as well as several upstart and emerging concepts, are already reaping the benefits of integrating video into their platforms. Video has become an effective tool for franchise development, recruitment, training, sales, customer acquisition and even ongoing support. Those that have invested in high-quality, brand-specific content for numerous franchise programs and initiatives will continue to reap the whirlwind of success associated with a powerful and consistent medium — video production.

    Related: How to Create A Video-Based Employee Onboarding Program To Maximize New Hire Productivity

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    Trevor Rappleye

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  • The 4 Principles of Onboarding for Product-Led Growth Platforms

    The 4 Principles of Onboarding for Product-Led Growth Platforms

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As the product-led growth (PLG) motion becomes increasingly more popular, the process will mature as will the strategic process of acquiring customers. The stages of customer acquisition are becoming ever more apparent in line with the flywheels of both the PLG process and the inbound marketing strategy.

    The PLG flywheel has four stages; activate, adopt, adore and advocate. The inbound flywheel has three; attract, engage and delight. Each of these spins faster the more you learn, test and iterate for long-term success. Yet none of these reflects the principles of product-led onboarding in my mind.

    Related: How Customer Enablement Drives Product-led Growth

    The stages of onboarding for B2B PLG organizations

    To set the scene, onboarding does not start at the point someone signs a contract or inserts their credit card details. Onboarding is widely agreed to start at the first touchpoint in any channel your organization owns. This could be an ad, a social media post, an event or a speculative email, for example, and each of these must set the tone or trend for the following activities and actions. So, what are the four principles?

    • Marketing onboarding: making the unfamiliar familiar

    • Platform onboarding: familiar to the freemium user

    • Value onboarding: freemium to paid user

    • Peer-led onboarding: paid user to product champion

    For each principle, there are corresponding tactics and strategies — some of which can be applied in silos, and others perform best when used in a cumulative or combined strategic approach. Let’s discuss these in more detail.

    Marketing onboarding principles for PLG companies

    The very first stage of onboarding for product-led companies is marketing. From here, there is a natural flow to take strangers to champions. But what does that look like, and what is the best strategy focusing on B2B SaaS? For me, it’s the inbound marketing strategy, but let’s look at some of the channels you can adopt:

    You can dominate a single channel alone, but that may not prove beneficial to your longer-term goals. For many, content marketing is the price of admission to sit at the table, but for content to succeed in today’s overcrowded online world, you need email marketing to support it, paid advertising to promote it and social media marketing (both organic and paid) to distribute it.

    Therefore, a multi-channel persona-led inbound marketing strategy is the only choice. Unless, of course, your PLG platform also sells to the enterprise, and then you will require both an inbound and account-based marketing strategy for continued success. Beyond this, you need a strong messaging strategy on your website’s copy that will drive your new interested parties to start to try your platform.

    Related: Inbound Marketing — What is it and Why Does it Matter?

    Platform onboarding principles for PLG companies

    Once you’ve fully optimized your marketing strategy (which can only happen over time as you collect and use your data) you want to fully optimize your onboarding process. To do this, you need to use a recognized framework or combination frameworks like:

    Nail this stage of the onboarding process and your customer acquisition program will be heating up. Not only have I given you the playbook on PLG onboarding here, but I’ve also given you the tools to do it — and I’m not done yet.

    Value onboarding for product-led SaaS

    The articles I’ve shared with you in the hyperlinks will give you and your team more value guidance and context for sure, but there’s another stage to optimizing onboarding and that requires tools. These tools come in the form of:

    • Pendo

    • Userflow

    • Chameleon

    • Heap

    • Amplitude

    • Mixpanel

    • FullStory

    There’s also a whole host of other tools to help you understand if your product is delivering the value you set out to deliver, where the bottlenecks are and how you can deal with them. Optimizing your PLG platform for value is how you minimize the time that your freemium users take to recognize the true value of your product.

    Keep optimizing to deliver ongoing value and to understand how to build and focus on future product and/or feature releases.

    Peer-led or peer-to-peer onboarding for product-led organizations

    The final principle of onboarding is to optimize your platform’s ability for your champions or cheerleaders to invite their friends and colleagues. Whilst incentives are always good, ultimately, you want to build a product so good, so valuable and so necessary that your best users can’t help but talk about you and hype you up.

    You want these users to tell their stories and have your platform as a hero in the story. So, how do you do that? The likelihood is that if you nail the first three, this one takes care of itself. However, your job is not to become complacent but to treat this onboarding phase like a partnership channel — one that is driven by a user community, not a sales team.

    You can add the ability to invite and share from their account, that’s pretty much standard these days, but ask your team this question: How do we enable our best users, the champions and cheerleaders, to easily invite and onboard new users on our behalf? Figure that out through a champions committee or something similar, and you’ve nailed the four stages of PLG onboarding.

    Related: How to Turn Strangers into Loyal Customers With User Onboarding

    I hope you enjoyed this take on the four principle stages of onboarding for product-led growth platforms and that I’ve given you enough for you to go back to your teams and refocus your efforts. Using this framework will allow your organization to become more embedded and cross-functional, which can only prove beneficial for the entire go-to-market motion.

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    Paul Sullivan

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