As annoying or mundane as it may sound, stopping to plan your client process before you set up Dubsado could save you a ton of time. Things like designing forms, writing canned emails, creating schedules, and setting up workflows can take hours and the process can be quite discouraging when you don’t know where to begin inside of the platform.
Instead of hopping right into Dubsado and hopelessly clicking around without a clue on what to set up first, how awesome would it be to start your set-up knowing exactly what you need to create? In this post, you’ll learn all about client processes, how to plan them, and how to use what you plan to set up your Dubsado!
What is a Client Process?
Why It’s Important to Plan Your Client Process Before You Begin Setting Up Your Dubsado
How To Plan Your Client Process
How To Implement What You Planned Into Your Dubsado
How I Can Help You Develop Your Client Process And Set Up Systems
About Me
A client process is the series of actions followed by a customer in every stage of working with you. It includes the way you communicate your services to them, how they book an appointment with you, what’s included at the starting point of working together, how the actual service is performed, the result of working with you, and the communication you keep after working with them.
Client processes typically include these 5 phases…
1. Lead Capture - when new clients inquire about working with you
2. Onboarding - when leads become paid clients and receive all of the materials they need to move forward with the service
3. Service Fulfillment - the process of you working to complete the service
4. Off-boarding - when you send the service deliverables to your client
5. Follow-up - when you reach back out to the client to check in and/or ask them if they’d like to submit a testimonial
Each phase has its own list of things that need to be set up inside of Dubsado. For example, the onboarding phase may include things like an onboarding meeting, welcome email, welcome kit, client portal access, etc.
Every client process is 100% unique to your business, so there’s no right or wrong way to plan it, but there are a few key features that every client process could benefit from having:
By planning your client process before you begin your Dubsado set-up, you’ll be able to map out every detail of each phase to ensure you don’t forget to write any emails, create any schedulers, or skip any steps when setting up your workflows. Having a documented client process will also ensure you deliver consistent client experiences.
Take it one phase at a time and answer the questions below:
Lead Capture: How can clients inquire about your services? Your process may include your client filling out a lead capture form, booking a free/paid consultation in your Dubsado Scheduler, or making a decision to purchase directly from a live proposal on your site.
There’s usually this awkward gap between Lead Capture and Onboarding where the client either moves forward with the service or is not a good fit. Be sure to create a process for both scenarios!
Onboarding: Once a client is ready to move forward with you, what do you both need to successfully start working together? This can include things like a welcome kit, a “next steps” email, or client homework questionnaires to help you better understand their business/needs.
Service Fulfillment: Whether you offer DFY (done-for-you) or DWY (done-with-you) services, communication during the service-fulfillment phase is key! Think, “how can I best communicate my process and progress to my client and how can I continue to gather the information I need from them to deliver a successful final product?” This may include utilizing the Dubsado task board feature, sending weekly check-in emails to share progress, or scheduling multiple calls to meet with your client before you complete their service.
Off-Boarding: This is the fun part when you wrap up an awesome service and your clients receive everything you promised them! Ask yourself, “How can I send all deliverables clearly and concisely and how can I thank my client for working with me?” This may include a goodbye email, a Google Drive folder with everything uploaded inside, or an off-boarding meeting.
Follow-up: After you’re done working with your client, how do you check in with them? This may include a testimonial form to inquire about their opinion on the service, a “just checking in” loom video, or an email to let them know how you can continue to service them.
Go back through each phase of your process and make a list of all the canned email templates, schedulers, package templates, questionnaires, contracts, sub-agreements, etc. that you’ll need to create inside of Dubsado.
For example, If you’d like your clients to book a clarity call with you before they receive a proposal during your lead capture phase, you would need to set up a scheduling link titled, “Clarity Call,” confirmation and reminder emails for the call, pre-set packages to add to the proposal, and a proposal template to send once the call is over.
There are plenty of free and paid tools you can utilize to visually map out your client process. Here are a few I’d recommend:
Whimsical is my favorite! They offer both free and paid plans, but their free plan has lots of customization features and storage to get you started.
Lucidchart is another great flowchart and diagramming tool that offers a free and paid plan.
My Free Project Planning Guide to help you break this BIG Dubsado setup project down into small, actionable steps.
I get it, planning client processes and setting up systems isn’t for everybody. Lucky for you, there are a few ways I can help:
Online Business Management for service-based CEOs running their business and managing small teams. I can be your “day-to-day assist” to provide ongoing support with operations, project management, team management, and setting up systems like Dubsado.
Project Plan It™ Sessions for service pros who have BIG ideas for an upcoming business project (i.e. setting up their Dubsado) and need someone to develop a comprehensive plan to help them manage and work through the project from start to finish.
30% off your first month or year of Dubsado when you use the code: daytodayassist at checkout, or when you tap here to use my referral link.
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I’m Jennifer, Online Business Manager, Visionary, and Project Planner for passionate and wildly ambitious service-based CEOs.
I started Day To Day Assist to help you build a highly organized, well-functioning business on the back-end, plan the heck out of your biz projects, and experience more confident workdays - because being overwhelmed and under-supported is not where it’s at.
