I think rigid 90-day onboarding plans are obsolete. Is that controversial?

It’s almost like using fax machines in a world of instant messaging. 😂

Today's B2B SaaS customers demand personalised, value-driven experiences that go beyond arbitrary time constraints.

Each customer arrives with a unique set of expectations, technical challenges, and organisational nuances that mean one-size-fits-all approaches just don’t work.

This is not to say that we can’t apply automation. Or have structure and processes in place.

But the idea that we call a customer onboarding complete at 90 days by default is a problem.

So, how do we effectively determine when a customer onboarding is complete? ↓

🧪 The Project: Strategic Onboarding Completion Framework

To help you navigate this nuanced terrain, I've created a practical 5-step project to redefine how your organisation can determine onboarding completion.

This framework shifts the focus from time-based metrics to meaningful customer outcomes.

☝️ That’s the key.

Step 1: Define what success looks like

Collaborate with customers during the initial kickoff to establish crystal-clear, measurable success indicators.

It’s even better if you can gather this information as part of the sales cycle. For more on that, check out my previous project. ↓

Create a customised scorecard that captures each customer's specific goals and expected value.

Keep this record in a CS platform or your spreadsheet. Just make sure you note it down. You’re going to want to refer to it in progress calls throughout onboarding.

Ensure these criteria are objective, quantifiable, time-independent, and aligned with the customer's strategic objectives.

Step 2: Implement a tracking system

Develop a flexible milestone tracking mechanism that adapts to individual customer progression.

Use a combination of product usage data (read more about working with Product teams here), engagement metrics, and qualitative feedback.

Create visual progress indicators that demonstrate value achievement rather than time elapsed.

Step 3: Establish value validation checkpoints

Design review processes that reassess onboarding progress. It’s important to consistently reinforce the original plan but be flexible to the achievements.

Create lightweight, repeatable templates for documenting value realisation. This can be a simple one pager, a shared document, or a project management software platform.

Encourage customers to self-assess their journey against initially defined success criteria. This sense of ownership helps to keep them accountable.

Remember when we talked about avoiding scope creep? ↓

Step 4: Develop a customer readiness assessment

Create an evaluation framework that evaluates customer:

• Technical integration readiness

• Organisational adoption levels

• Demonstrated value achievement

• Potential for expansion and deeper product utilisation

This is a vital part to understand if you are nearing onboarding completion.

Are there still challenges or imperative incomplete tasks? How do they impact the agreed upon initial success criteria?

Step 5: Create an adaptive handoff protocol

Design a transparent transition process from dedicated onboarding to ongoing customer success management.

In the same way that the handover from sales to onboarding is vital. So is the transition out of onboarding.

Ensure that the new team has the protocols and processes to continue the experience with the customer seamlessly.

It is your responsibility to work with that team closely, don’t leave it up to fate!

🤓 The Analysis

This framework liberates your organisation from time-based constraints. It creates a dynamic, customer-centric approach that measures success through genuine value realisation.

It puts ownership into the customer’s hands to work in partnership with you.

90-day plans keep things rigid.

We want to keep onboarding fluid and allow your process to adjust with the ebbs and flows that inevitably happen.

What to expect if you try this project:

• Improved customer satisfaction scores

• Increased customer retention & reduced churn rates

• More meaningful and strategic customer relationships

• Enhanced ability to demonstrate tangible value quickly and consistently