Top 5 Reasons to have a Client Offboarding System

The Importance of a Client Offboarding System

As your time with your client’s contract comes to an end, or for whatever reason you have to terminate a contract with a client, do you have a system to offboard them?  OR do you just stop working with them? (OH NO)

Just as important as it is to have an awesome onboarding client experience, you should also have an awesome client experience as they stop working with you. 

Why?

5 Reasons to have a Client Offboarding System

1.Increase the likelihood of clients returning to your company in the future.

Let’s say they that client has more work down the line that is in your wheelhouse.  Who are they going to go to?  The person they had a great relationship with and remembers due to the awesome client experience they had – or – move on to someone else because they did not have a great or rememberable experience with you. 

I personally want my clients to remember me by not only the awesome work I perform, but the awesome client experience they receive.

2. Maximize your referrals rates.

I client that had a great experience working with you is more likely to refer you to their friends and colleges. 

3. Receive a great testimonial to use on your website and other marketing materials.

This is the time to request a testimonial from your client for how you have changed their life, increased revenue, or made an impact on their business.  A survey is a great way to get their juices flowing and knowing what you are looking for.

4. Preserve the positive experience you create with your clients while working with them.

You want to keep that great relationship and positive energy going even at the end and beyond.  Make working with you a rememberable experience!

5. Receive valuable feedback about your services.

A survey about your services and how your can better serve them in the future is valuable feedback for you.  Take suggestions and criticism as a learning tool to better your services in the future.

Process

So what is a great Client Offboarding System look like?

Here is an outline of the steps for a great Client Offboarding System:

  • Notify team members the contract has ended and the work has ended.
  • Update your client details master list to show the contract end date.
  • Delete any communication channels, i.e., Slack.
  • Return ownership of any files to the client.
  • Archive client files/folders.
  • Archive client projects in your Project Management tool.
  • Archive client project in your CRM.
  • Send a farewell email to the client with feedback survey.
  • Send a farewell email to the client’s team with feedback survey.
  • Send a parting gift, if applicable, to the client.
  • Request a testimonial from the client.

If you would like to check out more about Client Onboarding Systems to complete your awesome client experience, check out my blog post “How to Onboard New Clients“.

Sharon Blalock OBM Logo

If you need help getting your business in order, please schedule a FREE Discovery Call with me.  I would love to hear from you and learn more about you and your business. I am a Certified Online Business Manager that support 6-figure impact-driven business owners with the business systems organization and automations to ensure an excellent client experience, and provide support in the operational, project, and team management to give you back time for your zone of genius. 

Sharon Blalock