How to automate it · Client onboarding

Automate client onboarding, so every new client starts the same way.

Someone says yes. Then you send the contract, the form, the welcome email, the link to book. Every time. Automate client onboarding once, and it runs the same way for every new client, even on your busiest week.

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Why onboarding slips

The first week with a new client sets the tone. But onboarding happens when you're busiest, because you've just won the work. So the welcome email goes out a day late. The form gets forgotten. You chase for the same details twice.

Accountants know this well. Since Making Tax Digital, 60% of UK practices say they spend more time per client, and 55% type up paper records for clients. (Bright Software Group, a survey of hundreds of UK practices, Aug to Sep 2026.)

An automated client onboarding process

They say yes. You tick "Won" next to their name in your client list in Airtable. Or a payment or signed contract does it for you.
A welcome email goes out from your Gmail with what happens next and one link: the onboarding form.
They fill in the client onboarding form. Their answers land on their row in the list, so you never type them in.
A folder is made for them in Google Drive, with your standard documents copied in. (How the client folders work.)
A link to book the first call goes out, and a reminder the day before.
Haven't filled in the form after a few days? A gentle nudge goes out. Then it stops.

Make joins the steps together. It's the tool that passes information from one app to the next.

Client onboarding checklist

What every new client should get, in order:

A welcome email within the hour
One form with everything you need (no back-and-forth)
Their own folder, with the documents they'll need
A link to book the first call, and a reminder
A short "what happens next" so they know the plan
A nudge if something's missing

If any of these depend on you remembering, that's the step to automate first.

What a slow start costs

A new client who waits two days for a welcome email starts to wonder. A client you chase three times for the same details starts the work annoyed. And every hour you spend copying details manually is an hour you're not paid for.

See your own number with the automation ROI calculator.

Three steps

Tell us how a new client starts with you now.
We build the onboarding workflow and test it.
Every new client gets the same good start, without you doing it.

Oloye has been building marketing systems for over 3 years.

FAQ

Questions about automating client onboarding

Do I need automated client onboarding software?

Not usually. Most of it can run on tools you may already have, like Gmail, Google Drive and a form, joined up with Airtable and Make. You only need special software if you want everything in one paid app.

What should a client onboarding form ask?

Only what you need to start: their details, what they want from working with you, and anything you'd otherwise chase for later. One form, once. If you ask the same thing twice, the form is too long.

Does this work for coaches and accountants?

Yes. A coach might send a welcome pack and a booking link. An accountant might send a document request and a deadline. The workflow is the same shape. Only the documents change.

What if a client doesn't fill in the form?

A friendly reminder goes out after a few days, and you get a note in your list. You choose how many reminders, and when to step in yourself.

How much does it cost?

It depends on the workflow. On the free call we look at it together, and you know the price before anything starts.

More to automate

What's the first thing every new client gets from you?

A free call. We'll find the first onboarding step worth automating.

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