Updated on by Kate Gordon
Once you’ve signed up a new customer to your SaaS, the next step is to onboard them. Ensuring that they understand and know how to use your software correctly is the first part of the process. Keeping them engaged is the second. No wonder, then, that customer satisfaction is a key metric of success, irrespective of the software solution you provide.
Having completed the onboarding process, customers should be able to complete basic tasks in your SaaS. As well as recognise the value the application provides and long term, remain engaged. Onboarding should put the customer – and what they want to achieve – first. They will care more about outcomes than features. Therefore the onboarding process should help them reach those outcomes as easily as possible.
Fortunately, there are a number of solutions designed to assist with onboarding new users. We take a look at some of them here.
An introduction to SaaS onboarding software?
SaaS onboarding software is part of the digital adoption platform (DAP) category. It provides on-screen guidance, user communication tools, and analytics. SaaS products primarily use a DAP to onboard users and assist with product adoption.
When choosing a SaaS customer onboarding tool, decide if you need one that focuses on SaaS products or both SaaS and enterprises. Then check out pricing as many SaaS startups prefer to seek out the best bargain. Look for a platform that’s both affordable and rich in features. However don’t skimp, customer onboarding is one of the most important functions of a SaaS product. So, you’ll need to deliver the best user experience possible.
Features to look for:
Functionality, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness are some of the most desirable features. You should also look for:
- Easily accessible guides, which will save time and money when your users have questions or need guidance
- The ability to segment users by their role or native language to help determine which content they see. As well as how it is delivered to them
- A code-free editor, which will allow you to easily create content and streamline walkthroughs and product tours
- Advanced analytics, so you can track and measure how your onboarding content is being used. Also provides you with the insight necessary to optimise the process
- Communications capabilities that allow in-app communication with users. So, you can remind them to complete the process and gather their feedback
- An API or embedded integration allows you to tie the data to your existing systems, such as your CRM
Some onboarding platforms to check out
Drift’s revenue acceleration platform brings your go-to-market teams together to deliver personalised customer experiences in real time. This means you can increase revenue, shorten sales cycles, and strengthen your brand.
User.com turns each visitor into a happy customer. Its single workspace provides easy-to-use, yet very robust, tools for marketing, sales, management, and support teams.
Appty is the highest rated for satisfaction on G2. It offers the easiest and fastest editor for creating and publishing walkthroughs. It also has a proven track record of reducing support tickets and costs.
Appcues boost activation with better user onboarding. You can invite your users to quick product tours, create onboarding flows based on customer segments and personalise your messaging. Tooltips, in-app surveys and messaging and NPS are available for all plans.
Intercom helps you build customer relationships through conversational, messenger-based experiences across the customer journey. This ensures that every customer interaction will build a relationship and create a lifelong fan.
Pendo helps product teams deliver the value users want, even as their needs evolve. This helps you to always be heard, spot flight risks and increase efficiency.
Userguiding enables you to build interactive product guides in minutes with its user-friendly “no-code” solution. Features include user onboarding guides, interactive manuals, templates, analytics, hotspots, NPS surveys and more.
Userpilot promises “reduced time to value” thanks to its laser-focused user onboarding experience. You can send flows based on your users’ goals, whatever their use case. For instance, help new sign-ups get up and running faster with a personalized user onboarding experience. Alternatively, adjust the first-run experience based on a persona; and reduce time to value by focusing on what’s important.
HelpHero enables you to create interactive, easy-to-follow product tours. These will help your users get started and adopt new features quicker than ever. It doesn’t require any coding or big budgets.
UserIQ helps customers succeed by uncovering health insights, eliminating user hurdles and simplifying account management.
Gainsight PX is designed for SaaS companies and tracks user activity and checks their in-app actions. These provide you with rich information. The combination of user analytics and product engagement will help drive growth.
Chameleon’s product suite provides one tool that will manage all in-product engagement, for user onboarding, feature discovery, support, and feedback.
Good luck with your search!
