This week breaks down the process to systemize just about anything in your firm. Spoiler: This is not a review of a new firm tool.

We Overcomplicate It

All systems can be boiled down to three clear segments:

• A combination of inputs → series of processes/ system steps → desired output   

Most of us get caught up and incorrectly start with the series of processes or system steps.

This happens because most system conversations with app vendors and most people start with the tool or process.

We get focused more on the sexy automation and features than we are on the actual outputs.

Don’t get me wrong, the right tool is important. 

But we can’t get there without first identifying the available inputs and the desired outputs.  

When we identify what we have (the inputs) and what we want (the outputs), the process (tools, workflows, or systems) of making that happen becomes clearer.

I’ve caught myself eyeing a new tool without clarifying if it will get me to my outputs faster or cheaper.   

The process or tool is not the solution or output. It’s just the enabler. 

Onboarding System Example

Once you have your marketing and fulfillment systems organized, onboarding is next.

I audited a CFO firm earlier this year, and their goal was to onboard a client in 2 months.

2 months?!

Nah, you have to do better than that.

Onboarding is your client’s first taste of the relationship and one of the best indicators of client stickiness.

Here’s how we can better systemize the onboarding process for a firm that will perform bookkeeping, back office support, and quarterly advisory work.

Defined Outputs

Start by laying out what a successful onboarding process looks like.

Let’s start internally first:

• Move the data from the proposal system to the practice management
• Assign the service components to the correct person or team with the right frequency
• Collect additional client data that wasn’t provided during the proposal stage
• Add that new data to the client profile
• Internal administration set up: New client folders within the existing filing structure
• Create Form 2848 Power of Attorney
• Esigned Form 2848 from client 
• All done within 2 weeks of a signed proposal, excluding training of client team

Next, we’ll look at what we want the client to achieve or experience. 

• Welcome email with the next steps, including a timeline for onboarding
• Mobile first onboarding form within the welcome email
• Booked onboarding call to connect tech and build out systems + training (if applicable)
• Step-by-step video to walk clients through as much setup as possible
• Client to complete as many tasks independently as possible

Identified Inputs

Next, identify the inputs and the limitations you have. 

This includes the whos and the whats of the process. 

Your inputs are:

• The time you can spend;
• The capital you have for a team and tech:
• The tech and automation know how. 

For example, say you’re a solo firm owner with three team members. 

You’ll be managing most of the onboarding, except for your manager, who will conduct the tech set-up onboarding call with the client. 

You’re comfortable with some no-code automations, including Zapier and email drips. 

Once you know your variables (what you have to work with), you can solve for the series of processes and steps.

You can augment your internal inputs with contractors if you want a broader tool and skill set. 

Your desired outputs may vary depending on the services and your value proposition. However, systemizing becomes more difficult the more ‘things’ you want to offer in your firm. 

Either way, formalize what you want.  

Series of processes

This is where you’ll optimize how you use your inputs to generate your outputs.

For this part, we will jump to diagrams. Oh, beautiful diagrams. 

Desired outputs #1:

• Move data from the proposal tool to practice management; assign tasks and frequencies.
  • This is done via Zapier. When a proposal is signed (in Ignition), a template can be pulled from within the practice management  (Clickup) and assigned for a client to a specific team or member. 
• Trigger a welcome email to client.
  • By pulling the details from the proposal, an onboarding drip can be triggered in Active Campaign

Protip: There’s one big unknown here – when offering different services via Ignition. How can you trigger different tasks internally with one proposal process?

This means that if you offer services A, B, C and D, and a client only needs service A, how does ClickUp know to trigger only the recurring A service and not the rest? 

In Zapier, you will have to create paths to accommodate the variability. 

The assigned Clickup task will be informed by the name (engagement fees) of the Ignition proposal. 

It took a few tries to figure out this solution.

Connected systems requiring iterating.  

You won’t get any system perfect on the first try. 

 

If you don’t remember anything else from this newsletter, remember this:

 

The best part about systems is that they’re dynamic. They evolve from vision to implementation to feedback to iteration. 

 

And good documentation will be key to being able to evaluate and iterate efficiently.  

Desired outputs #2:

• Collect additional client data and add to client profile. 
  • This is done with a Gravity Forms web form hyperlink in the welcome email; Data collected can be fed back into Active Campaign’s CRM.  
• Schedule an onboarding call with the client for the tech setup.
  • This is done with a Calendly link in the welcome email; Book a time on your manager’s calendar for onboarding

Desired outputs #3:

• The client to complete as many tasks independently as possible.
  • Once the onboarding form is completed, another email (1 -2 days later) will be sent to complete the 2848 form;
• Create Form 2848 Power of Attorney.
  • Generate a filled PDF for Form 2848 from the completed Gravity Form 
  • Manually sent via Adobe Sign for Esignature

Desired output #4:

• Step-by-step videos to walk clients through as much setup as possible.
  • Make available a Loom video to walk your client through the onboarding webform within the Welcome email;
  • Upload videos for all key client process to your website, so you can easily refer to them when you need the client to do something. 

You may want more outputs from your onboarding process, like an internal team meeting and folder creation in your doc management tool.  

These were just examples of how to let the outputs steer the process.

Most blockades to systemizing firm processes are less about finding the right magical tool and more about clear, defined outputs. 

Good luck.  

Build the firm you want.

Mark