SOP: Client Onboarding Meeting

1. Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to define a structured approach for conducting the client onboarding (kickoff) meeting. This ensures alignment on objectives, scope, communication norms, and roles between client and delivery teams, building trust and confidence at the project start.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to:

  • All new projects where contracts have been signed and handoff completed.
  • Delivery Managers, Project Managers, Client Success Managers, Sales Reps, and Client Stakeholders.
  • IT Services & SaaS engagements across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise accounts.

3. Definitions

  • Onboarding Meeting / Kickoff: The first formal client-facing meeting post-deal closure.
  • Client Success Manager (CSM): Ongoing relationship owner for client satisfaction beyond project execution.
  • Onboarding Agenda: Structured set of topics ensuring both internal and client teams align.

4. Step-by-Step Process

A. Pre-Meeting Preparation

  1. Delivery Manager finalizes Kickoff Pack (see Kickoff Preparation SOP).
  2. Confirm meeting participants:
    • Internal: Delivery team, Project Manager, Sales Rep (optional), CSM.
    • Client: Key stakeholders, decision makers, project champions.
  3. Share Agenda with client at least 2 working days in advance.

B. Suggested Agenda Structure

  1. Welcome & Introductions
    • Introduce both teams and their roles.
    • Acknowledge Sales → Delivery transition.
  2. Client Objectives Recap
    • Reiterate client’s goals and success metrics.
    • Confirm shared understanding of challenges.
  3. Scope & Deliverables Review
    • Walk through signed Scope of Work (SOW).
    • Highlight inclusions, exclusions, and assumptions.
  4. Timeline & Milestones
    • Present draft project plan.
    • Align on major milestones and delivery checkpoints.
  5. Collaboration & Communication Norms
    • Confirm preferred tools (Slack, Teams, Jira, Asana).
    • Define reporting cadence (weekly status calls, monthly reviews).
    • Share escalation paths.
  6. Roles & Responsibilities
    • Confirm internal team roles (Delivery Lead, PM, QA, Dev).
    • Map client-side responsibilities.
  7. Risks & Mitigation
    • Share known risks from handoff.
    • Agree on escalation and change control processes.
  8. Next Steps
    • Confirm immediate next actions (scope confirmation, access setup, resource scheduling).

C. Post-Meeting Actions

  1. Delivery Manager circulates Kickoff Summary Email:
    • Meeting notes
    • Finalized scope highlights
    • Updated timeline & milestones
    • Responsibilities matrix
    • Next steps with deadlines
  2. Upload summary + deck to Project Tool repository.
  3. Update CRM opportunity → mark “Onboarding Completed.”

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  • Delivery Manager: Leads meeting, ensures agenda completion, sends summary.
  • Project Manager: Presents timeline, milestones, and execution plan.
  • Client Success Manager: Introduces engagement continuity, manages long-term relationship.
  • Sales Rep: Provides context, attends for relationship continuity (optional).
  • Client Stakeholders: Share objectives, validate expectations, and agree to communication norms.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  • Kickoff must be conducted within 5 working days of contract signing.
  • Missing summary email → flagged in Delivery QA checklist.
  • Failure to clarify scope or communication norms → risks escalated to Head of Delivery.

7. Review & Ownership

  • Document Owner: Head of Delivery.
  • Review Cycle: Quarterly.
  • Version Control: Onboarding Agenda Template maintained in Project Tool repository.