The Hidden Problem With Client Onboarding
If you're a consultant or service provider, you already know this feeling.
You sign a new client. You’re excited. They’re excited. And then comes the onboarding process.
You need to show them how to use a new website. A new portal. A new piece of software. Maybe it’s Trello. Maybe it’s something else. Either way, they’ve never seen it before.
So what do most of us do?
We record a training video.
But here’s the problem.
Recording videos takes time. A lot of time. You need to prepare. Set up. Record. Re-record. Edit. Upload. Share.
And even after all of that…
Many clients don’t even watch the full video.
Some scrub through it.
Some skip parts.
Some email you questions anyway.
Now you’re answering the same questions over and over again.
That’s not efficient. That’s not scalable. And it certainly doesn’t help you take back control of your time.
And at Simpletivity, I believe you deserve to work without feeling overwhelmed.
So let me show you a better way.
Why Traditional Training Videos Fail
At first, training videos feel like the right solution.
They seem professional.
They seem thorough.
They seem helpful.
But in reality, they create friction.
Here’s why:
- Clients must pause and rewind.
- They must switch between screens.
- They must remember what they just watched.
- They must translate what they saw into action.
That’s a lot of mental effort.
And when something feels hard, people avoid it.
So instead of clarity, you get confusion.
Instead of independence, you get more emails.
Instead of saving time, you lose more of it.
That’s the opposite of building a strong business system.
The Faster Way to Onboard Clients
Recently, I needed to onboard a client and show them 12 specific steps inside Trello.
If I recorded a video, it would have taken more time just to prepare than to actually show the steps.
Instead, I created a complete, step-by-step guide in just 33 seconds.
Not 30 minutes.
Not an hour.
Thirty-three seconds.
And it was clear. Clean. Easy to follow.
So how did I do it?
I used a tool called Scribe.
Scribe
Scribe is one of the simplest ways to create step-by-step guides automatically.
Here’s why it works so well.
Instead of recording a video, all you do is perform the task.
That’s it.
You go to the website.
You open the software.
You click the buttons.
You type the text.
And Scribe captures everything.
Every click.
Every field.
Every action.
It even adds helpful descriptions automatically.
You don’t need to write long instructions like:
“Click here. Then click there. Then enter this.”
It does that for you.
That’s powerful.
How I Use Scribe for Client Onboarding
Let me walk you through exactly how I use it.
First, I install the browser extension. It opens a small panel on the side of my screen.
When I’m ready, I click “Start Capture.”
From that moment on, Scribe records everything I do.
If I open a Trello card, it captures it.
If I add a comment, it captures it.
If I apply a label, it captures it.
If I check off a checklist item, it captures it.
It even shows where I clicked with a visual indicator.
This is important.
Because clients don’t just need instructions.
They need clarity.
They need to see exactly where to click.
And that’s what makes this system so effective.
Editing Is Simple
After I finish the steps, I click “Complete Capture.”
Within seconds, I have a full guide.
Each step includes:
- A screenshot
- A highlighted click area
- Written instructions
And here’s the best part.
Everything is editable.
If I want to adjust the wording, I can.
If I want to delete a step, I can.
If I want to rearrange something, I can.
This keeps the system flexible.
Because no workflow is perfect the first time.
But instead of rebuilding everything from scratch, I simply tweak it.
That saves time.
And saving time is what this is all about.
Sharing With Clients
Once the guide is ready, I can share it instantly.
I can:
- Send a link
- Add email addresses
- Embed it
- Export it as a PDF
Now my client has a clear, structured onboarding guide.
Not a long video.
Not a messy email.
A simple system.
This alone reduces questions dramatically.
But there’s one more feature that changes everything.
The “Guide Me” Feature
This is where things get exciting.
Instead of just reading instructions, clients can click “Guide Me.”
And Scribe walks them through the process live.
Inside their own browser.
Step by step.
It tells them exactly where to click.
In real time.
They don’t need to switch tabs.
They don’t need to rewind a video.
They don’t need to guess.
They simply follow the prompts.
That reduces confusion.
That reduces mistakes.
And that reduces the number of support emails you receive.
For a business owner, that’s huge.
Why This System Works So Well
Most business owners feel overwhelmed because they’re using too many apps.
Their tools are scattered.
Their processes are unclear.
Their onboarding is inconsistent.
But when you organize everything into one simple system, something changes.
You stop reacting.
You start leading.
You stop answering the same question ten times.
You start building repeatable workflows.
This isn’t just about onboarding.
It’s about creating a business that runs smoothly.
It’s about designing workflows that scale.
It’s about using smart tools, including AI-powered tools, to simplify what used to be complicated.
And that’s exactly what I teach at Simpletivity.
Because you deserve to work without feeling overwhelmed.
When Should You Use This?
If you:
- Onboard clients
- Train team members
- Show people new software
- Repeat the same instructions often
Then this system is for you.
Imagine saving even 30 minutes per new client.
Multiply that by 20 clients.
That’s 10 hours saved.
What would you do with 10 extra hours?
Focus on growth?
Serve clients better?
Spend more time with family?
This is why building the right workflow matters.
Stop Wasting Time. Start Building Systems.
The biggest shift isn’t the tool.
It’s the mindset.
Stop thinking:
“I’ll just record another quick video.”
Start thinking:
“How can I build a repeatable system?”
When you create systems, your business becomes stronger.
When your business becomes stronger, you feel more confident.
And when you feel more confident, you stop feeling overwhelmed.
That’s the goal.
At Simpletivity, I help business owners simplify their tools so they can take back control.
And tools like Scribe make that possible.
Not because they’re flashy.
But because they remove friction.
They make complex steps simple.
They help you organize knowledge.
They help you save time.
And when you save time, you gain freedom.
Final Thoughts
Client onboarding doesn’t have to be stressful.
It doesn’t have to involve long videos.
It doesn’t have to eat up your schedule.
With the right system, you can create clear, step-by-step guides in seconds.
You can streamline your workflow.
You can organize your business processes.
And most importantly, you can stop wasting time answering the same questions again and again.
Because remember:
You deserve to work without feeling overwhelmed.