Storylane for Customer onboarding

Why it matters

Customer onboarding typically requires extensive CS and Sales resources for repetitive demos and training sessions. Interactive demos enable teams to scale personalized onboarding experiences while reducing manual workload and ensuring consistent, high-quality customer education.

New users can practice in a safe environment before touching their live account, making them confident and successful faster

Key takeaways

Create customer segments - Build different onboarding flows based on use cases, company size, and technical proficiency
Embed in welcome sequences - Include interactive demos in initial emails for immediate self-serve value
Enable CS handoffs - Let customer success managers share specific demo chapters based on conversation needs‍
Track completion metrics - Monitor demo engagement to identify customers who need additional support

Implementation guide

Customer segmentation strategy

Develop different onboarding flows based on customer segments, use cases, and technical proficiency levels
Create implementation roadmaps using interactive demos that set clear expectations and milestones
Build feature activation demos focusing on capabilities most valuable for each customer segment
Design modular demos that can be mixed and matched based on individual customer needs

Self-service enablement

Guide customers through critical setup steps like user permissions, integrations, and data imports
Create interactive walkthroughs that reduce need for 1:1 CS support during initial configuration
Include troubleshooting scenarios within demos to address common implementation challenges
Provide both basic and advanced tracks to accommodate different user expertise levels

Customer journey integration

Include interactive demos in welcome email sequences for immediate self-serve options
Create centralized customer portal with tutorials organized by role, use case, and experience level
Embed contextual help links within your product interface for exactly-when-needed guidance
Enable customer success managers to share specific demo chapters during live conversations

💡 CS Efficiency Tip: Create a demo library that CS reps can quickly reference and share during customer interactions to reduce repetitive explanations

CS team enablement

Provide CS reps with demo library they can quickly reference and share during customer interactions
Create handoff workflows that include relevant demo recommendations based on conversation topics
Enable tracking of customer demo engagement to identify accounts needing additional attention
Develop escalation paths for customers who struggle with self-serve onboarding content

Performance monitoring

Track demo completion rates to identify content that resonates most with customers
Monitor time-to-value metrics comparing demo-assisted vs traditional onboarding approaches
Identify drop-off points within demos to optimize content flow and reduce abandonment
Use engagement data to customize follow-up support and identify expansion opportunities

Content maintenance

Update demos regularly based on product changes and customer feedback
Gather input from CS team about common customer questions and implementation challenges
Refresh examples and use cases to maintain relevance for current customer base
Create feedback loops between customer success and demo creation teams

1. Create scalable onboarding assets

Build a library of onboarding resources that reduce repetitive tasks:

Customer segmentation: Create different onboarding flows based on customer segments, use cases, and technical proficiency to ensure relevance without creating custom assets for each client.
Implementation roadmaps: Use interactive demos to visually map out the implementation process, setting clear expectations and milestones for new customers.
Initial configuration: Guide users through critical setup steps like user permissions, integrations, and data imports with interactive walkthroughs that reduce the need for 1:1 support.
Feature activation: Focus on the most valuable features for each customer segment to drive immediate value perception and engagement.

2. Deploy for maximum impact

Strategically integrate demos throughout the customer journey:

Welcome sequences: Include interactive demos in your welcome emails to give customers immediate self-serve options for getting started.
Customer portal: Create a centralized resource hub with interactive tutorials organized by role, use case, and experience level.
In-app guidance: Embed links to relevant demos within your product to provide contextual help exactly when users need it.
CS handoffs: Enable customer success managers to share specific demo chapters based on customer conversations, creating continuity between live sessions and self-serve learning.

3. Measure onboarding success

Track the impact of interactive demos on key onboarding metrics:

CS team efficiency: Monitor reduction in repetitive demo requests and support tickets, allowing CS teams to focus on strategic customer outcomes.
Time-to-value: Track how quickly customers reach key activation milestones with demo-assisted onboarding compared to traditional methods.
Onboarding completion: Measure what percentage of customers complete various onboarding demos and which steps cause the most drop-off.
Knowledge retention: Use quick assessments at the end of demos to gauge understanding and identify areas that may need additional support.

4. Learnings and best practices

Break complex onboarding into modular demos that customers can consume at their own pace
Include clear indicators of estimated time commitment for each demo section
Provide both basic and advanced tracks to accommodate different user expertise levels
Enable easy ways for customers to request human assistance if they get stuck
Create specific demos for admin users who will be responsible for internal rollout
Update onboarding demos regularly based on customer feedback and product changes

Examples and inspiration

Vepple

Demo-based onboarding

Advanced strategies

Break complex processes into digestible modules - Allow customers to consume onboarding content at their own pace without overwhelming them
Include time estimates - Provide clear indicators of expected time commitment for each demo section to help customers plan
Enable easy escalation - Include clear paths for customers to request human assistance when self-serve content isn't sufficient‍
Create admin-specific content - Develop targeted demos for users responsible for internal product rollout and change management

Storylane forCustomer onboarding