The Future of Customer Onboarding: Mutual Plans

In the complex world of B2B sales and implementation, customer onboarding is often the first real test of trust between a vendor and client. Unfortunately, many companies are failing that test.

According to TSIA, fewer than 40% of companies have a formal, repeatable onboarding process. And for buyers, that matters—a lot. In fact, 63% of B2B customers said onboarding played a role in their decision to continue with a product or service.

So, how can companies make onboarding more structured, scalable, and successful?

The answer lies in a simple but powerful concept: mutual plans.

The Complexity of Modern B2B Onboarding

Today’s B2B environment is anything but simple. Sales cycles involve multiple decision-makers, buying committees, integrations across tools, and elevated expectations for speed and personalization.

Onboarding doesn’t just mean “set up the software.” It means:

• Aligning with dozens of internal and external stakeholders
• Meeting people where they are—on their terms, timelines, and priorities
• Delivering an experience that’s just as seamless and connected as the product itself

Yet without structure, onboarding becomes chaotic. Information is siloed, communication gets lost, tasks are missed, and customer confidence quickly erodes. That’s where mutual plans come in.

What is a Mutual Plan?

A mutual plan is a collaborative document or agreement between a company and its customer, outlining exactly how they will work together to achieve onboarding success.

It provides a shared roadmap with clearly defined steps, responsibilities, timelines, and checkpoints. But more than just a to-do list, a mutual plan creates alignment, accountability, and trust.

Core Components of a Mutual Plan:

(1) Shared Goals

• What’s the end result we’re trying to achieve?
• Examples: Full product deployment, go-live success, internal adoption milestones.

(2) Key Stakeholders

• Who is involved on both sides? What are their roles?

(3) Action Steps

• A detailed list of tasks, with assigned owners for each.

(4) Resources and Dependencies

• What tools, information, or third parties are needed to move forward?

(5) Deadlines and Milestones

• When will specific steps be completed? What are our checkpoints?

(6) Communication and Collaboration Hub

• A central environment for all documents, updates, and conversations to prevent silos and misalignment.

(7) Review and Update Process

• A rhythm for regularly revisiting and refining the plan based on progress or changing circumstances.

Why Mutual Plans Work

Mutual plans deliver tangible business value—not just for onboarding teams, but for the entire organization. Here’s why they’re so powerful:

• Clarity and Focus: Everyone understands what needs to happen, when, and why. That eliminates ambiguity and reduces miscommunication.
• Improved Collaboration: When all parties contribute to a shared plan, ownership and buy-in increase dramatically. It’s not just “vendor vs. customer”—it’s a joint effort.
• Increased Efficiency: A well-scoped plan prevents duplicated work, streamlines decision-making, and enables teams to do more with fewer resources.
• Risk Mitigation: By mapping out dependencies and timing in advance, potential blockers and bottlenecks can be identified before they become problems.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Because mutual plans are dynamic, they can evolve as project scope, staffing, or priorities shift. This adaptability is key in enterprise environments.
• Higher Stakeholder Satisfaction: With shared visibility and transparent progress, stakeholders feel informed, empowered, and confident in the process.
• Better Outcomes: From faster time-to-value to stronger renewals, the structured approach of a mutual plan sets the foundation for long-term success.

The Mutual Dance of Onboarding

Enterprise onboarding isn’t a straight line—it’s a collaborative, dynamic experience. Both vendors and customers must actively participate and adjust together throughout the journey.

Here are the seven characteristics of a mutual-plan-powered onboarding process:

(1) Guided Experience for All Stakeholders

• Everyone, from frontline users to executives, knows where they fit in.

(2) Mutual and Measurable Progress

• Milestones are visible and tracked, with both sides accountable.

(3) Seamless Handoffs Across Teams

• From sales to onboarding to customer success, the plan ensures continuity.

(4) Centralized Communication

• A single hub prevents crossed wires and eliminates the chaos of scattered email threads and file versions.

(5) Adaptability in Real-Time

• Whether a timeline shifts or a new stakeholder enters, the plan evolves easily.

(6) Clear ROI and Value Realization

• You’re not just “going live”—you’re proving value along the way.

(7) Continuous Engagement with Leadership

• Executives stay informed without needing micromanagement, and strategic decisions are backed by real-time visibility.

The Results Speak for Themselves

When organizations implement mutual plans during onboarding, the impact is measurable and immediate. Here’s what companies are seeing in the field:

• 30%+ Increase in Operational Efficiency: Teams streamline onboarding tasks, coordinate faster, and avoid repetitive work—allowing them to handle more customers with fewer resources.
• 40%+ Boost in Customer Engagement: When customers are involved in the planning process, they stay more committed, respond quicker, and see value sooner.
• Improved Visibility: By centralizing project details and responsibilities, internal teams and customers gain a clearer picture of progress, bottlenecks, and outcomes.
• Better Accountability Through Automation: Smart checklist systems (e.g., those integrated with Salesforce) automate task reminders, status updates, and follow-through—making it easy to stay on track.

Onboarding as a Business Case

Onboarding isn’t just a service function—it’s a revenue lever. Done right, it leads to:

• Faster adoption
• Stronger customer relationships
• Reduced churn
• Higher NPS
• More referrals and upsell opportunities

Mutual plans help you prove the ROI of onboarding—both internally (to secure budget and resources) and externally (to validate value to customers).