In order to fully understand what “onboarding” actually means for physical products, let’s first define the different stages of the onboarding process:
Unboxing - Aside from literal unpacking of the shipping box, this stage involves the user being presented with printed materials and the product and any components or accessories it has.
Orientation - During this stage, the user is made aware of available resources - things like product manuals, Quick Start Guides, online resources, support contacts, and more - and tools and accessories they will need for setup.
Setup - This stage is where the user follows a (hopefully high quality) Quick Start Guide they were made aware of in the previous step to get their product assembled, configured, and working or, if there is no guide, stumbles through trying to find one or figure it out on their own.
Evaluation - After getting through the previous stage, the user - whether consciously or subconsciously - decides if their product is working properly or not and if they need to contact support.
First Use - Once the product is successfully set up and working, the user gives it a “test drive” to solidify their conclusion that the product is working properly or, they move straight into using it for the intended purpose. This stage is where the customer finally gets to experience the value your product brings.
Where appropriate, a success message can help your customer go from the Evaluation stage right to First Use.
With those points out of the way, let’s come up with a clear definition of onboarding. Product onboarding is:
“the process users goes through to unpack their delivered product, figure out how to set it up, execute setup, check for problems, and begin experiencing value.”
One common mistake I see many product businesses make with their onboarding experience is not including any printed materials in the box, or only including the basic product manual.
Even something as simple as a business card with a QR code directing the user to where they can find digital resources can make a huge impact.
If your product box always comes inside an outer shipper, you can even attach the QR code right to the opening flap for maximum effect!
In future editions of the Product Success Brief, we’ll explore other common pitfalls I see repeated through each of the various stages of onboarding.
Want to make it easier for customers to successfully set up, understand, and use your product?
The Product Success Sprint helps uncover the friction getting in their way and where to focus your improvements first.
