Execution Tools

What Do Your First 90 Days Feel Like?

Twelve statements across the four phases of a new client’s first 90 days. See where the experience is strong, where it slips, and what to fix first.

Level 10 Coaching

Your First 90 Days Today

Score each statement from 1 (not at all true) to 5 (completely true). Answer for the last few clients you actually onboarded, not for the process on paper.

$

1 = not at all true  ·  3 = sometimes  ·  5 = every client, every time.

Welcome — The first week after they say yes
New clients hear from a person, not just a system email, within a day of saying yes.
Every new client gets, in writing, what happens next and when.
They meet the team member who will handle their day-to-day service.
Setup — Weeks 1–4: paperwork and transfers
Account paperwork follows a checklist, and the client always knows where it stands.
Assets transfer without the client having to chase anything.
We ask for everything we need in one request instead of several.
The Plan — Days 30–60: what we are doing and why
The client gets a written summary of the plan and why we recommended it.
We hold a meeting just to walk through the plan once accounts are set up.
The spouse or partner is part of onboarding, not just the primary contact.
Settled In — Days 60–90: the relationship takes hold
We check in at about 90 days to ask how the experience has been.
The client's next review date is already on the calendar.
At the right moment, we ask whether there's someone else we should meet.
Onboarding Score
—/100
answer all twelve for your full score
New-Client Revenue Riding on It
—

Your Onboarding Report

Your four phases scored, where the experience slips, and the three fixes to make first.

The Four Phases

Where You Land

StageWhat it meansScore

Your Three Fixes

Your lowest-scored statements, and what to do about each.

StatementFix

Stages are this tool's own bands, not an industry standard. Rerun the scorecard after your next few new clients to see whether the fixes held.

Unlock My Onboarding Report

See your four phases scored, where new clients feel the gaps, and the three fixes to make first.

No spam. Your results unlock instantly.

Tired of forms?

Join the free Level X community — every tool, no forms, ever →

A new client decides how they feel about your firm in the first 90 days. Let's design those days on purpose.

Book a Call With Level 10

Reading Your Onboarding Score

The first 90 days set the tone for the whole relationship. A new client has just moved their money and their trust, and everything they experience in that window either confirms the decision or raises doubts about it. This scorecard breaks onboarding into four phases so you can see which one your clients feel most.

The Gap Between Paperwork and the Plan

Many firms run the paperwork phase well and then go quiet while accounts fund. To the client, that silence comes right after the biggest decision they have made with you. A planned meeting to walk through the plan once accounts are set up closes that gap and gives the client a reason to feel the work has started.

Score Real Clients, Not the Process on Paper

A written process can look complete while actual clients experience something else. Score the statements against the last few households you onboarded. If the answer depends on who was busy that month, the score should reflect that.

Onboarding Is Where Referrals Start

Clients who have just had a good experience are often the most willing to introduce others, because the experience is fresh. Planning the moment to ask, such as a 90-day check-in, turns a good first impression into a habit of introducing you.

Common questions

What should a financial advisor's client onboarding process include?

A typical onboarding process includes a prompt personal welcome, a written outline of next steps, introductions to the service team, a paperwork and transfer checklist, a meeting to walk through the plan once accounts are set up, involvement of the spouse or partner, a check-in at around 90 days and scheduling of the first review.

How long does client onboarding take for an advisory firm?

Onboarding is often thought of as the first 90 days, covering the welcome, account setup and transfers, delivery of the plan and the first follow-up. The exact timeline depends on the complexity of the client's accounts and the firm's process.

Why does client onboarding matter for retention?

The early weeks shape a new client's impression of the firm and whether they feel their decision was a good one. A clear, consistent experience helps build trust, while gaps such as long silences or repeated paperwork requests can create doubt early in the relationship.