client-onboarding

How we bring a new client into the Smokeylemon world, from first contact through to a live project in Teamwork with a signed brief and a clear scope.

Onboarding steps

First contact & discovery

Initial conversation, in person, phone, or email. Goal is to understand what they need, whether we are the right fit, and what the rough scope looks like. No commitment yet.

Estimate preparation

We scope the job and prepare an estimate. Time spent here goes into the Quotes Job in Teamwork, tracked separately so we can measure conversion rate. Estimate includes scope, deliverables, timeline, and investment.

Estimate sent & followed up

Estimate goes to the client. We follow up if no response within five working days. If declined, the job is marked as lost in the project. If accepted, we move to client setup job setup.

Project set up in Teamwork

If new client approved then new onboarding form sent to client to fill in from Pandadocs, and logged in Teamwork and Xero. Deposit invoice generated in Teamwork. New project created in Teamwork with budget entered, owner assigned, tasklist built, and due dates set. The project name follows the naming convention: Client Name - Project Description.

Client set up

If new client approved then new onboarding form sent to client to fill in, and logged in Teamwork and Xero. Deposit invoice generated in Teamwork.

Brief confirmed

A written brief is agreed, either we write it based on the discovery conversation, or the client provides one and we refine it. Brief covers: objective, audience, key message, deliverables, timeline, and any constraints.