Jonel Ligaya
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Featured Case Study

Client Onboarding & Retention Automation

I built a flagship portfolio automation system for a financial coaching business that turns post-sale client follow-up into a trackable GoHighLevel lifecycle flow.

CRM AutomationClient OnboardingRetentionClient SuccessEmail/SMS Follow-UpPipeline Tracking
View workflow breakdownSee proof screenshots

System path

  1. 01

    Enrolled Client

  2. 02

    Onboarding Form Sent

  3. 03

    Onboarding Complete

  4. 04

    Kickoff Call Booked

  5. 05

    Active Program

  6. 06

    Check-In Sent

  7. 07

    Manual Follow-Up if Needed

  8. 08

    Completed / Review Requested

Business problem

Many service-based businesses successfully close new clients but lose momentum after the sale because onboarding is manual, scattered, or inconsistent. New clients may not complete intake forms, may delay booking their kickoff call, may miss early check-ins, or may finish the program without being asked for feedback, reviews, or referrals. Without a structured post-sale system, the business risks poor client experience, missed follow-up, weak retention, and unclear visibility into client progress.

Project goal

The goal was to build a client success automation system that helps a financial coaching business guide new clients from enrollment to onboarding, kickoff booking, active program check-ins, manual follow-up when engagement drops, and completion/review follow-up.

System I built

A client lifecycle system from enrollment through retention and review follow-up.

The build connects post-sale onboarding, kickoff booking, active-client check-ins, manual follow-up logic, completion review requests, referral follow-up, pipeline stages, and staff visibility.

Client success pipeline

Tracks each client from enrollment through onboarding, kickoff booking, active program status, attention needed, completion, and referral opportunity.

Onboarding form

Collects client context before the kickoff call so staff can prepare with the right information.

Kickoff call calendar

Gives new clients a direct next step after completing onboarding so the first session gets scheduled.

New client onboarding workflow

Starts when an enrolled-client tag is added, sends the onboarding form, creates tasks, and handles reminders.

Onboarding form submitted workflow

Updates tags and pipeline status when onboarding is complete, then sends the kickoff booking link.

Kickoff call booked workflow

Moves the client to the kickoff stage, sends preparation messages, and notifies staff.

Active client check-in workflow

Sends progress check-ins during the program and flags clients who may need manual follow-up.

Check-in reply handler

Removes manual follow-up risk when a client responds and notifies staff that engagement is visible.

Completion/review workflow

Moves completed clients into review-requested status and sends review/referral follow-up.

Tags and staff notifications

Keeps lifecycle state visible and alerts staff at the moments where a human follow-up matters.

Pipeline

Brightpath Client Success Pipeline

01

New Client

02

Onboarding Form Sent

03

Onboarding Complete

04

Kickoff Call Booked

05

Active Program

06

At Risk / Needs Attention

07

Completed / Review Requested

08

Referral Opportunity

Customer journey

A new client enters the system when they are tagged as enrolled inside the CRM. The system sends the onboarding form, creates or updates the client success opportunity, tracks whether onboarding is completed, sends the kickoff booking link, updates the pipeline when the kickoff call is booked, starts active-client check-ins, flags clients who need manual follow-up, and sends review/referral follow-up after completion.

Workflow breakdown

Six workflows guide the client lifecycle.

The workflows cover enrollment, onboarding completion, kickoff booking, active-client retention, check-in reply handling, and completion review/referral follow-up.

Workflow 01: New Client Onboarding Start

Trigger

Brightpath enrolled client tag added

Actions

  • Add client/onboarding tags
  • Create or update the client success opportunity
  • Move client to Onboarding Form Sent
  • Send onboarding form by email/SMS
  • Create internal onboarding review task
  • Wait and send reminder if onboarding is not completed
  • Flag client for manual follow-up if onboarding remains incomplete

Workflow 02: Onboarding Form Submitted

Trigger

Brightpath Client Onboarding Form submitted

Actions

  • Add onboarding completed tag
  • Remove manual follow-up/risk tags
  • Move opportunity to Onboarding Complete
  • Send kickoff call booking link
  • Notify staff to review onboarding responses

Workflow 03: Kickoff Call Booked

Trigger

Brightpath Kickoff Call booked

Actions

  • Add kickoff booked tag
  • Move opportunity to Kickoff Call Booked
  • Send kickoff prep email/SMS
  • Notify staff to prepare for the session

Workflow 04: Active Client Check-In and Retention

Trigger

Brightpath active client tag added

Actions

  • Move opportunity to Active Program
  • Send active program welcome email
  • Wait before first progress check-in
  • Send check-in email/SMS
  • Add check-in sent tag
  • If no response, add needs manual follow-up and notify staff
  • Keep the client in Active Program because a missed check-in does not automatically mean they are at risk

Workflow 05: Check-In Reply Handler

Trigger

Customer replies by SMS or email

Actions

  • Add check-in responded tag
  • Remove needs manual follow-up tag
  • Notify staff that the client responded

Workflow 06: Program Completion Review and Referral

Trigger

Brightpath completed tag added

Actions

  • Move opportunity to Completed / Review Requested
  • Add review requested tag
  • Send completion/review request by email/SMS
  • Wait for response
  • Send reminder if needed
  • Notify staff if no review response is received

Build proof

Evidence grouped by what each screenshot proves.

The screenshots are grouped by the proof they provide: workflow coverage, onboarding state, booking movement, retention checks, completion follow-up, pipeline status, and sample client QA evidence.

The workflow cards explain the system logic; the screenshots below provide build proof and QA evidence.

This page shows build proof and QA evidence, not live client performance results.

System overview

What this proves

The workflow list shows the connected automations used for onboarding, kickoff booking, active-client check-ins, reply handling, and review/referral follow-up.

Why it matters

It confirms the build is not a single isolated workflow; the system has connected parts that can be tracked together.

Published Brightpath workflow list showing onboarding, kickoff booking, active client retention, check-in reply handler, and completion review referral workflows.
Shows the published workflow set used for onboarding, kickoff booking, active-client check-ins, reply handling, and review/referral follow-up.

New client onboarding logic

What this proves

The onboarding workflow starts the post-sale journey, sends intake steps, and flags incomplete onboarding for manual review.

Why it matters

It shows the actual CRM branching, waits, tags, and notifications behind the plain-language workflow breakdown.

Read this set as implementation proof. The workflow breakdown above explains the logic in plain language.

First part of the Brightpath new client onboarding workflow triggered by an enrolled client tag.
Shows the onboarding workflow starting when a new enrolled-client tag is added.

Secondary proof

Second part of the Brightpath onboarding workflow showing reminders and manual follow-up when onboarding is incomplete.
Shows reminder and manual follow-up logic when onboarding is not completed.

Onboarding and kickoff booking

What this proves

This set proves that onboarding data, form submission, kickoff booking, and prep communication are connected.

Why it matters

It proves the customer-facing step connects back to CRM status instead of staying as a disconnected form or calendar.

Brightpath onboarding form collecting client goals, financial situation, preferred communication, and coaching context.
Shows the onboarding form used to collect client context before the kickoff call.
Brightpath onboarding form submitted workflow updating tags, pipeline status, kickoff booking link, and staff notification.
Shows how form submission updates tags, pipeline status, and staff visibility.
Brightpath kickoff call calendar showing available dates and times for the first coaching session.
Shows the kickoff calendar where a new client can schedule the first session.
Brightpath kickoff call booked workflow updating pipeline status, sending prep communication, and notifying staff.
Shows how kickoff booking updates the pipeline and triggers prep communication.

Retention and check-in logic

What this proves

These workflows keep active-client engagement visible and reduce manual guessing when a client misses a check-in.

Why it matters

It shows the actual CRM branching, waits, tags, and notifications behind the plain-language workflow breakdown.

Read this set as implementation proof. The workflow breakdown above explains the logic in plain language.

Brightpath active client retention workflow sending active program messages, progress check-ins, and manual follow-up alerts.
Shows the active-client check-in workflow used to keep client engagement visible.

Secondary proof

Brightpath check-in reply handler workflow removing manual follow-up risk and notifying staff when a client responds.
Shows how client replies remove manual follow-up risk and notify staff.

Completion, review, and referral follow-up

What this proves

This group shows the completion path and final pipeline status for review/referral follow-up.

Why it matters

It shows how follow-up continues after the first conversion, which keeps client or lead status visible for staff.

Secondary proof

Brightpath completion review and referral workflow sending review requests, reminders, and staff notifications.
Shows the completion workflow that sends review/referral follow-up and reminders.
Brightpath client success pipeline showing Arthur Leni in Completed Review Requested.
Shows the sample client moved into the Completed / Review Requested pipeline stage.

CRM proof / QA evidence

What this proves

Sample client activity shows the QA path through onboarding, kickoff booking, retention, completion, and review follow-up.

Why it matters

It shows the sample record, activity trail, and pipeline movement used to QA the system without claiming live results.

Sample client activity for Arthur Leni showing onboarding workflow activity and kickoff booking events.
Shows the sample client activity path through onboarding and kickoff booking.
Sample client activity for Arthur Leni showing retention check-in, completion, and review follow-up workflow events.
Shows the sample client activity path through retention, completion, and review follow-up.

QA testing summary

QA tested using a sample client record named Arthur Leni. Testing confirmed that the onboarding workflow started correctly, the onboarding form submission was tracked, the kickoff call booking updated the pipeline, active-client check-ins were sent, manual follow-up logic triggered when needed, reply handling was tested, and the completion/review workflow moved the client to the final stage.

Business impact

This system is designed to make new-client onboarding more consistent, reduce post-sale drop-off, improve client progress visibility, help staff respond when engagement drops, and create a structured path for review and referral follow-up. Since this is a portfolio build, I am not claiming live client revenue, retention, or referral results.

Business value

Why this system matters for a service business.

These are intended operating improvements for a demo build, not live performance claims.

  • More consistent new-client onboarding
  • Faster kickoff call booking
  • Cleaner client success pipeline visibility
  • Fewer clients falling through the cracks
  • Better staff awareness when a client needs help
  • Stronger retention follow-up
  • Better process for requesting reviews and referrals
  • Less manual admin work for the business

Next improvements

What I would improve next.

The core flow is intentionally simple. These additions would make the client success system stronger for a live financial coaching account.

  • Add a client progress visibility view
  • Add separate check-in paths based on client responses
  • Add missed kickoff/no-show follow-up
  • Add referral tracking
  • Add review link integration
  • Add pipeline visibility metrics for onboarding completion, kickoff booking, check-in response, and completion/review response

Build something similar

Need a lifecycle follow-up system your team can track?

I can review your current follow-up process and identify where leads or clients are slowing down, getting lost, or going untracked.

Book a free automation audit