If you’ve ever onboarded a new client, you know how important those first few weeks are. The way the client onboarding process is handled sets the tone for the entire relationship. Get it right, and clients feel confident and engaged. Get it wrong, and frustration builds before the real work even begins. 

For many consultants, onboarding new clients is a slow and manual process. There are endless forms to fill out, evidence to collect, and policies to draft. Too often, it takes weeks before meaningful work even starts. The problem isn’t a lack of effort, it’s that the process is inefficient. 

The good news? Onboarding doesn’t have to be this painful. With the right approach and tools, it can be fast, structured, and smooth, giving both consultants and clients a strong start. 

Why Client Onboarding Feels Like a Bottleneck 

Think about how onboarding usually goes: 

• You send over spreadsheets and questionnaires. 
• Clients get lost in the paperwork and back-and-forth emails. 
• You spend weeks configuring frameworks, drafting documents, and chasing evidence. 
• By the time you’re ready to start the assessment, momentum is already lost. 

This doesn’t just delay projects—it also makes clients wonder if the rest of the journey will feel the same way. 

Rethinking the Onboarding Process 

Faster onboarding isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about creating a repeatable, minimal-setup process that helps clients get started quickly while reducing the burden on consultants. 

Here are a few ways consultants can make onboarding more efficient: 

• Use pre-built templates instead of creating policies and risk registers from scratch. 
• Automate evidence requests and reminders so nothing slips through the cracks. 
• Provide clients with a checklist that clearly lays out what they need to do. 
• Integrate with systems clients already use, such as Microsoft 365 or Jira, to avoid duplicate work. 
• Offer clients a self-service portal where they can upload documents and track progress without waiting for updates. 

How Assurtiv Helps Consultants Onboard Faster 

This is where a platform like Assurtiv GRC changes the game. It’s designed to simplify the onboarding of clients by removing repetitive work and giving both sides visibility into progress. 

With Assurtiv, consultants can: 

• Use ready-to-go libraries of policies, risks, and controls mapped to standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, and DPDP. 
• Guide clients through onboarding with step-by-step setup wizards. 
• Connect directly to client systems, reducing time spent reconfiguring tools. 
• Let clients take ownership of tasks through self-service features. 
• Reduce onboarding from weeks to days while keeping quality consistent. 

Want to see how this works in practice?  

A Real Example 

A consulting firm I worked with used to take about four weeks to onboard new clients. Most of that time was spent setting up frameworks, exchanging spreadsheets, and clarifying requirements. 

When they switched to Assurtiv, onboarding time dropped to just seven days. Pre-built ISO 27001 templates replaced manual drafting, while Azure AD integration allowed quick access configuration. Instead of waiting weeks, the client started their risk assessment in the second week. 

The impact was huge: 

• Clients felt confident right away. 
• Consultants spent more time advising instead of chasing documents. 
• The firm could onboard multiple clients at once without adding staff. 

Why Onboarding Speed Matters 

Quick onboarding isn’t just about saving time. It delivers deeper benefits: 

• For clients: They see progress immediately, which builds trust and keeps them engaged. 
• For consultants: Less time on admin means more time providing real value. 
• For firms: Faster onboarding means they can take on more clients without needing to scale their team proportionally. 

For industries like financial services or SaaS, where timelines are tight and compliance is critical, a slow onboarding process can be a deal-breaker. A streamlined process, on the other hand, becomes a competitive advantage. 

Turning Client Onboarding Process into a Strength 

Many firms treat client onboarding process as a hurdle, a necessary but painful step before the “real work” begins. But with the right approach, onboarding can actually become a selling point. Imagine being able to tell a prospective client: “We can get you started in a week, not a month.” That kind of confidence sets you apart in a crowded market. 

With Assurtiv, onboarding becomes standardized, transparent, and efficient. Clients see where things stand at any moment, consultants spend less time buried in admin, and firms create the capacity to grow without proportional hiring. 

Final Thoughts 

First impressions matter. A slow onboarding process can damage trust, while a smooth one can build lasting confidence. For GRC consultants, faster client onboarding process with minimal setup is not just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for growth. 

With pre-built templates, automation, seamless integrations, and self-service tools, Assurtiv turns onboarding into a streamlined, stress-free experience. It’s the difference between struggling to keep up and being able to say yes to more clients. 

Ready to give your clients a better first impression? Book a demo with Assurtiv and see how you can onboard faster, with less effort.