What does the term "customer onboarding" refer to in account management?

Customer onboarding refers to the process of integrating a new customer into the services offered by a company. This involves not just introducing the customer to the services but also ensuring they understand how to use them effectively. Onboarding may include training sessions, personalized support, and providing necessary resources that help facilitate the transition from an interested prospect to an active user of the service.

During this phase, account managers work closely with the customer to ensure all needs and expectations are met, which can play a crucial role in customer retention and satisfaction. Effective onboarding helps minimize confusion and frustration, thereby enhancing the overall user experience and setting the foundation for a lasting relationship.

The other choices focus on different aspects of customer relationship management that do not align with the specific definition of onboarding. Acquiring new customers relates to initial sales and marketing efforts, upselling pertains to increasing revenue from existing customers, and removing unresponsive customers deals with account maintenance, which are distinctly separate from the onboarding process.