Skip to main content

Symphony Core Client Implementation Lifecycle

Purpose: Define the standardized stages every Symphony Core client progresses through from contract signing to fully operational status.

Audience: Implementation Team, Account Managers, Client Success Team

Automation note (2026-05-06): Stage entry/exit criteria below are written for the target-state automated flow (post-L1). Until L1 ships, the trigger is "implementation team is notified that a client paid" rather than the payment.confirmed event; otherwise the stages are unchanged. See client-onboarding-procedure.md §0 for the L1/L2/L3 architecture and payment-confirmed-trigger-sop.md for the trigger spec.

Overview​

Every Symphony Core client follows a structured implementation journey with clearly defined stages. Understanding these stages ensures:

  • Consistent client experience across all implementations
  • Clear handoffs between teams
  • Measurable progress tracking
  • Defined criteria for "Operational" status

The 6-Stage Client Implementation Lifecycle​

CONTRACT SIGNED → SETUP → ONBOARDING → TRAINING → OPERATIONAL → OPTIMIZATION

Stage Definitions​

StageDurationOwnerGoalClient Status
CONTRACT SIGNED1-2 daysSales/AMContract executed, payment confirmedCustomer (not yet onboarded)
SETUP2-3 daysImplementationTechnical environment readyIn Implementation
ONBOARDING7-10 daysImplementation + AMAll capabilities operationalizedIn Implementation
TRAINING3-5 daysCustomer SuccessClient team proficientIn Training
OPERATIONALOngoingClient (monitored by CS)System handling business operationsActive/Operational
OPTIMIZATIONOngoingClient SuccessContinuous improvementActive/Optimizing

Minimum Success Goal: Get client to OPERATIONAL stage.

Stage 1: CONTRACT SIGNED​

Entry Criteria​

  • Target state (post-L1): payment.confirmed event received from GHL/Stripe; clickwrap MSA consent record captured at checkout per clickwrap-consent-record-spec.md
  • Current state (pre-L1): Signed contract received via GHL e-sign; initial payment confirmed in GHL Payments; scope of work matches the SPD

Activities (target state)​

  • L1 fan-out fires automatically: SPD generated + sent for e-sign, welcome email + intake form link sent, sub-account provisioned (L2), folders + profile MD scaffolded (L2), agency CRM contact created
  • Implementation team receives Slack #claude-updates notification with checklist of created artifacts
  • Optional kickoff call link is in welcome email; client books at their discretion

Activities (current/manual state)​

Deliverables​

  • Sales-to-Implementation Handoff Document (current state) OR consent record + automation audit log (target state)
  • Client profile created (in repo + CRM)
  • Welcome email + SPD e-sign sent
  • Kickoff call scheduled (optional post-L3) OR completed (current state)

Exit Criteria​

  • Stage 1 → Stage 2: L1 fan-out completed successfully (post-L1) OR kickoff meeting completed (current state)
  • All required L1 artifacts present per payment-confirmed-trigger-sop.md Step 10
  • Payment cleared

Duration: Minutes (post-L1) / 1-2 business days (current state) Owner: Symphony Flow workflow + Implementation team validation (post-L1) / Account Manager + Sales (current state)

Stage 2: SETUP​

Entry Criteria​

  • Target state (post-L2): L1 fan-out completed; sub-account exists with snapshot applied; folders + profile MD scaffolded
  • Current state (pre-L2): Kickoff meeting completed; client information validated; industry/vertical identified; snapshot selection determined

What Happens​

The Setup stage provisions the client's technical environment: creating a sub-account, deploying the appropriate industry base snapshot, and verifying that all core automation capabilities (lead capture, calendar, review/referral, nurture, THE HUB) are present. The snapshot provides a pre-built foundation that is customized during the Onboarding stage.

Post-L2: This entire stage is automated by the payment.confirmed fan-out. The human pass is the L2 validation checklist (l2-validation-checklist.md), typically 5-15 minutes within 1 business day.

Step-by-step procedures:

Deliverables​

  • Client sub-account created and configured
  • Snapshot successfully deployed
  • Access credentials prepared
  • Initial configuration checklist completed

Exit Criteria​

  • Sub-account exists with correct naming
  • Industry base snapshot loaded
  • Basic configuration complete
  • Ready for client-specific customization

Duration: 2-3 business days Owner: Implementation Team

Stage 3: ONBOARDING​

Entry Criteria​

  • SETUP stage complete
  • Client ready to provide required information
  • Implementation team assigned

What Happens​

This stage focuses on operationalizing all capabilities -- making the pre-built automations work for the client's specific business. The implementation team gathers client information (branding, business details, calendar access), populates the custom values that drive all automations, configures and tests each core capability (lead capture, calendar, review/referral, nurture, reporting), and imports existing data where applicable.

Step-by-step procedures:

Deliverables​

  • All Symphony Core capabilities operationalized
  • ExtendlyOS custom values populated
  • Client-specific automations tested
  • Integration testing completed
  • Training environment ready

Exit Criteria​

  • ✅ Lead capture tested and working
  • ✅ Calendar automation functional
  • ✅ Review automation configured
  • ✅ Nurture sequences active
  • ✅ THE HUB form tested
  • ✅ All custom values populated
  • ✅ Client-facing forms branded
  • ✅ System ready for client training

Duration: 7-10 business days Owner: Implementation Team + Account Manager

Stage 4: TRAINING​

Entry Criteria​

  • ONBOARDING stage complete
  • All capabilities tested and working
  • Client team available for training

What Happens​

Goal: Ensure client team knows how to use the system to run their business.

Training Topics (by Role)​

For All Users:

  • Dashboard overview
  • Contact management basics
  • How to view reports and metrics

For Sales/Service Team:

  • Using THE HUB status form (10-second meeting update)
  • Calendar management
  • Manual lead follow-up (when needed)
  • Contact tagging and notes

For Managers/Owners:

  • Reading reports and dashboards
  • Understanding lead scoring
  • Monitoring automation performance
  • When to reach out for support

For Administrators (if applicable):

  • User management
  • Basic workflow adjustments
  • Integration management
  • Advanced features

Training Format Options​

  • Live webinar/Zoom sessions (recommended)
  • Recorded video walkthroughs
  • Documentation + office hours
  • Combination approach

Deliverables​

  • Training sessions completed
  • Client team credentials distributed
  • Quick reference guides provided
  • Support contact information shared

Exit Criteria​

  • Client team trained on core features
  • Client can demonstrate basic system usage
  • Questions answered
  • Support process understood

Duration: 3-5 business days Owner: Customer Success Team Related Docs:

Stage 5: OPERATIONAL (The Goal!)​

Entry Criteria​

  • TRAINING stage complete
  • Client actively using the system
  • Automations handling real business operations

Definition: "Business Operational"​

A client is considered OPERATIONAL when:

Technical Criteria​

  • ✅ Automations are running (not paused)
  • ✅ Leads are being captured and processed
  • ✅ Calendar is accepting bookings
  • ✅ Review requests are being sent
  • ✅ No critical errors in workflows

Adoption Criteria​

  • ✅ Client team is using THE HUB form after meetings
  • ✅ Client is monitoring dashboard/reports
  • ✅ At least 10 leads have been processed through the system
  • ✅ At least 1 appointment booked via calendar automation
  • ✅ Client understands when to contact support

Business Outcome Criteria​

  • ✅ System is handling real customer interactions
  • ✅ Client sees value in automation (time saved, leads converted)
  • ✅ No major escalations or dissatisfaction

Measurement:

  • Implementation team marks status as "Operational" in CRM
  • Handoff to Customer Success for ongoing monitoring
  • Client added to "Active Clients" dashboard

What Happens (Ongoing)​

  • Client runs day-to-day operations using Symphony Core
  • Automations handle lead capture, nurture, booking, reviews
  • Client team uses THE HUB to update meeting outcomes
  • System generates reports automatically
  • Customer Success monitors for issues

Duration​

Indefinite - this is the steady-state goal.

Owner​

  • Primary: Client (they run their business)
  • Support: Customer Success Team (monitors health, provides support)

Monitoring Metrics​

Customer Success tracks:

  • Lead volume (is system capturing leads?)
  • Automation engagement (emails opened, links clicked)
  • Appointment booking rate
  • Review generation rate
  • Client login frequency (are they using it?)
  • Support ticket volume (any issues?)

Exit Criteria to OPTIMIZATION​

Client is ready for optimization when:

  • 30+ days operational
  • Consistent lead flow
  • Client requests advanced features or improvements
  • Performance baseline established

Stage 6: OPTIMIZATION (Continuous Improvement)​

Entry Criteria​

  • Client OPERATIONAL for 30+ days
  • Performance baseline established
  • Client interested in improving results

What Happens​

Goal: Maximize ROI through A/B testing, advanced features, and refinement.

Optimization Activities​

Performance Optimization:

  • A/B test email subject lines
  • Refine lead scoring criteria
  • Optimize nurture sequence timing
  • Test different review request approaches

Advanced Feature Adoption:

  • Implement advanced workflows (if available)
  • Add industry-specific automations
  • Integrate additional tools
  • Expand reporting capabilities

Training & Enablement:

  • Advanced training sessions
  • New team member onboarding
  • Quarterly business reviews
  • Best practices sharing

Deliverables​

  • Quarterly optimization plan
  • A/B test results and recommendations
  • Updated training for new features
  • Performance improvement reports

Owner​

Shared:

  • Customer Success Team (recommendations)
  • Client (prioritization and feedback)
  • Implementation Team (advanced feature builds)

Duration​

Ongoing - continuous improvement cycle.

Master Onboarding Flow (Mermaid)​

The diagram below integrates the business stages, internal setup tasks, mandatory implementation tasks, and infrastructure pipeline into one view. Each node uses plain-English labels so the diagram reads clearly in both rendered and raw markdown form.

Reading this diagram:

  • Each STAGE box maps to a lifecycle stage with duration and owner
  • S-prefix tasks = internal setup (before client work begins)
  • M-prefix tasks = mandatory implementation tasks (from KB-004)
  • I-prefix tasks = important but non-blocking tasks
  • Arrows show dependencies — tasks without arrows to each other can run in parallel
  • The flow reaches OPERATIONAL (the goal) in 13-20 business days

Implementation Lifecycle Summary​

Visual Flow​

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CONTRACT SIGNED (1-2 days)                                  │
│ ✓ Contract executed                                         │
│ ✓ Payment confirmed                                         │
│ ✓ Implementation kickoff scheduled                          │
│ ✓ Kickoff call completed                                    │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                         ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SETUP (2-3 days) - Technical Foundation                     │
│ ✓ Create sub-account: [Client Business Name]               │
│ ✓ Deploy industry base snapshot                            │
│ ✓ Initial configuration                                     │
│ ✓ Core capabilities present (via snapshot)                 │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                         ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ONBOARDING (7-10 days) - Operationalize Capabilities       │
│ ✓ Gather required items from client                        │
│ ✓ Configure ExtendlyOS custom values                       │
│ ✓ Operationalize lead capture                              │
│ ✓ Operationalize calendar automation                       │
│ ✓ Operationalize review & referral automation              │
│ ✓ Operationalize lead nurture sequences                    │
│ ✓ Test all workflows end-to-end                            │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                         ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TRAINING (3-5 days) - Client Team Enablement               │
│ ✓ Dashboard training                                        │
│ ✓ THE HUB form training                                     │
│ ✓ Calendar management training                             │
│ ✓ Reports and metrics training                             │
│ ✓ Support process explained                                │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                         ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OPERATIONAL (Ongoing) - **THE GOAL**                        │
│ ✓ Automations running (processing real leads)              │
│ ✓ 10+ leads processed through system                       │
│ ✓ Calendar accepting bookings                              │
│ ✓ Review requests sending                                  │
│ ✓ Client team using THE HUB form                           │
│ ✓ Client sees ROI (time saved, conversions)                │
│ ✓ Handoff to Customer Success                              │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                         ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OPTIMIZATION (Ongoing) - Continuous Improvement             │
│ ✓ A/B testing and refinement                               │
│ ✓ Advanced feature adoption                                │
│ ✓ Quarterly business reviews                               │
│ ✓ Performance improvements                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Total Time to Operational​

Typical Duration: 14-18 business days (~3-4 weeks)

Breakdown:

  • Contract Signed → Setup: 1-2 days
  • Setup: 2-3 days
  • Onboarding: 7-10 days
  • Training: 3-5 days
  • Total: 13-20 days to reach OPERATIONAL status

Variables affecting timeline:

  • Client responsiveness (providing required items)
  • Complexity of integrations
  • Industry-specific requirements
  • Client team size (training duration)
  • Custom feature requests

Relationship to Marketing Funnel Stages​

Marketing Funnel vs. Implementation Lifecycle​

The Marketing Funnel tracks how we acquire customers:

CAPTURE → NURTURE → CONVERT → RETAIN & GROW

The Implementation Lifecycle tracks how we onboard and activate customers:

CONTRACT SIGNED → SETUP → ONBOARDING → TRAINING → OPERATIONAL → OPTIMIZATION

Mapping​

Marketing Funnel StageImplementation Lifecycle Stages
CONVERT (customer acquired)CONTRACT SIGNED
RETAIN & GROW (customer success)SETUP → ONBOARDING → TRAINING → OPERATIONAL → OPTIMIZATION

Key Insight: All implementation lifecycle stages occur within the RETAIN & GROW phase of the marketing funnel.

Key Success Metrics by Stage​

SETUP Success Metrics​

  • Time to sub-account creation: < 1 day
  • Snapshot load success rate: 100%
  • Initial config errors: 0

ONBOARDING Success Metrics​

  • Time to operationalize all capabilities: 7-10 days
  • Client information gathering: < 3 days
  • ExtendlyOS custom values completion: 100%
  • Workflow test pass rate: 100%

TRAINING Success Metrics​

  • Client team trained: 100%
  • Training completion rate: 100%
  • Post-training survey score: 4+/5

OPERATIONAL Success Metrics (30-day benchmark)​

  • Leads processed: 10+ (demonstrates system usage)
  • Automation uptime: 99%+
  • Client login frequency: 2+ per week
  • Support tickets: < 2 critical issues
  • THE HUB form usage: 80%+ of meetings

OPTIMIZATION Success Metrics (quarterly)​

  • Performance improvement: 10%+ (conversion, engagement, etc.)
  • Advanced feature adoption: 2+ new features per quarter
  • Client satisfaction: 8+/10
  • Referral likelihood (NPS): Promoter status

Snapshot Selection Guide​

For the full snapshot inventory, selection decision tree, and contents breakdown, see KB-009: Snapshot Selection Guide. For the selection procedure during onboarding, see Client Onboarding Procedure -- Section 1.4.

Note: This document previously listed a "Property Management" snapshot (z.sc.Prop-Mgt-Base). If this snapshot exists, it should be added to the canonical source in KB-009.

Common Questions​

Q: What if a client gets stuck in ONBOARDING stage?​

A: Identify the blocker:

  • Missing client information? → Follow up with client, set deadline
  • Technical issues? → Escalate to technical team
  • Client unresponsive? → Account Manager intervenes
  • Set max onboarding duration (20 days) - escalate if exceeded

Q: What defines "Operational" if client has very few leads?​

A: Minimum viable criteria:

  • System is configured and running (automations active)
  • Client is trained and has access
  • At least 5 test leads processed successfully (can be test data)
  • Client understands how to use system when real leads arrive
  • Mark as "Operational - Low Volume" and monitor

Q: Can a client skip TRAINING and go straight to OPERATIONAL?​

A: Not recommended, but possible if:

  • Client team is highly technical
  • Client has used similar systems before
  • Client signs training waiver
  • Training materials provided for self-service
  • Customer Success monitors closely for first 30 days

Q: What if client needs capabilities not in the base snapshot?​

A: Three options:

  1. Client-specific customization (C-prefix workflows) -- create custom workflows in the client sub-account; factor +3-5 days into timeline.
  2. New industry feature -- if valuable for the vertical, implement as C-prefix now and migrate to the base snapshot later.
  3. Third-party integration -- evaluate feasibility, set up during ONBOARDING, test before OPERATIONAL.

Q: How do we track which stage each client is in?​

A: CRM tracking:

  • Custom field: implementation_stage (dropdown)
  • Values: Contract Signed, Setup, Onboarding, Training, Operational, Optimization
  • Update field as client progresses
  • Dashboard view: clients by stage
  • Reporting: average time in each stage

Other related links (onboarding procedure, checklists, naming standards, snapshots architecture, customer education) appear in context within each stage section above.

Team Training​

Standards & Terminology​

Document Information​

  • Version: 1.2
  • Created: 2025-01-17
  • Last Updated: 2026-02-24
  • Maintained By: Symphony Core Implementation Team
  • Review Cadence: Quarterly
  • Next Review: 2025-04-17

Key Takeaway: The goal is to get every client to OPERATIONAL status - where the system is actively handling their business operations, automations are running, and they're seeing ROI. Everything before OPERATIONAL is setup and enablement. Everything after is optimization and growth.