Hi Community!
Being responsible for my clients’ migrations, I’ve learned a lot about EPS’s, client needs, and potential issues that might arise. As migrations have the tendency to not go as smoothly as expected, here are some tips and tricks outlining my past experiences in hopes that they serve to make the process easier for my peers in the Community!
What are the usual problems that may come in the migration process?
Knowing what to expect might help you transition more smoothly in this process. Some of the the problems I most frequently come into contact with are things like:
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Clients using different wording for Klaviyo processes
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Clients confusing Klaviyo features, for example: lists and segments
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The process of transferring data and data collection
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The Non-traditional setups clients created on their old EPS that don’t translate in Klaviyo
While there are many other issues that could arise. These are the issues I’ve seen most frequently arise. While I can’t offer a one-stop solution to all the problems you might encounter, here are some of the workable solutions I’ve developed to solve these issues.
How to Overcome the Issues
While it’s necessary to pay attention to the concerns and needs of your customers, ultimately you know what will work best for them and need to trust your own expertise.
For instance, your client might say they need a list of people who placed an order only once, but you must know what they need is actually a segment. It could be that their previous ESP didn’t have a segment option or they were not sure how to use it, or are still simply confused between the two features.
There are older EPS’s, for example Bronto, that don't have direct migrations at all. Consequently, you will have to invent a way to transfer all the data your client needs exactly as they need it. To do so you will have to know the in’s and outs of their account and the purpose of its specific setup. While clients might tell you exactly what you need to do in the migration process, it’s best to take their voice into account, but prioritize what you know will work and not work in your experience with Klaviyo.
Lessons I’ve Learned
As I mentioned previously, I was assuming our clients knew exactly what they needed and I was doing exactly what they requested. However, as your clients aren’t well-versed and knowledgable about Klaviyo as you are, you will need to discover how to come up with custom solutions for each client that will accomplish their goals, but also set them up for success in their new business journey with Klaviyo.
For example, some clients may ask you for a specific flow creation and they will try to tell you what to use for triggers, what to use for filters, how to structure the flow and all other things. While it’s great that they are voicing their needs and trying to personally help, this has never worked out well in my experience! Make sure you ask them to explain with plain words, who do they want in the flow, why, who do they want to exclude, how often this should happen, and so on. Ask general questions, that will help you understand the purpose and goal of the flow vs. asking for the exact trigger, filter, split suggestions from your client.
My Advice to the Community
In closing, my advice to my peers is to listen respectfully, but don’t rely on clients' directions alone, especially if they are new to klaviyo and the migration process as a whole. If you do, you will have to spend a lot of time in the future fixing the issues or re-doing all your hard work.
Have a discussion with your clients and ask for explanation vs. directions and then you come up with a viable solution according to your and Klaviyo’s possibilities.
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Learn more about me on my Champion profile page!
Resources Available to Keep Learning:
- Understanding the Difference between Lists and Segments
- Migrate from Another ESP to Klaviyo
- How to Import Your Contacts from a Previous ESP or CRM
- Flow Filters and Triggers
- Klaviyo's Collective Help Center Documentation on Flows