Every service business has them: the clients who sign enthusiastically, then vanish the moment you send the welcome questionnaire. They do not return your intake form. They skip the kickoff call. They reply to your document request three weeks late with half the files missing. Most firms treat this as a client problem. It is not. Resistant clients are rational actors responding to a process that asks too much, explains too little, and delivers no visible value until weeks after they start jumping through hoops. This article breaks down the four types of onboarding resisters, the psychology behind why they push back, and seven specific tactics that turn reluctant participants into engaged ones, all without watering down your process or chasing people.