Unset expectations are unmet expectations. The #1 cause of client frustration during onboarding isn't slowness or disorganization — it's ambiguity. When clients don't know what to expect, they fill the gap with assumptions. And those assumptions are almost never in your favor. A structured expectation-setting process — covering timeline, responsibilities, communication cadence, and what success looks like — takes 15 minutes to implement and prevents months of friction.