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Client Preferences Questionnaire

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Client Preferences Questionnaire and Services Agreement

PARTIES AND IDENTIFICATION

Client Name:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client desires to retain Service Provider to provide services described in this Agreement and in the Scope of Work, and Service Provider is willing to perform such services under the terms and conditions set forth herein;

WHEREAS, the parties wish to record Client preferences, project objectives, communication expectations, and standard business terms in a single document that also governs the provision of services;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained in this document, the parties agree as follows.

SCOPE OF WORK

CLIENT PREFERENCES

PAYMENT TERMS

Client agrees to pay Service Provider the fees described below in consideration for the services set forth in the Scope of Work. Fees that are not paid when due shall accrue interest and any collection costs as set forth herein.

TERM AND TERMINATION

The term of this Agreement shall commence on the date specified below and shall continue until completion of the Scope of Work or termination in accordance with this section.

Start Date:    End Date:

Either party may terminate this Agreement for material breach by the other party if such breach is not cured within the notice period specified above following written notice. Termination shall not relieve Client of the obligation to pay for services performed and expenses incurred prior to termination.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party acknowledges that, in the course of performance, it may receive information that the other party considers confidential. Except as required by law, the receiving party shall: (a) use Confidential Information solely for performance under this Agreement; (b) protect Confidential Information with no less than reasonable care; and (c) not disclose Confidential Information to third parties without prior written consent. Confidential Information shall not include information that is or becomes publicly available through no fault of the receiving party, was in the receiving party's possession prior to disclosure, or is rightfully received from a third party without restriction.

The obligations of confidentiality survive termination of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years, except for trade secrets which shall remain protected for as long as they qualify as trade secrets under applicable law.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of:

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This document, including any attached Scope of Work and written change orders signed by both parties, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations and warranties, both written and oral. Any amendment or modification must be in writing and signed by both parties.

ADDITIONAL CLIENT NOTES

By signing below, the parties acknowledge that they have read and understood this Questionnaire and Services Agreement, that the information provided in the Client Preferences sections accurately reflects the Client’s expectations, and that the signatures below create a binding agreement between the parties.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕

What the Client Preferences Questionnaire Is and when to use it

A Client Preferences Questionnaire is a structured form used during onboarding or client intake to record communication preferences, accessibility needs, billing and contact details, and consent for electronic records. It standardizes how organizations capture preferred channels, best contact times, language or interpreter needs, and privacy choices so services can be delivered according to each client’s expectations while maintaining an evidentiary record for compliance. The questionnaire is commonly embedded in onboarding workflows, combined with identity checks or eSignature, and stored as part of client records for service and regulatory purposes.

Why collecting client preferences matters for compliance and service

Recording preferences reduces disputes, speeds communications, and supports obligations such as consumer consent under the ESIGN Act and state electronic transactions laws. It creates a documented trail for customer-facing teams and helps meet accessibility and privacy commitments without adding legal complexity.

Why collecting client preferences matters for compliance and service

Who typically completes and relies on this questionnaire

The form is appropriate for any industry with recurring client contact; fields can be tailored to sector-specific needs such as HIPAA consents in healthcare or lien waiver rules in construction.

  • Client-facing managers who need consolidated contact and communication rules for service delivery.
  • Intake or onboarding teams that require standardized data for CRM and compliance mapping.
  • Compliance officers who monitor consent, retention, and audit trail requirements across accounts.

Essential sections to include in a professional Client Preferences Questionnaire

A useful questionnaire combines identity fields, direct contact preferences, consent options, accessibility requests, billing choices, and record-retention acknowledgements so each response is actionable and auditable.

Identity

Full legal name, date of birth or business name, and a primary identifier such as email or client ID to ensure responses map to the correct account.

Contact Preferences

Preferred channel (email, phone, SMS, postal), best contact times, and alternate contacts so teams follow client communication rules.

Accessibility Needs

Language preference, interpreter requests, and format accommodations (large print, screen reader compatible documents) to meet accessibility and ADA considerations.

Billing & Notices

Invoice delivery method, electronic billing consent, and tax or payer identifiers required to route invoices and meet recordkeeping rules.

Consent & Disclosures

Explicit consent for electronic records, acceptance of ESIGN consumer disclosures where required, and any opt-outs for electronic delivery.

Data Sharing

Options to permit or restrict sharing with affiliates, third parties, or subcontractors and any required privacy acknowledgements.

Security and data-handling essentials to include with responses

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest
Access Control: Role-based access with least privilege
Audit Trail: Timestamps, IPs, and action logs retained
BAA Option: HIPAA-covered workflows require a BAA
Authentication: Email, SMS code, or advanced 2FA options
Retention Flag: Record deletion controlled by policy

Key risks and regulatory consequences of errors

Incomplete Data: Service delays or misrouted notices
Missing Consent: Invalid electronic delivery under ESIGN
Wrong Tax ID: Backup withholding triggered
HIPAA Violations: Civil penalties, require BAA
Retention Failures: Regulatory fines or audit findings
Incorrect Signer: Contract enforceability issues

Common mistakes when preparing or distributing the questionnaire

  • Using ambiguous field labels that produce inconsistent responses and require manual reconciliation before onboarding.
  • Failing to include an explicit ESIGN consumer disclosure when obtaining electronic consent for consumer-facing billing or notices.
  • Requesting signatures or witness attestations on fields that are unnecessary, causing needless notarization or processing costs.
  • Not mapping questionnaire data to CRM fields, causing duplicate records and missed communications when teams rely on different systems.

How organizations apply the questionnaire in practice

Real-world examples show how different organizations adapt the questionnaire to cut processing time and capture essential consent and accessibility details.

Martin Properties

Martin Properties shifted to an online Client Preferences Questionnaire to streamline tenant onboarding and reduce in-person paperwork.

  • Mobile signing reduced turnaround times significantly.
  • "I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security. Whether on mobile or working offline, I can get forms back to their necessary parties efficiently."

Fertility Centers

A medical practice added preferences to record contact methods and interpreter needs up front.

  • HIPAA-aware consent was captured inline.
  • "The airSlate SignNow team has been exceptional, responsive, the API has been great, and we're extremely happy that we chose airSlate SignNow as a company."

Quick steps to complete and process the questionnaire

Follow a simple send-review-store flow so each client response is validated, signed if required, and routed into the recordkeeping system.

  • 01
    Prepare: Populate recipient details and required fields before sending.
  • 02
    Send: Deliver via email link or secure portal; include consent language.
  • 03
    Sign: Obtain signature or checkbox consent to confirm preferences.
  • 04
    Store: Archive response with audit trail and link to CRM.

End-to-end process: from delivery to retention

A streamlined workflow reduces manual handoffs: issue the form, validate identity if needed, capture consent, and persist the record with metadata.

  • Issue: Send secure signing link or attach to onboarding packet.
  • Validate: Confirm identity via email, SMS, or stronger methods.
  • Capture: Record preferences, consent, and timestamps.
  • Persist: Save to encrypted storage with an audit log.

Typical online configuration settings for automated workflows

Configure fields, authentication, storage, and notifications so the questionnaire becomes part of an automated intake pipeline.

Setting Value
Authentication Method Email link | SMS code or 2FA
Conditional Fields Show fields only when relevant
Storage Location Encrypted cloud | CRM attachment
Notifications Email and optional SMS alerts

Technical considerations for digital completion and signing

Choose a solution that provides audit trails, role-based access, and secure long-term storage to meet operational and compliance needs.

  • Integrations: CRM and document storage connectors
  • File Formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML supported
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, KBA, or SSO

Typical timelines and processing expectations

Establish clear internal SLAs so clients and teams know when to expect processing, review, and confirmation after a questionnaire is submitted.

Return timeframe:

Request clients return the form within 7 business days where possible

Processing time:

Allow 3–5 business days for validation and CRM updates

Annual review:

Prompt clients to confirm preferences at least once per year

Update requests:

Respond to client change requests within 30 calendar days

Exception handling:

Flag incomplete or conflicting responses for manual follow-up

Pricing and capability comparison for eSignature platforms commonly used with this questionnaire

A neutral feature and pricing comparison can help choose a provider that supports bulk send, audit trails, HIPAA workflows, and the expected document volume.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial Trial available Trial available Free limited plan Free limited plan
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Common questions and practical answers about using the questionnaire

Answers address legal validity, eSignature, storage, updating responses, and how to handle consent and sensitive data.


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