CRM Entry & Handoff SOP

1. Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to define the process for entering leads into the CRM and handing them off between sales roles (SDR → AE → Customer Success). A structured handoff ensures continuity, prevents data loss, and delivers a seamless prospect experience. Without this SOP:

  1. Leads may be entered incompletely or inaccurately into the CRM.
  2. Critical context from discovery or qualification may be lost during handoff.
  3. Multiple team members may duplicate efforts on the same lead.
  4. Client experience may suffer due to misalignment between teams.

This SOP ensures consistency, accountability, and smooth transitions at every stage of CRM entry and lead handoff.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to all sales staff and operations teams responsible for lead creation, updates, and transitions in CRM.

  1. Roles Covered: SDRs, AEs/BDMs, Sales Managers, Sales Operations, Customer Success Managers (for handoff post-sale).
  2. Activities Covered: Lead creation, qualification updates, handoff notes, opportunity creation, and transitions between roles.
  3. Systems Covered: CRM and integrated enrichment/automation tools.

3. Definitions

  1. Lead Entry: The act of creating a new lead record in CRM with mandatory fields.
  2. Handoff: The structured transition of a lead or account from one owner to another (e.g., SDR to AE, AE to Customer Success).
  3. Handoff Notes: Key details documented in CRM (ICP score, discovery notes, objections, stakeholder map).
  4. Opportunity Creation: Conversion of a qualified lead into an opportunity in CRM with associated details.
  5. Ownership Field: The CRM attribute that identifies the accountable owner of a record.

4. Step-by-Step Process

  1. Lead Entry by SDR
    • Create a new lead in CRM within 24 hours of identification.
    • Complete all mandatory fields (Lead Source, Company, Role, Email, Phone, ICP Score).
    • Check for duplicates before saving.
  2. Qualification Update
    • Enrich the lead using approved tools (Apollo, LinkedIn, Clearbit).
    • Apply ICP filters and score the lead.
    • Log discovery notes, if initial outreach has occurred.
  3. Handoff from SDR → AE
    • Once lead is qualified, SDR changes ownership in CRM to assigned AE.
    • Mandatory fields at handoff: ICP Score, Lead Source, Discovery Notes, Next Steps.
    • Notify AE via CRM workflow or email notification.
  4. Opportunity Creation by AE
    • Convert lead to an Opportunity in CRM once discovery validates sales potential.
    • Populate mandatory opportunity fields (Stage, Deal Value, Close Date, Decision Maker).
  5. AE to Customer Success Handoff (Post-Sale)
    • Upon closing, AE updates CRM with complete notes including:
      • Stakeholders engaged.
      • Solution sold and agreed scope.
      • Pricing and contract terms.
      • Risks or objections raised.
    • Ownership transferred to Customer Success Manager (CSM).
    • Kickoff meeting scheduled with CSM and Delivery team.
  6. Manager Oversight
    • Sales Managers review weekly CRM handoff reports for accuracy and completeness.
    • Incomplete handoffs may be rejected and sent back to SDR/AE for correction.

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  1. SDRs: Create lead records, enrich data, qualify leads, and document handoff notes.
  2. AEs/BDMs: Accept handoffs, validate qualification, create opportunities, and update CRM with client context.
  3. Sales Managers: Monitor compliance, review handoff quality, and resolve disputes.
  4. Sales Operations: Maintain CRM workflows for handoffs, configure mandatory fields, and generate reports.
  5. Customer Success Managers: Accept AE handoffs, validate information, and ensure smooth onboarding post-sale.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  1. Governance Oversight: Head of Sales and Sales Operations.
  2. Monitoring: Handoff compliance will be tracked via CRM reports and quarterly audits.
  3. Examples of Violations:
    • Leads entered with missing mandatory fields.
    • Handoffs performed without proper notes or ICP scoring.
    • Deals converted into opportunities without enrichment.
    • Failure to transfer accounts to Customer Success post-sale.
  4. Consequences:
    • Minor Violations: Retraining and coaching.
    • Moderate Violations: Formal warning and handoff rejection.
    • Severe Violations: Escalation to Sales Leadership, loss of account ownership, or HR action.

7. Review & Ownership

  1. SOP Owner: Sales Operations.
  2. Review Cycle: Reviewed annually or sooner if CRM workflows change.
  3. Approval Authority: Sales Leadership.
  4. Training & Awareness: All SDRs, AEs, and CSMs must undergo CRM entry and handoff training during onboarding and annual refreshers.
  5. Version Control: Updates logged in SOP Register with date, version number, and approvals.