Sales Qualification & Handoff Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the standards and rules for qualifying sales opportunities and handing them off between roles (SDRs → AEs → Delivery/Customer Success). A structured qualification and handoff process ensures:

  1. Only ICP-fit and sales-ready opportunities are pursued.
  2. No context is lost when leads transition between roles.
  3. Pipeline stages remain consistent and trustworthy.
  4. Both Sales and Delivery teams operate with aligned expectations.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all members of the sales function and directly impacts downstream teams.

  • Roles Covered: SDRs, AEs/BDMs, Sales Managers, Sales Operations, Delivery Leads, Customer Success.
  • Activities Covered: Qualification, opportunity creation, handoff notes, ownership transfer.
  • Systems Covered: CRM, lead scoring trackers, opportunity templates.

3. Definitions

  1. Qualification – The process of confirming that a lead meets ICP and has budget, authority, need, and timeline (via MEDDPICC framework).
  2. Sales-Ready Lead (SQL) – A qualified lead that meets agreed ICP and readiness criteria, ready for AE follow-up.
  3. Handoff – The structured transfer of ownership of a lead or opportunity from SDR → AE or AE → Delivery/Customer Success.
  4. Handoff Notes – Required contextual documentation (ICP score, discovery notes, objections, decision-makers).
  5. Disqualification – When a lead fails to meet ICP criteria or is not sales-ready after review.

4. Policy Statements

  1. Qualification Criteria
    • All opportunities must be qualified against ICP filters and MEDDPICC before being created in CRM.
    • Leads failing qualification must be disqualified with reason code (e.g., No Budget, Not ICP).
  2. SQL Standards (SDR → AE Handoff)
    • Minimum data required: ICP Score, Contact Role, Budget/Need confirmation, Discovery Notes.
    • SDR must complete Opportunity Summary Template before AE acceptance.
    • AE has 48 hrs to review and accept or reject with reason.
  3. Opportunity Handoff (AE → Delivery/CS)
    • Closed-Won opportunities must be handed off with:
      • Final Proposal / Contract.
      • Stakeholder Map.
      • Scope of Work agreed.
      • Risks or objections flagged.
    • Handoff documented in CRM + Kickoff Deck.
  4. Ownership Rules
    • SDRs own leads until they become SQLs.
    • AEs own opportunities from creation to close.
    • Delivery/CS owns client relationship post-closure.
    • Ownership transfers must be logged in CRM.
  5. Handoff Quality
    • Handoffs missing required notes may be rejected by receiving role.
    • Sales Managers oversee handoff quality and resolve disputes.

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  • SDRs: Qualify leads, complete Opportunity Summary, handoff to AE.
  • AEs: Validate SQLs, progress qualified opportunities, handoff to Delivery/CS post-close.
  • Sales Managers: Monitor qualification accuracy, review handoffs, resolve conflicts.
  • Sales Operations: Maintain qualification frameworks, update CRM workflows.
  • Delivery/CS: Validate AE handoff completeness, ensure onboarding readiness.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  • Governance Oversight: Head of Sales.
  • Monitoring: Weekly pipeline reviews, random audits of handoff notes.
  • Examples of Violations:
    • SDRs passing unqualified leads as SQLs.
    • AEs skipping MEDDPICC before opportunity creation.
    • Missing handoff notes or documents at transition.
  • Consequences:
    • Minor: Retraining and warning.
    • Moderate: Loss of opportunity ownership.
    • Severe: Escalation to Sales Leadership and HR action.

7. Review & Ownership

  • Policy Owner: Sales Operations.
  • Review Cycle: Semi-annual or when qualification frameworks (ICP/MEDDPICC) change.
  • Approval Authority: Head of Sales.
  • Training & Awareness: Qualification and handoff policy must be included in SDR/AE onboarding and quarterly refresher sessions.
  • Version Control: All updates logged in Policy Register with version, date, and approver.