SOP: Sales → Delivery Handoff

1. Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to ensure a smooth and structured transition of client ownership from the Sales team to the Delivery team after contract closure. This minimizes knowledge loss, maintains client confidence, and enables Delivery to start with complete context.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to:

  • All deals marked Closed Won in CRM.
  • Sales Representatives, Sales Managers, Delivery Managers, Pre-Sales Consultants, and Client Success/Account Managers.
  • IT Services & SaaS engagements across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise clients.

3. Definitions

  • Handoff Pack: A standardized bundle of documents capturing discovery notes, proposal, MEDDPICC details, client context, and scope.
  • Internal Handoff Call: A structured meeting between Sales and Delivery before client kickoff.
  • Ownership Transition: Official shift of responsibility from Sales to Delivery, logged in CRM and project tools.

4. Step-by-Step Process

A. Trigger for Handoff

  • Deal status updated to Closed Won in CRM.
  • Sales Rep initiates the handoff process within 48 hours.

B. Prepare Handoff Pack (Sales Rep)

  1. Collect and attach in CRM:
    • Discovery notes + MEDDPICC qualification.
    • Final proposal + signed contract/MSA.
    • Scope of Work (SOW) & assumptions.
    • Client org chart + key stakeholders.
    • Decision criteria & buying drivers.
    • Risks flagged during sales cycle.
  2. Save bundle as ClientName – Handoff Pack – Date.

C. Internal Handoff Call

  1. Schedule call with Delivery Manager, Pre-Sales (if relevant), and Sales Manager.
  2. Agenda:
    • Client context recap (goals, challenges, deal drivers).
    • Walkthrough of signed scope and commitments.
    • Known risks and dependencies.
    • Next steps: kickoff preparation tasks.
  3. Delivery Manager acknowledges ownership of client.

D. Client Communication (Warm Handoff)

  1. Sales Rep sends a Thank You + Next Steps email to client:
    • Acknowledge deal closure.
    • Introduce Delivery Manager as new point of contact.
    • Share timeline for kickoff call scheduling.
  2. Delivery Manager replies/joins email thread to establish rapport.

E. Ownership Transition in Systems

  1. CRM → Opportunity marked “Closed Won.”
  2. Owner field updated from Sales Rep → Delivery Manager / Project Owner.
  3. Project workspace (tool like Jira, Asana, Monday, etc.) created and linked.
  4. Sales Rep remains tagged as “Relationship Support.”

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  • Sales Rep: Prepares Handoff Pack, schedules handoff call, introduces Delivery to client.
  • Delivery Manager: Reviews pack, takes ownership, and leads next phases.
  • Pre-Sales Consultant: Provides technical context (if part of deal).
  • Sales Manager: Ensures compliance and smooth transition.
  • Client Success Manager: Engages post-handoff as ongoing relationship point.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  • Handoff must be completed within 5 working days of deal closure.
  • Missing/incomplete Handoff Pack → flagged by Sales Ops.
  • If Delivery team starts work without formal handoff → escalated to Head of Sales.

7. Review & Ownership

  • Document Owner: Head of Sales.
  • Review Cycle: Quarterly.
  • Version Control: Handoff Pack template maintained by Sales Ops.