When a contact transitions from a prospect to a customer, it's a pivotal moment in the client journey. This change signifies a shift in responsibility, from the sales team, who have led conversations, handled estimates, scheduled calls, and answered questions, to the delivery team, who will now carry out the work promised.
The delivery team could be the HubSpot development team, WordPress development team, Shopify team, integration team, or others. This whole scenario came to light when I was working on the workflow and found it interesting enough to be a blog post on. So, I decided to share my experiences with the readers.
This document outlines how this handover should take place, what roles different team members play, and how we ensure a seamless transition that keeps the client confident and cared for.
Once a prospect signs a contract and becomes a customer, it marks a formal handover of responsibility. Up to this point, the salesperson has been the client's main point of contact, handling communication, discovery, estimates, and coordination.
Now, the delivery begins, and with it, a new team steps in: Project Managers (PMs), Team Leads (TLs), developers, and other relevant team members.
The sales representative or the contact owner (in HubSpot jargon) is responsible for coordinating the initial handover call.
This call must include:
The goal is to start off on the right foot by making sure everyone is aligned, expectations are clear, and introductions are made. This gives the client confidence that the team is ready to deliver what was promised.
Even after the handoff, the salesperson should remain CC’d in communications, not to actively participate, but to stay in the loop. This gives the client reassurance that their original point of contact is still present and watching over the project.
However, once the delivery begins, the salesperson should not be involved in day-to-day project tasks or decision-making.
One key to being a good teammate is not creating extra tasks for others. Developers and PMs should not be bogged down with repeated or unnecessary questions, approvals, or coordination.
If you need something from a teammate (especially in sales), do the heavy lifting: write the question, suggest the answer, or draft the email.
When working with developers or PMs, don’t ask them to join unnecessary calls or review contracts. Respect their time, they are focused on delivery.
Salespeople must be discerning. Not every prospect is serious. Some may simply be expressing interest without real intent.
Avoid bringing delivery team members into these interactions unless there's clear traction. Their time should be reserved for serious opportunities only.
Technical team involvement depends on the complexity of the opportunity:
Let there be common definitions of complex/technical projects and simpler projects among different departments in your company/agency.
If a trial task is involved, developers may be engaged earlier to estimate or execute the task, but that still follows a defined process.
In scenarios where the client needs guidance (e.g., deciding whether to fix an existing WordPress site or rebuild from scratch), the salesperson should lead the discovery process. Developers may offer technical insights and options, but:
The developer’s role is to provide technical input, not to lead sales conversations. Respect their preferences, they're builders, not closers.
Handover should feel smooth, human, and reassuring.
Keep communication tight, roles clear, and the workload well-distributed.
The salesperson made the promise. The delivery team fulfills it. Both need to be respected in their zones of strength.
By following this protocol, we ensure a seamless experience for our clients and a respectful, efficient process for our team.
Answer: A client handover protocol is a structured process that transfers a prospect from the sales team to the delivery/operations team. It ensures all context, expectations, assets, and responsibilities move smoothly so the client experiences a seamless transition and the delivery team can start work without delays or confusion.
Sales initiates the handover, but the Delivery/Account Manager should lead it. Sales provides the context, commitments, and expectations; Delivery validates the scope, confirms timelines, and becomes the primary point of contact moving forward.
A complete handover should include: