A client says yes and someone on your team celebrates. Two days later the client is confused, because nobody told them what happens next. That is not a skill problem. That is a handoff.
The moment work gets dropped
A handoff is any moment where one person thinks the next person has it. It sounds small, but it is where work gets dropped. Here are a few common ones:
- Sales says, "We sold it," and ops never gets the details.
- Ops says, "It is ready," and the client never gets the next step.
- Admin says, "I booked it," and nobody confirms the prep.
Most of the time it is simple. The finish line is fuzzy, and nobody is sure who owns the next step. That is why it keeps happening.
A real example
A lead says yes. Sales sends a quick message to the team. Now everyone assumes someone else will send the welcome email, set up the folder, and book the kickoff call. Two days later, the client is confused and you look sloppy. Nobody meant to drop the ball. The handoff did it.
The fix in 3 moves
You do not need a new tool. You need one clear handoff moment and one clear owner.
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Name the handoff moment Write one sentence: "When X happens, the handoff starts."
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Pick the owner of done Not the owner of a task. The owner of the outcome.
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Add one visible checkpoint Add a checkpoint that is visible to everyone. Pick one:
- a checkbox in a task
- a card in a board
- a short Slack message
Why this matters
Handoffs create silent delays, and silent delays are expensive. If you fix just one handoff, your whole business feels calmer and your clients feel it too.
If you want help with this, book a discovery call. What is one handoff in your business that annoys you every week?