The real start point
“Client agreed” may not be enough. The process needs a defined trigger and a minimum set of information before hand-off.
WORKED EXAMPLE
From “someone usually sorts it” to a clear client hand-off
An illustration of the difference between documenting a messy process and redesigning one recurring hand-off so another person can run it.
Illustrative example — shown to explain how the service can be applied. It is not a customer testimonial or measured result.
Situation
A new client has said yes. The real process still lives in somebody’s head.
Example situation: a small B2B service business passes new-client information from sales to delivery through a mixture of emails and notes. Ownership of the first client contact varies, missing information is noticed late and experienced managers repeatedly rescue the hand-off.
Illustrative current process
Client agrees
Sales sends notes
Delivery checks what is missing
Manager answers questions
Client is contacted again
Work starts
What we would look at
Where responsibility, information and exceptions become unclear.
Ownership
Sales, account management and delivery may each assume somebody else is checking different parts of the hand-off.
Information
The same core details can appear in several messages without one agreed record that everybody can rely on.
Exceptions
Urgent starts, incomplete briefs and unusual commercial terms need an explicit route rather than relying on experience.
What a clearer state could look like
One route, named ownership and an exception path.
The redesigned process does not need to be elaborate. The important change is that the minimum hand-off information, owner at each stage, decision points and exception route are visible.
Illustrative target process
Client agreement confirmed
Minimum hand-off record completed
Named delivery owner accepts hand-off
Missing information follows exception route
Client receives clear start communication
Delivery begins
What the customer could receive
A process somebody else can understand and run.
Current-state mapHow the hand-off really works today, including workarounds and rescue points.
Future-state processA clearer route with named ownership, decisions and important control points.
Practical SOPThe agreed normal steps plus the material exception route.
Handover actionsWhat the organisation still needs to implement, decide or communicate.
SOP & Process Design Sprint
One important recurring process, properly sorted out.
The £1,500 fixed sprint covers one defined recurring process: understand it, redesign it, document it and hand it back in a form your team can use.