Skip to content

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - Sales & Marketing Operations

Date: 2024
Version: 1.0
Category: Process Documentation & Governance

Table of Contents

  1. Lead Management SOP
  2. Campaign Execution SOP
  3. Sales Process SOP
  4. Content Creation SOP
  5. Event Management SOP
  6. Data Management SOP
  7. Reporting SOP
  8. Customer Handoff SOP

Lead Management SOP

Purpose

Standardize the process of capturing, qualifying, routing, and nurturing leads to maximize conversion rates and ensure no lead falls through the cracks.

Scope

All inbound and outbound leads from all sources

Process Owner

Revenue Operations Manager

Procedure

1. Lead Capture (0-5 minutes)

Steps: 1. Lead enters system via: - Website form - Import from event - Manual entry - API integration - Partner referral

  1. System automatically captures:
  2. Source information
  3. UTM parameters
  4. Timestamp
  5. IP address

  6. Form fields

  7. Duplicate check performed:

  8. Email match → merge records
  9. Company match → associate to account
  10. No match → create new record

Responsible: Marketing Operations
Tools: CRM, Marketing Automation Platform
SLA: Instant for digital, <24 hours for manual

2. Lead Enrichment (5-30 minutes)

Steps: 1. Run enrichment tools: 

IF email domain != generic THEN
   - Append company data
   - Append contact data
   - Append technographic data
ELSE
   - Flag for manual research
END IF

  1. Required fields validation:
  2. First Name
  3. Last Name
  4. Email
  5. Company
  6. Title

  7. Phone (if available)

  8. Data hygiene:

  9. Standardize country/state
  10. Format phone numbers
  11. Clean company names
  12. Normalize job titles

Responsible: Marketing Operations
Tools: Clearbit, ZoomInfo, Apollo
Quality Standard: 95% field completion

3. Lead Scoring (Immediate)

Steps: 1. Calculate demographic score (0-30 points) 2. Calculate firmographic score (0-30 points) 3. Calculate behavioral score (0-40 points) 4. Sum total score (0-100 points) 5. Assign score category: - 80+ = Hot - 60-79 = Warm - 40-59 = Qualified - 20-39 = Early - 0-19 = Cold

Responsible: System (Automated)
Documentation: See Lead Scoring Model
Review Frequency: Monthly

4. Lead Routing (0-60 minutes)

Routing Logic: 

IF score >= 80 THEN
   Route to Senior Sales Rep
   Alert = Immediate (SMS + Email)
   SLA = Contact within 5 minutes
ELSEIF score >= 60 THEN
   Route to Sales Rep (Round Robin)
   Alert = Email
   SLA = Contact within 1 hour
ELSEIF score >= 40 THEN
   Route to SDR Team
   Alert = Queue notification
   SLA = Contact within 24 hours
ELSE
   Add to Marketing Nurture
   No sales assignment
END IF

Territory Assignment: - Check geographic territory - Check industry vertical - Check company size tier - Check named account list - Apply round-robin within territory

Responsible: Revenue Operations
Exception Handling: Escalate to Sales Manager

5. Lead Nurturing

Nurture Tracks: | Score | Track | Frequency | Content Type | |-------|-------|-----------|--------------| | 60-79 | Sales Ready | Daily | Personalized | | 40-59 | Engaged | 2x week | Targeted | | 20-39 | Interested | Weekly | Educational | | 0-19 | Awareness | Monthly | Newsletter |

Content Sequence: 1. Welcome email (Day 0) 2. Educational content (Day 3) 3. Case study (Day 7) 4. Product content (Day 14) 5. Offer/Demo (Day 21) 6. Re-engagement (Day 30)

Responsible: Marketing Team
Performance Metric: 25% email engagement

6. Lead Disposition

Required Updates: - Status (Open, Contacted, Qualified, Unqualified) - Substatus (specific reason) - Next action date - Notes from interaction

Disposition Options: - Qualified → Create Opportunity - Not Ready → Return to Marketing - Bad Fit → Disqualify - No Response → Recycle (90 days) - Do Not Contact → Suppress

Responsible: Assigned Rep
Compliance: Update within 24 hours of contact

Quality Assurance

Weekly Audits: - [ ] All new leads assigned - [ ] SLA compliance >95% - [ ] Score accuracy check - [ ] Routing accuracy check - [ ] Data completeness >90%

Monthly Reviews: - Lead source performance - Conversion rates by score - Routing effectiveness - Nurture engagement - Process improvements

Metrics & KPIs

Metric Target Current Action if Below
Lead Response Time <1 hour - Manager escalation
Lead Acceptance Rate >80% - Quality review
Lead-to-MQL Rate >35% - Scoring adjustment
MQL-to-SQL Rate >40% - Process review
SQL-to-Opp Rate >70% - Training needed

Campaign Execution SOP

Purpose

Ensure consistent, high-quality execution of all marketing campaigns from planning through analysis.

Scope

All marketing campaigns above $5,000 budget or targeting 1,000+ contacts

Process Owner

Marketing Operations Manager

Procedure

1. Campaign Planning (2 weeks before launch)

Planning Checklist: - [ ] Campaign brief completed - [ ] Target audience defined - [ ] Budget approved - [ ] Timeline established - [ ] Success metrics defined - [ ] Stakeholders identified

Campaign Brief Template: 

Campaign Name: [Name]
Campaign Type: [Webinar/Email/Event/Digital]
Objective: [Specific goal]
Target Audience: [Persona/Segment]
Budget: $[Amount]
Timeline: [Start] to [End]
Success Metrics: [KPIs]
Owner: [Name]

Approval Matrix: | Budget | Approver | |--------|----------| | <$5K | Marketing Manager | | $5K-$25K | Director of Marketing | | $25K-$100K | CMO | | >$100K | CEO |

2. Campaign Setup (1 week before launch)

Technical Setup: 1. Create campaign in CRM 2. Set up tracking codes: 

UTM Structure:
source = [channel]
medium = [type]
campaign = [campaign_name]
content = [variant]
term = [keyword]
3. Build landing pages 4. Create forms with progressive profiling 5. Set up automation workflows 6. Configure lead scoring rules 7. Test all links and forms

Creative Development: - Copy approved by legal - Design approved by brand - Assets sized for all channels - Accessibility compliance checked - Mobile responsiveness verified

QA Checklist: - [ ] Links tested - [ ] Forms capture data - [ ] Emails render correctly - [ ] Tracking working - [ ] Automation triggers set - [ ] Lead routing configured

3. Campaign Launch (Day 0)

Launch Sequence: 1. Final approval from stakeholders 2. Activate automation 3. Schedule/send communications 4. Enable paid media 5. Alert sales team 6. Monitor initial performance

Launch Day Monitoring: - Check every 2 hours - Verify data flow - Monitor error rates - Check spam complaints - Review early engagement

Issue Escalation: | Issue Type | Response Time | Escalation | |------------|---------------|------------| | Critical (broken) | Immediate | Director | | High (poor performance) | 2 hours | Manager | | Medium (optimization) | 24 hours | Team Lead | | Low (enhancement) | 48 hours | Team |

4. Campaign Management (Duration)

Daily Tasks: - Review performance metrics - Optimize based on data - Respond to sales feedback - Update campaign notes - Check budget pacing

Optimization Triggers: | Metric | Threshold | Action | |--------|-----------|--------| | Open Rate | <15% | Subject line test | | Click Rate | <2% | CTA optimization | | Conversion | <1% | Landing page test | | Bounce Rate | >5% | List hygiene | | Unsubscribe | >1% | Frequency review |

5. Campaign Analysis (Within 1 week of completion)

Analysis Report Includes: 1. Executive Summary 2. Performance vs. Goals 3. Channel Performance 4. Audience Insights 5. ROI Calculation 6. Lessons Learned 7. Recommendations

ROI Calculation: 

Campaign ROI = (Revenue - Cost) / Cost × 100

Where:
Revenue = Closed Won + Pipeline Value × Probability
Cost = Media + Creative + Tools + Labor

Post-Campaign Actions: - Archive campaign assets - Document best practices - Update playbooks - Share learnings - Plan follow-up campaigns

Campaign Types & Specific Procedures

Email Campaign SOP

Pre-Send Checklist: - [ ] List segmented and cleaned - [ ] Subject line <50 characters - [ ] Preview text optimized - [ ] Personalization tokens tested - [ ] Links tracked - [ ] Unsubscribe link present - [ ] Mobile preview checked - [ ] Spam score <5 - [ ] Send time scheduled - [ ] Approval documented

Send Sequence: 1. Send test to seed list 2. Review rendering 3. Send to 10% sample 4. Monitor for 2 hours 5. If metrics good, send remainder 6. If issues, pause and fix

Webinar Campaign SOP

Timeline (Working Backwards): - Week -6: Topic and speaker confirmed - Week -5: Registration page live - Week -4: Promotion begins - Week -3: Email campaign launches - Week -2: Paid promotion starts - Week -1: Reminder sequence - Day 0: Webinar execution - Day +1: Follow-up sequence - Week +1: Analysis complete

Launch Requirements: - Creative variations (minimum 3) - Landing pages (unique per channel) - Conversion tracking - Budget caps set - Negative keywords (search) - Audience targeting defined - Bid strategy selected

Daily Management: - Check spend pacing - Review conversion data - Optimize bids - Pause poor performers - Test new creative - Adjust targeting

Sales Process SOP

Purpose

Standardize the sales process from first contact through close to ensure consistent execution and predictable results.

Scope

All sales opportunities from lead to closed won/lost

Process Owner

VP of Sales

Sales Stages & Exit Criteria

Stage 1: Prospecting (0-7 days)

Entry Criteria: - Lead assigned to rep - Contact information verified - Initial research completed

Activities: 1. Research prospect (15 min): - Company website - Recent news - LinkedIn profile - Trigger events - Tech stack

  1. Outreach sequence: 

    Day 1: Personalized email
Day 1: LinkedIn connection
Day 2: Phone call attempt #1
Day 3: Follow-up email
Day 5: Phone call attempt #2
Day 7: Breakup email

  2. Discovery call prep:

  3. Develop hypothesis
  4. Prepare questions
  5. Set agenda
  6. Book resources

Exit Criteria: - [ ] Discovery call scheduled - [ ] Decision maker identified - [ ] Initial pain point uncovered

Tools: Sales engagement platform, LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Stage 2: Discovery (1-2 weeks)

Entry Criteria: - Discovery call scheduled - Stakeholder confirmed - Research completed

Discovery Call Framework (30 minutes): 

1. Rapport & Agenda (3 min)
2. Current State (10 min)
   - What are you using today?
   - What's working well?
   - What challenges exist?
3. Desired State (10 min)
   - What would ideal look like?
   - What's the impact of solving?
   - What's the cost of status quo?
4. Decision Process (5 min)
   - Who's involved?
   - What's the timeline?
   - What's the budget?
5. Next Steps (2 min)
   - Recap findings
   - Propose next step
   - Get commitment

Required Discovery Documentation: - Pain points (minimum 3) - Decision criteria - Budget range - Decision makers - Timeline - Competition - Success criteria

Exit Criteria: - [ ] BANT qualified - [ ] Champion identified - [ ] Demo scheduled - [ ] Mutual evaluation plan

Stage 3: Solution Design (1-2 weeks)

Entry Criteria: - Discovery completed - Demo scheduled - Stakeholders confirmed

Demo Preparation: 1. Customize demo environment 2. Build relevant use cases 3. Prepare ROI calculation 4. Create leave-behinds 5. Practice dry run

Demo Execution (45 minutes): 

1. Recap Discovery (5 min)
2. Agenda & Outcomes (2 min)
3. Solution Demo (25 min)
   - Focus on their use cases
   - Show, don't tell
   - Involve participants
4. ROI Review (8 min)
5. Q&A (5 min)
6. Next Steps (3 min)

Post-Demo Actions: - Send recording within 2 hours - Send ROI documentation - Schedule follow-up - Update opportunity

Exit Criteria: - [ ] Solution fit confirmed - [ ] ROI validated - [ ] Proposal requested - [ ] Decision makers engaged

Stage 4: Proposal (1 week)

Entry Criteria: - Solution requirements clear - Budget confirmed - Decision timeline set

Proposal Components: 1. Executive Summary 2. Current State Challenges 3. Proposed Solution 4. Implementation Plan 5. Investment & ROI 6. Terms & Conditions 7. Appendix

Proposal Delivery: - Always present live - Walk through each section - Address concerns immediately - Get verbal feedback - Define evaluation process

Exit Criteria: - [ ] Proposal delivered - [ ] Feedback received - [ ] Negotiation points identified - [ ] Decision date confirmed

Stage 5: Negotiation (1-2 weeks)

Entry Criteria: - Proposal accepted conceptually - Negotiation points identified - Authority confirmed

Negotiation Framework: 1. Understand their position 2. Identify trade-offs 3. Maintain value focus 4. Document agreements 5. Get written confirmation

Approval Matrix: | Discount | Approver | |----------|----------| | 0-10% | Sales Rep | | 11-20% | Sales Manager | | 21-30% | VP Sales | | >30% | CEO |

Common Negotiation Items: - Payment terms - Contract length - Discount percentage - Implementation timeline - Success criteria - Termination clause

Exit Criteria: - [ ] Terms agreed - [ ] Contract sent - [ ] Signatures scheduled - [ ] Implementation planned

Stage 6: Closed Won/Lost

Closed Won Actions: 1. Update CRM immediately 2. Send internal win notification 3. Schedule kickoff call 4. Introduce Customer Success 5. Request referrals 6. Celebrate!

Closed Lost Actions: 1. Conduct loss interview 2. Document reasons 3. Set follow-up reminder 4. Add to nurture campaign 5. Request feedback 6. Learn and improve

Handoff to Customer Success: - Complete handoff form - Schedule introduction call - Transfer all documentation - Share success criteria - Brief on relationships

Sales Activity Standards

Daily Minimums: | Role | Calls | Emails | Meetings | Demos | |------|-------|--------|----------|-------| | SDR | 50 | 100 | 3 | - | | AE | 30 | 50 | 2 | 1 | | Senior AE | 20 | 30 | 3 | 2 |

Response Time SLAs: | Lead Type | Response Time | |-----------|---------------| | Hot (80+) | 5 minutes | | Warm (60-79) | 1 hour | | Qualified (40-59) | 24 hours | | Cold (<40) | 48 hours |

Content Creation SOP

Purpose

Ensure consistent, high-quality content production that aligns with brand guidelines and drives business objectives.

Scope

All content types including blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, videos, and social media

Process Owner

Content Marketing Manager

Content Development Process

1. Content Planning (Monthly)

Content Calendar Planning: 1. Review quarterly themes 2. Identify topic opportunities 3. Assign writers/creators 4. Set deadlines 5. Align with campaigns

Content Brief Template: 

Title: [Working title]
Type: [Blog/Whitepaper/Video/etc]
Audience: [Primary persona]
Keywords: [Primary, Secondary]
Objective: [Specific goal]
Length: [Word count/Duration]
Sources: [Research/Interviews]
CTA: [Desired action]
Due Date: [Publication date]
Author: [Name]

2. Content Creation (Timeline varies)

Research Phase: - Industry research - Competitor analysis - Keyword research - Expert interviews - Data gathering

Writing Process: 1. Outline creation 2. First draft 3. Self-edit 4. Peer review 5. Manager review 6. Final draft

Quality Standards: - Minimum 1,500 words (blog) - 3+ credible sources - Original graphics - SEO optimized - Brand voice consistent - Factually accurate - Legally compliant

3. Content Review & Approval

Review Stages: | Stage | Reviewer | Timeline | Focus | |-------|----------|----------|-------| | 1 | Peer | 1 day | Content quality | | 2 | Manager | 2 days | Strategy alignment | | 3 | Legal | 3 days | Compliance | | 4 | Brand | 1 day | Voice & style |

Approval Checklist: - [ ] Factually accurate - [ ] On-brand voice - [ ] SEO optimized - [ ] Links working - [ ] Images licensed - [ ] CTAs included - [ ] Meta data complete - [ ] Mobile friendly

4. Content Publishing

Pre-Publish Checklist: - [ ] Final proofread - [ ] Images optimized - [ ] Meta description written - [ ] Categories/tags selected - [ ] Social posts created - [ ] Email drafted - [ ] UTM parameters set

Publishing Steps: 1. Upload to CMS 2. Format and style 3. Preview on all devices 4. Schedule or publish 5. Verify live 6. Submit to search console

5. Content Promotion

Distribution Channels: - Company blog - Email newsletter - Social media (all channels) - Sales enablement - Partner channels - Paid promotion - PR outreach

Promotion Timeline: - Day 0: Publish and email - Day 1: Social media - Day 3: LinkedIn post - Day 7: Newsletter inclusion - Day 14: Repurpose - Day 30: Performance review

6. Content Optimization

Performance Metrics: | Metric | Target | Action if Below | |--------|--------|-----------------| | Page Views | 1,000/month | Promote more | | Time on Page | 3 minutes | Improve quality | | Conversion | 2% | Optimize CTA | | Shares | 50 | Improve value | | Backlinks | 5 | Outreach needed |

Content Updates: - Quarterly refresh - Annual audit - Broken link check - Fact verification - SEO optimization

Event Management SOP

Purpose

Standardize planning and execution of all events to maximize ROI and ensure professional brand representation.

Scope

Trade shows, conferences, webinars, and company-hosted events

Process Owner

Event Marketing Manager

Event Execution Process

1. Event Selection & Planning (12 weeks before)

Event Evaluation Criteria: - Target audience alignment - Expected attendance - Competition presence - Speaking opportunities - Cost vs. ROI potential - Geographic relevance

Budget Template: | Category | Estimated | Actual | |----------|-----------|--------| | Booth/Sponsorship | $ | $ | | Travel & Hotel | $ | $ | | Booth Design | $ | $ | | Collateral | $ | $ | | Staff Time | $ | $ | | Shipping | $ | $ | | Entertainment | $ | $ | | Lead Scanner | $ | $ | | Promotion | $ | $ | | Total | $ | $ |

2. Pre-Event Preparation (4-12 weeks)

12 Weeks Before: - [ ] Register and pay - [ ] Book booth space - [ ] Reserve hotel rooms - [ ] Identify staff attendees

8 Weeks Before: - [ ] Design booth graphics - [ ] Order promotional items - [ ] Create collateral - [ ] Plan demos

4 Weeks Before: - [ ] Ship materials - [ ] Schedule meetings - [ ] Promote attendance - [ ] Train booth staff

1 Week Before: - [ ] Final staff briefing - [ ] Confirm shipments - [ ] Review lead capture - [ ] Practice demos

3. Event Execution (Event days)

Daily Responsibilities: | Time | Activity | Owner | |------|----------|-------| | 8:00 AM | Team briefing | Manager | | 8:30 AM | Booth setup | All | | 9:00 AM | Doors open | All | | 12:00 PM | Lunch rotation | Scheduled | | 5:00 PM | Daily wrap-up | Manager | | 5:30 PM | Lead upload | Ops | | 6:00 PM | Networking | Optional |

Lead Capture Process: 1. Scan badge 2. Qualify with 3 questions 3. Add notes in app 4. Rate lead (Hot/Warm/Cold) 5. Schedule follow-up 6. Give appropriate collateral

Booth Staffing Rules: - Never leave booth empty - Stand, don't sit - No phones visible - Engage visitors proactively - Wear branded clothing - Know elevator pitch

4. Post-Event Follow-up (Within 1 week)

Day 1-2: - Upload and dedupe leads - Send thank you email - Assign leads to reps - Log meetings in CRM

Day 3-5: - Personal follow-up calls - Send requested information - Schedule demos - Add to nurture campaigns

Week 1: - Calculate ROI - Document lessons learned - Submit expense reports - Archive materials

Event ROI Calculation: 

Event ROI = (Pipeline Generated - Total Cost) / Total Cost × 100

Success Metrics:
- Leads captured
- Meetings scheduled
- Pipeline generated
- Cost per lead
- Brand impressions

Data Management SOP

Purpose

Maintain data quality, integrity, and compliance across all sales and marketing systems.

Scope

All customer and prospect data in CRM, marketing automation, and integrated systems

Process Owner

RevOps Manager

Data Governance Framework

1. Data Entry Standards

Required Fields: | Field | Format | Example | Validation | |-------|--------|---------|------------| | First Name | Text | John | Required | | Last Name | Text | Smith | Required | | Email | Email | john@company.com | Unique | | Company | Text | Acme Corp | Required | | Phone | +1XXXXXXXXXX | +14155551234 | Format check | | Country | ISO Code | US | Picklist | | State | Abbreviation | CA | Picklist | | Lead Source | Picklist | Website | Required |

Naming Conventions: - Company: Legal name, no abbreviations - Title: Standardized from picklist - Industry: NAICS classification - Campaign: YYYY-MM-Type-Name

2. Data Quality Management

Daily Data Hygiene: - Duplicate detection and merge - Bounce handling - Unsubscribe processing - Invalid email cleanup

Weekly Quality Checks: - [ ] Completeness report - [ ] Duplicate report - [ ] Validation errors - [ ] Sync failures - [ ] Compliance check

Monthly Data Audits: - Field usage analysis - Data source verification - Enrichment accuracy - Process compliance - Quality scoring

Data Quality Metrics: | Metric | Target | Current | Action | |--------|--------|---------|--------| | Completeness | >95% | - | Enrichment | | Accuracy | >98% | - | Validation | | Duplicates | <2% | - | Merge | | Bounces | <5% | - | Clean | | Compliance | 100% | - | Audit |

3. Data Privacy & Compliance

GDPR Compliance: - Consent tracking - Right to access - Right to deletion - Data portability - Privacy notices - Retention policies

Data Retention Policy: | Data Type | Retention Period | Action | |-----------|------------------|--------| | Customers | 7 years | Archive | | Prospects | 2 years | Delete | | Unsubscribed | 5 years | Suppress | | Employees | 7 years post-term | Archive |

Data Access Controls: | Role | Create | Read | Update | Delete | |------|--------|------|--------|--------| | Admin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | | Rep | ✓ | Own | Own | - | | Marketing | ✓ | ✓ | Own | - | | Read-only | - | ✓ | - | - |

4. Data Integration Management

Integration Monitoring: - Sync frequency - Error rates - Data volume - Field mapping - Transformation rules

Integration SLAs: | System | Sync | Latency | Uptime | |--------|------|---------|--------| | CRM ↔ MAP | Real-time | <1 min | 99.9% | | CRM ↔ ERP | Hourly | <5 min | 99.5% | | CRM ↔ Support | 15 min | <2 min | 99.9% |

Reporting SOP

Purpose

Ensure accurate, timely, and actionable reporting to support data-driven decision making.

Scope

All regular business reports and ad-hoc analysis

Process Owner

Analytics Manager

Reporting Framework

1. Report Inventory

Daily Reports: | Report | Audience | Delivery | Format | |--------|----------|----------|--------| | Sales Activity | Sales Team | 9 AM | Dashboard | | Lead Flow | Marketing | 9 AM | Email | | Pipeline Changes | Management | 10 AM | Slack |

Weekly Reports: | Report | Audience | Day | Owner | |--------|----------|-----|-------| | Pipeline Review | Sales Mgmt | Monday | RevOps | | Campaign Performance | Marketing | Tuesday | Marketing Ops | | Forecast Roll-up | Executive | Wednesday | Sales Ops | | Win/Loss Analysis | Product | Thursday | Analytics |

Monthly Reports: | Report | Distribution | Due Date | Components | |--------|--------------|----------|------------| | Business Review | Executive | 5th | All metrics | | Marketing Review | CMO | 3rd | Campaign ROI | | Sales Review | CRO | 3rd | Attainment | | Board Deck | Board | 10th | Highlights |

2. Report Creation Process

Requirements Gathering: 1. Define audience 2. Identify decisions enabled 3. Specify metrics needed 4. Determine frequency 5. Choose format 6. Set distribution

Report Development: 1. Create data model 2. Build queries 3. Design visualizations 4. Add calculations 5. Test accuracy 6. Document logic

Quality Assurance: - [ ] Data accuracy verified - [ ] Calculations tested - [ ] Filters working - [ ] Performance acceptable - [ ] Mobile responsive - [ ] Access permissions set

3. Report Distribution

Distribution Methods: - Email (scheduled) - Dashboard (real-time) - Slack (alerts) - Shared drive (archive) - Portal (self-service)

Distribution List Management: - Quarterly review - Role-based access - Approval required for changes - Audit trail maintained

4. Report Maintenance

Regular Maintenance: - Daily: Monitor job success - Weekly: Check accuracy - Monthly: Review usage - Quarterly: Update requirements - Annually: Full audit

Change Management: 1. Request submitted 2. Impact assessed 3. Development in test 4. UAT completed 5. Production deployment 6. Documentation updated

Customer Handoff SOP

Purpose

Ensure smooth transition from Sales to Customer Success to maximize customer lifetime value.

Scope

All new customers from closed won to fully onboarded

Process Owner

VP Customer Success

Handoff Process

1. Pre-Handoff (Before Close)

Sales Responsibilities: - Complete opportunity fields - Document success criteria - Identify stakeholders - Note special requirements - Schedule internal handoff

Required Documentation: - [ ] Use cases defined - [ ] Success metrics agreed - [ ] Timeline established - [ ] Stakeholder map - [ ] Technical requirements - [ ] Risk factors noted

2. Handoff Meeting (Day 0-1)

Meeting Agenda (30 minutes): 1. Customer overview (5 min) 2. Deal details (5 min) 3. Success criteria (10 min) 4. Implementation plan (5 min) 5. Risk factors (3 min) 6. Q&A (2 min)

Handoff Form: 

Customer: [Name]
CSM Assigned: [Name]
AE: [Name]
Contract Value: $[ARR]
Contract Term: [Months]
Go-Live Date: [Date]

Key Stakeholders:
- Champion: [Name, Title]
- Executive: [Name, Title]
- Technical: [Name, Title]

Success Criteria:
1. [Specific measurable outcome]
2. [Specific measurable outcome]
3. [Specific measurable outcome]

Risk Factors:
- [Risk and mitigation]

Special Notes:
[Any unique requirements or context]

3. Customer Introduction (Day 1-2)

Introduction Email Template: 

Subject: Welcome to [Company]! Meet Your Success Team

Hi [Customer],

Congratulations on your decision to partner with [Company]!

I'm [CSM Name], your Customer Success Manager, and I'm excited to help you achieve [specific goal discussed in sales process].

[AE Name] has briefed me on your objectives:
- [Objective 1]
- [Objective 2]
- [Objective 3]

Our kickoff call is scheduled for [Date/Time]. In this call, we'll:
- Review your success criteria
- Finalize implementation timeline
- Identify quick wins
- Answer any questions

Looking forward to our partnership!

Best,
[CSM Name]

4. Kickoff Call (Day 2-5)

Kickoff Agenda (60 minutes): 1. Introductions (5 min) 2. Success criteria review (15 min) 3. Implementation plan (20 min) 4. Training schedule (10 min) 5. Communication plan (5 min) 6. Next steps (5 min)

Kickoff Deliverables: - Implementation timeline - Training schedule - Success milestones - Communication cadence - Escalation path

5. Post-Handoff Actions

Week 1: - [ ] CRM updated - [ ] Kickoff completed - [ ] Timeline confirmed - [ ] Training scheduled - [ ] Check-in scheduled

Week 2-4: - [ ] Implementation started - [ ] Training delivered - [ ] Adoption tracking - [ ] Issue resolution - [ ] Progress updates

Day 30 Review: - Progress vs. plan - Adoption metrics - Issue log - Satisfaction check - Next 30 days plan

Handoff Quality Metrics

Metric Target Measurement
Handoff completeness 100% Form fields filled
Kickoff within 3 days 95% Date tracking
30-day satisfaction >8/10 Survey
Time to first value <14 days Usage data
Handoff NPS >50 Survey

SOP Governance

SOP Management

Review Schedule: - Quarterly: Process metrics review - Semi-Annual: SOP updates - Annual: Complete audit

Change Process: 1. Change request submitted 2. Impact analysis 3. Stakeholder review 4. Testing/pilot 5. Training delivered 6. SOP updated 7. Communication sent

Compliance Monitoring: - Weekly spot checks - Monthly compliance report - Quarterly training - Annual certification

SOP Training: - New hire: Within first week - Updates: Within 48 hours - Refresher: Annually - Testing: Quarterly

Success Metrics

Process Metric Target
Lead Management SLA Compliance >95%
Campaign Execution On-time Delivery >90%
Sales Process Stage Compliance >85%
Content Creation Quality Score >4.0/5
Event Management ROI >300%
Data Management Quality Score >95%
Reporting Accuracy >99%
Customer Handoff Satisfaction >8/10

SOP Version: 1.0
Last Updated: 2024
Next Review: Q1 2025
Process Owner: Revenue Operations