4 handoffs move data on their own4 handoffs break
The Four Broken Handoffs.
| Handoff | What Breaks | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Research to CRM | Signals sit in a research tool, so the account owner works a stale list. | Write each signal to the account record and route it to the owner the same day. |
| 2. CRM to Quoting | Pricing and scope change in email, so the quote no longer matches the plan. | Quote from the CRM record. Send price and scope changes through one approval step with a named owner. |
| 3. Contracts to Billing | Someone retypes the signed terms by hand, and start dates and amounts drift. | Pass signed terms to billing as fields, not as a PDF. Check the first invoice against the contract. |
| 4. Customer Success to CRM | Risk shows up late, with the renewal already close. | Send health and risk flags to the CRM record as they change. Alert the owner at a set threshold. |
Reps feel it too. In Salesforce's State of Sales survey (August to September 2025), reps said they spend 40% of the week selling. 42% said the number of tools overwhelms them. Source: Salesforce
Steps 1 to 4: Find the Gaps.
- Step 1
Inventory
Ready when: Every tool has an owner, users, and data in and out listed.
- Step 2
Map to the Buyer Journey
Ready when: Every tool sits on a stage of the buyer's path.
- Step 3
Find the Broken Handoffs
Ready when: Every handoff is marked clean, manual, or broken.
- Step 4
Measure the Cost
Ready when: Each gap has delay, deals touched, and revenue waiting.
Steps 5 to 7: Fix the Gaps.
- Step 5
Rank by Dollars
Ready when: The gaps are in cost order, and the top ones are picked.
- Step 6
Design the Target Workflow
Ready when: Every handoff has named data fields, rules, and one owner.
- Step 7
Roll Out in 30, 60 and 90 Days
Ready when: Each fix has shipped and been checked against the pipeline.
Three Deliverables.
Then a Monthly Stack Review
Every sample uses a made-up client and illustrative figures.
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