Sales to delivery process

By establishing a solid foundation during the sales handoff and customer kickoff, we can align expectations, establish communication protocols, and set the stage for a collaborative and productive relationship with our customers and partners. The following table outlines key steps in the Sales to Delivery process and highlights the recommended meetings that should take place during Initiation.

SALES HANDOFF MEETING

The Initiation Phase begins with an internal Sales Handoff meeting. During this handoff, the sales team should provide the delivery team with all relevant information about the project, including the customer's requirements, budget, timeline, and any constraints or risks. The delivery team should also review the contract or Statement of Work (SOW) to ensure that all requirements are understood and that there are no ambiguities or gaps.

GOALS	ROLES	NEXT STEP
Introduction and transition, knowledge transfer	Leads: KD Sales Team Attends: KD Project Team	Partner Kickoff Alignment or CustiomerKickoff Meeting

PARTNER KICKOFF ALIGNMENT MEETING

When working with an implementation partner, a Partner Kickoff Alignment meeting is a crucial step in the Initiation Phase. This meeting allows the Delivery Team and the implementation partner to share their understanding of the project and establish a collaborative plan.

Both teams should thoroughly review essential information for the customer kickoff, such as requirements, budget, timeline, constraints, and risks. This meeting is also an opportunity to establish clear roles, responsibilities, deliverables, quality standards, and communication protocols for the upcoming Customer Kickoff meeting and the project as a whole.

GOALS	ROLES	NEXT STEP
Share understanding and define roles and responsibilities	Leads: KD Project Team Attends: KD Sales Team, Partner Project Team	Customer Kickoff Meeting

CUSTOMER KICKOFF MEETING

The Delivery team (or the Partner) should schedule a customer kickoff meeting to begin the project and discuss project expectations formally. This meeting will focus on reviewing the project objectives, scope, and timeline, as well as establishing clear delivery and communication protocols with the customer. The Handoff / Kickoff template for the meeting includes Speaker Notes in the lower drawer to provide guidance during the conversation.

GOALS	ROLES	NEXT STEP
Customer connection, project overview, and expectation setting	Leads: Primary Project Team Attends: Supporting Teams	Project Planning Meetings

STAY OUT OF THE WEEDS — Our goal for customer kickoff meetings is to ensure a smooth transition for the customer from the sales process, encourage a positive relationship, reiterate our understanding of the project, and describe how the project will unfold.

To achieve these objectives, it’s important for the team to focus on the big picture and avoid getting bogged down in technical details. We want to leave the customer excited about the project and confident in our abilities. If a rabbit hole is uncovered, circle back on that topic in a separate session.

As the meeting concludes, clarify our team's and the customer's next steps. This will help everyone stay on track and deliver a successful project.