Introduction

A smooth sales-to-customer success handoff isn’t just about when it happens—it’s about what information travels with the customer. Without context, even the best-timed transitions can lead to confusion, missed expectations, and frustrated customers.

In this post, we’ll walk through how to create a structured handoff record in Salesforce that ensures Customer Success teams get everything they need to hit the ground running.

Why Context Is Critical

When a deal closes, Sales has accumulated a wealth of information:

• Customer goals and pain points
• Key stakeholders and decision-makers
• Agreed-upon timelines and deliverables
• Pricing, discounts, or special terms
• Communication preferences

If that context doesn’t transfer cleanly to Customer Success, onboarding slows down, customers repeat themselves, and trust erodes quickly.

According to Gainsight, poor onboarding and lack of alignment are among the top reasons for early churn in B2B SaaS.

What Is a Structured Handoff Record?

A structured handoff record is a standardized object or record in Salesforce that captures all critical deal and customer information in one place, accessible to both Sales and Customer Success teams.

Instead of relying on email threads, Slack messages, or scattered notes, the structured record ensures:

✅ Consistency
✅ Easy access
✅ Accountability
✅ Data-driven insights

What to Include in Your Salesforce Handoff Record

Your handoff record should balance completeness with usability. Here’s a recommended structure:

1️⃣ Customer Overview

• Account name
• Primary contact
• Industry and company size

2️⃣ Goals and Pain Points

• Key objectives discussed during the sales process
• Challenges or risks identified

3️⃣ Deal Details

• Closed opportunity value
• Products or services purchased
• Contract terms and start date

4️⃣ Stakeholder Map

• Key decision-makers and influencers
• Preferred communication methods

5️⃣ Next Steps & Expectations

• Onboarding kickoff date
• Milestones and deliverables
• Any custom requests or exceptions

Pro Tip: Use Salesforce custom objects or enrich existing Opportunity or Account records with this information. If you use tools like Salesforce Flow or Process Builder, you can automate the creation of this handoff record when an opportunity moves to “Closed Won.”

Best Practices for Building and Maintaining Handoff Records

🔹 Automate Data Capture Where Possible
Pull in existing Salesforce fields automatically to reduce manual entry.

🔹 Make the Record Accessible
Ensure the Customer Success team has easy, reliable access to the handoff record.

🔹 Audit for Completeness
Before the handoff, review the record to confirm all required fields are populated.

🔹 Train Both Teams
Both Sales and Customer Success should understand what’s included and why it matters.

🔹 Update as Needed
Allow the Customer Success team to update the record with onboarding progress and new insights.

Example Tools to Streamline This Process

• Salesforce Flow – Automate handoff record creation
• Quip for Salesforce – Embed collaborative documents
• Salesforce Slack Integration – Share handoff summaries automatically
• TaskRay or Asana Integrations – Connect onboarding project plans

Final Thoughts

A structured handoff record with context is the backbone of a scalable, repeatable post-sales process. It prevents information silos, reduces onboarding delays, and sets the stage for long-term customer success.

In Part 4 (coming soon!), we’ll explore how to monitor handoff effectiveness and continuously improve your process!