A handoff is the transfer of ownership or responsibility over a customer from one team to another, usually between marketing and sales, or from sales to customer success.

Effective handoffs are timely, coordinated, and include all relevant context, such as conversation history, pain points, and expectations. They build trust, improve conversion rates, and set the tone for a strong customer relationship post-sale.

Common handoff stages:

• Marketing to sales: Once a lead becomes marketing-qualified (MQL) and shows buying intent
• Sales to customer success: After a deal is closed and the customer is ready to onboard