As discussed in one of our previous blog posts on process mapping, the handover from one process to another is a critical point where many difficulties arise. When both processes are done by the same person, the difficulties might be limited, but when performed by more than one person, it becomes exponentially harder. On top of that, when information needs to flow from one system to another, significant difficulties can arise even when performed by the same person.
Different People
In the first case when the handover is between people, communication is key. Every person needs to have access to all the critical information. A good example is when the customer switches from sales to project execution, or from project execution to support, or in a different scenario from sales straight to support. Having the right information is crucial for the next person in line to support the customer effectively. All the information needs to be known to the next person. This includes all the things that went badly, as well as all the things that went well. This allows the next employee to be prepared for any potential difficulties. The handover between people can practically be done by having a physical or digital handover meeting. During the meeting, the team will have an open discussion. Simply start by creating a structured calendar for every handover meeting to give some guidance to the people.
Different Systems
Another potential pitfall is the switch between systems when one process flows into the next. For example, when a deal has been closed, it may have to go from your CRM to ERP for order handling. A seamless integration prevents people from keying in the information again and introducing errors. Hence, a good integration is money well spent. Also check which information is crucial for an effective handover. You don’t have to hand over every email and calendar invite, but make sure you give as much relevant information as possible. As pointed out in the previous paragraph, make sure you hand over what is important.
Outcome Is Key
Regardless if the process goes from one person to another or switches systems, the end result is what matters during the handover. It happens all too often that information cannot be found or just disappears. This seriously harms the outcome of the process and the start of the next. Make sure you have some sort of guidance in place for the handing over process.
Audits
Audits are great methods to check how the handover is performed in practice, not just on paper. Companies come up with the best playbooks, but it doesn’t mean it always works. With an audit, you can simply check the handover and see what went wrong. You can even perform a brown paper audit to get a good idea of where the handovers actually are and which information is crucial during the handover.
Conclusion
Handovers can costs the company some serious money if they aren’t done properly. This means that a lot of money can be saved by coming up with a great way of handling this. Check out what information is crucial and make sure it is transferred properly.
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