Handing leads over and back
This page is for partner sales staff. The program shares leads (Referrals and leads) but does not publish a hand-off procedure. This page proposes one that keeps the customer's experience first and avoids disputes. Agree its details with 7x and with partners you work with.
Note
The process below is a recommended practice, not a published program rule.
Principles
- The customer chooses. A lead is a person or organization with a need, not property.
- One owner at a time. Whoever has the lead says so, and answers the customer.
- Fast or not at all. If you cannot respond quickly, hand the lead back.
- Written. Every hand-off has a note and a date.
The hand-off note
Lead hand-off
From: <company/role> To: <company/role> Date: <date>
Customer: <organization> (contact details shared with consent: yes/no)
Need: <one paragraph>
What was said or promised so far: <...>
Cold or hot (as agreed): <...>
Commission / referral terms: <reference to written agreement>
Next step and by when: <...>Response times
Agree them with your partners. A useful default: acknowledge the lead within one business day, contact the customer within two.
Returning a lead
If the project does not fit your skills, size or region, hand it back or on with a short reason. The program's value Sharing ("work together as a team, both internally and with customers, partners and the Exponential community", https://exponential.earth/partner/program) applies here. Returning a lead you cannot serve is good conduct, not failure.
Conflicts between partners
- If two partners already talk to the same customer, the one with the earlier documented contact continues, unless the customer decides otherwise.
- Never disparage another partner to win a customer (Partner code of conduct).
- Unresolved conflicts go to the partner team at 7x.
Closing the loop
Tell the referring party the outcome (won, lost, no decision) without sharing confidential details. It improves the next referral.
Related pages
- Referrals and leads
- Pre-sales support
- Working together
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.