The job is done and the customer is at the door; the handover takes a few minutes and the customer leaves. A phone call the next day can reveal that one detail of the job was not discussed.
The handover is the last step of a process that starts with the order, and it can shape the impression the customer keeps of the work. This article looks step by step at the preparation small businesses can do before handing a job over to a customer.
⚡ Example scenario: In a glass and framing workshop, finished frames are packed and handed over quickly when the customer arrives. After a customer reports the next day that the part needed to hang the frame was not in the package, the workshop decides to compare each job with the order note before handover and to give the customer a short explanation. This habit can help reduce questions after handover.
What Can Be Missed at Handover
A hitch at handover can often stem not from the work itself but from arriving at the handover unprepared. Even when the work is done with care, a missing part or untold information can be overlooked if the handover is squeezed into a few minutes.
The table below summarizes the steps of preparing for handover, why each can matter and when it can be done.
| Step | Why | When it can be done |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing the job with the order | A detail done differently can be noticed in advance | The day before handover |
| Confirming the day and place | The customer and the business can be ready at the same time | A few days before handover |
| Saying what is missing | The customer may not be caught off guard at handover | When the gap is noticed |
| Preparing what to tell | Later questions can become fewer | Before handover |
| Checking in after handover | A small problem can be heard before it grows | A few days after handover |
Comparing the Job with the Order
Placing the job side by side with the order note before handover brings a detail done differently to light before the customer arrives. Size, color, quantity or the parts that go into the package can be reviewed in this comparison.
How easy the comparison is can depend on the order being written down fully from the start. We described how an order can be noted without gaps in our article on mistakes when taking customer orders; the topic here is opening the same note again before handover.
Confirming the Handover Day and Place
Going over the handover day, time and place with the customer again lays the groundwork for both sides to be ready at the same time. Whether the customer will pick the job up at the shop or it will be taken to them can be settled before handover.
Looking at the next day's handovers at the end of the day can help an unfinished preparation be noticed in time; we covered this habit in our article on end-of-day steps to prepare for tomorrow. If the promised day looks likely to slip because of a supply delay, we described ways to let the customer know early in our article on what to do when a supplier delivers late.
Saying Clearly If Something Is Missing
When the handover day comes, part of the job may not be ready yet. Telling the customer about this in advance and openly, rather than at the moment of handover, can help them plan accordingly.
When saying it, briefly explaining what is missing, when it can be completed and how the customer can use the job for now may be enough. Noting the new day given for the missing part can help keep it from being forgotten too.
Preparing What to Tell the Customer
Short information given to the customer during handover can answer some of the questions that might come up afterwards.
Three topics can stand out in this information.
1. What was done
Briefly explaining the work that was done can help the customer know what they are receiving. If a detail differs from the order, the reason can also be given here.
2. What to watch out for in use
Information such as how to use the item, how to clean it or what to protect it from can be given in a short note. We covered how frequent questions can be kept ready in our article on what to do when customers keep asking the same question.
3. Whom to contact later
Knowing whom to contact and how for a later question or request can help a small issue be discussed without delay.
Checking In Briefly After Handover
Asking the customer with a short message a few days after handover how the job is working out can help a small hitch be noticed before it grows. This check-in may not need a long form; a message of a few words or a short phone call may be enough.
A customer mentioning a problem during this check-in can make it easier to talk it over before it turns into a complaint. We covered how such cases can be recorded in our article on getting ready to track customer complaints.
Making the Handover Steps the Same for Everyone
If different employees do the handover, gathering the steps in a short handover note can help everyone go to the handover with the same preparation. The note can be a simple list made up of a few fields.
| Field | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Order note | Shows what the job is compared with |
| Handover day, time and place | Reminds of the meeting agreed with the customer |
| Missing part | Shows what will be completed and when |
| What to tell the customer | Keeps usage and contact information together |
| Check-in day | Reminds when to ask the customer |
When the note is kept in the same place for every handover, the preparation can stay the same even if the person doing the handover changes. Over time, these notes can also show which step tends to be skipped.
Summary
Hitches at handover can stem less from the work itself than from arriving at the handover unprepared. Comparing the job with the order, confirming the handover day and place, saying in advance what is missing, preparing what to tell the customer and checking in briefly after handover can be the steps of this preparation. When the steps are gathered in a short handover note, everyone can apply them the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can be checked before handing a job over to a customer?
Whether the job matches the order note, the handover day and place, whether any part is missing and the information to give the customer can be reviewed before handover.
What should the customer be told at handover?
What was done, how the item is used or what to protect it from, and whom to contact later can be explained briefly. Giving this information in a short note can also help.
What should I do if part of the job is not finished?
It is sensible to say so openly and in advance rather than at the moment of handover. Explaining what is missing and when it can be completed can help the customer plan.
Why should I go over the handover day again?
If the day, time and place are settled in advance, both sides can be ready at the same time. This conversation can also make clear whether the job will be picked up at the shop or taken to the customer.
Is it worth checking in with the customer after handover?
Asking with a short message a few days later how the job is working out can help a small hitch be heard early. A short question instead of a long form may be enough for this.
Let's prepare your handovers together
What the job is compared with, how handover is agreed, what the customer is told. We can put this preparation in order together.
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