Operating Cadence
Part of Startup customer delivery operations
Recording commitments made during sales
Capture sales promises accurately, distinguish proposals from accepted terms and give delivery a clear record of scope, dates and conditions.
Record a material sales commitment when it is made. Confirm its status before handover to delivery. Note what was offered, to whom, by whom, under which conditions and whether the customer accepted it. Distinguish a proposal from a confirmed promise so delivery neither plans around a possibility nor misses a statement made outside the final quote.
Catch promises in the conversation
Look beyond the signed document for statements that shape customer expectations: a proposed start date, tailored feature, service level, included task, discount condition or follow-up. Enter a material statement against the opportunity or customer while its context is available. Keep the relevant message or call note under the business's usual record practice.
A short entry should let a delivery colleague answer:
- Substance:
- What outcome, date or limit was discussed?
- Status:
- Was it suggested, internally approved, communicated or accepted?
- Condition:
- What customer input, approval or other event must occur first?
- Authority:
- Who made the statement and, where needed, approved it?
- Follow-through:
- Who must confirm or act on it, and by when?
Capture statements that affect what the customer expects or what delivery must do. Keep personal information accessible only to people who need it for the work.
Reconcile the record before handoff
At acceptance, compare entries with the accepted quote, order or agreement and the latest customer messages. Ask sales and delivery to resolve a promise missing from the formal scope, a written term the customer appears to understand differently, or a proposed item still awaiting approval. Record the agreed position and assign the person who will explain any clarification to the customer.
Suppose a salesperson discusses a Friday start if the customer supplies data by Tuesday. The entry needs both the proposed start and its condition. If the data has not arrived or the Friday slot is unavailable, the team needs a decision and an accurate customer update. What the exchange requires legally depends on its facts.
For claims made to Australian consumers, the ACCC accepts reports about possible false or misleading claims. It can require businesses to back up claims they make about their products or services, and it may investigate and take compliance or enforcement action. The ACCC does not resolve individual disputes about misleading claims and does not provide legal advice. Do not assume that omitting a sales statement from a signed document makes it irrelevant. Seek case-specific advice if its legal effect is disputed.
Australian Regulatory Context for Sales Promises
- ACCC Authority
- Can investigate false or misleading claims
- Legal Responsibility
- Businesses must back up claims made to consumers
- No Individual Dispute Resolution
- ACCC does not resolve personal disputes or provide legal advice
Give delivery a clear handoff
The delivery owner should identify confirmed scope and dates, conditions still to be met, exceptions awaiting approval and who owns the next customer message. Keep an unresolved exception visible with an owner. Do not silently convert it into a confirmed delivery task.
If sales has made a promise the team cannot support, raise it promptly with someone authorised to decide the response. That may require a changed plan, a correction to what the customer was told or a new agreement. Keep the original entry, the decision and the customer communication together. The next person must know which position applies.
