Onboarding Scenario Drill

Sales handoff changes scope after kickoff

The customer believes a workflow is included, implementation says it was never scoped, and the launch clock has already started.

Discovery Senior CSM 40 minutes Individual CSMCS LeaderTeam Drill

Safe Composite Note

Safe composite inspired by recurring public CS patterns. No direct post, name, company, screenshot, or traceable detail is reused.

Decision Prompt

How do you reset scope without starting the relationship with blame or a vague compromise?

Situation Brief

A new customer enters kickoff expecting an analytics workflow the implementation team did not scope. The AE says it was discussed verbally, the customer sponsor says it is a launch requirement, and the implementation owner says adding it will push first value by three weeks.

Available Evidence

The signed order form lists the core package but not the analytics workflow.
Sales notes say 'analytics use case likely phase two' but do not show customer approval.
The sponsor told their COO the workflow would be live by the first steering meeting.
Implementation can include a limited version if the customer provides sample data this week.
The AE wants CS to 'smooth it over' because the deal just closed.
The admin champion is cooperative but embarrassed because they repeated the sponsor's expectation internally.
No one has documented what first value means if analytics is moved to phase two.

Answer Rubric

What strong judgment sounds like.

Strong answer

Recover trust by separating contract scope, launch value, and phase-two discovery.

Acknowledge the expectation gap without debating blame in front of the customer.
Confirm what is in scope, what can be validated this week, and what must move to phase two.
Offer a limited discovery path only if it protects first value and has customer-owned data dependencies.
Create an internal handoff correction so Sales, CS, and Implementation agree on the next message.
Send the sponsor a launch plan that preserves a credible first-value milestone.

Weak answer patterns

Telling the customer it was not in the contract and leaving the sponsor exposed.
Absorbing the workflow without owner, data, or timeline tradeoffs.
Letting the AE promise a compromise that Implementation cannot deliver.
Moving the entire launch around the disputed scope before redefining first value.

Manager Coaching Notes

Ask the team to name the customer expectation, contractual fact, and launch tradeoff separately.
Score whether the proposed customer message protects trust without inventing scope.
Require one internal process fix so the same handoff failure does not repeat.

AI Practice Prompt

Practice with your AI tool of choice.

          Draft an internal alignment note and sponsor-safe kickoff reset. Separate confirmed scope, disputed expectation, launch tradeoff, data dependency, and phase-two discovery path. Do not blame Sales, Implementation, or the customer.

Team CTA