Post-sales checklists
Post-sales checklists coordinate the work required after application approval or contract start. They keep agreement readiness, documents, payment setup, collections handoff, ownership, notes, and overall readiness visible in one place.
A checklist is an operational coordination record. It does not create a contract, record a payment, approve a document, or complete collections work automatically.
Typical checklist areas
A checklist may track:
- customer and lot confirmation;
- agreement or contract readiness;
- signed-document readiness;
- identification or supporting documents;
- deposit/payment setup;
- installment or due-date confirmation;
- collections handoff;
- customer communication;
- internal project/administrative work; and
- overall status and blockers.
Starting the checklist
Before beginning:
- Confirm the correct customer and approved application.
- Verify lot and contract context.
- Identify required checklist items for the customer's situation.
- Assign an owner to each item.
- Set realistic due dates.
- Explain completion criteria.
- Record dependencies or blockers.
Updating checklist state
Mark an item complete only after the underlying work is verified. Examples:
- Contract ready means the approved terms and required review are complete—not merely that a draft exists.
- Document ready means the correct document was received, reviewed, and stored appropriately—not merely requested.
- Payment setup ready means the contract/payment schedule process is confirmed—not that an expected deposit is financially recorded.
- Collections handoff complete means the collections owner has the account context, dates, balance, and next action.
Blockers
A blocker should identify:
- what is missing;
- who or what must resolve it;
- date identified;
- impact on the customer/process;
- next review date; and
- escalation owner.
Weak blocker:
Waiting.
Useful blocker:
Signed contract page 4 is missing. Administration requested the complete file from the customer on 14 July. Contract activation and payment schedule confirmation remain blocked. Follow-up due 16 July.
Overall status
The overall checklist status should reflect the combined readiness of the required items. Do not mark the checklist complete while a required high-impact item remains blocked or unverified.
Example: approved buyer awaiting signed contract
A fictional customer, Nadia Training, has an approved application and contract draft.
- Customer and lot are confirmed.
- Contract terms are reviewed.
- Signed document is requested.
- Payment schedule is prepared but not treated as active until the contract process is complete.
- Collections handoff remains pending.
- The missing signed document is recorded as a blocker.
- After receipt and review, the document item is completed.
- Payment setup and collections handoff are verified and completed separately.
- The overall checklist is completed only when all required items meet their criteria.
Management review
Review checklists for:
- overdue required items;
- repeated blockers;
- tasks without owners;
- checklists marked complete with open tasks;
- contract/payment discrepancies;
- customers waiting for communication; and
- recurring process gaps that need documentation or configuration changes.
Common mistakes
- Completing an item because it was discussed.
- Using the checklist instead of updating the contract/payment record.
- Leaving blockers vague.
- Assigning every item to one person when multiple teams own the work.
- Completing the overall checklist while required tasks remain open.
- Failing to notify the next team during handoff.