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The Handover Test

Could your business keep running without you for five working days?

Not perfectly. Not without any involvement from you at all. But consistently - with the right things moving, the right people informed, and nothing quietly unravelling in the background.

Work through each section honestly. Your results will show you exactly where the business stands and where the pressure is building.

SECTION 1: Enquiries and New Business

Q1. When an enquiry comes in, is there a clear documented process for how it is captured, acknowledged and progressed?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q2. Is someone other than the owner responsible for making first contact with new enquiries within a defined timeframe?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q3. Are enquiries qualified against consistent criteria before they reach the owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q4. Is there a documented follow-up process for enquiries that do not convert immediately?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q5. If the owner were unavailable for a week, would new enquiries still be handled and progressed without instruction from them?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 2: Client Onboarding and Setup

Q6. Is there a written onboarding process a team member could follow without asking the owner for guidance?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q7. Are welcome communications, next steps and initial documentation sent without the owner's involvement?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q8. Is access setup and systems preparation handled by someone other than the owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q9. Does onboarding follow a consistent timeline regardless of how busy the owner is?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q10. Would a new client experience the same quality of welcome and setup whether the owner was present or not?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 3: Communication and Client Management

Q11. Are client updates sent on a regular, predictable schedule — not just when something significant happens?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q12. Is there a clear owner for day-to-day client communication that is not the business owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q13. Are client queries responded to within a defined timeframe, regardless of whether the owner is available?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q14. Is there a process for managing client expectations when timelines shift or issues arise — without the owner stepping in every time?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q15. If a client contacted the business today while the owner was away, would they receive a prompt and professional response?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 4: Internal Operations and Administration

Q16. Are your internal processes documented clearly enough that a team member could follow them without asking the owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q17. Is diary, scheduling and appointment management handled by someone other than the owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q18. Are regular administrative tasks completed consistently and on schedule, without prompting from the owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q19. Is there a clear owner for your CRM or client database, keeping it accurate and up to date?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q20. Could any key document or client record be located within two minutes — without depending on the owner's memory?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 5: Project and Workflow Coordination

Q21. Does the business have a clear method for tracking active projects, tasks and deadlines that does not live in the owner's head?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q22. Are deadlines and deliverables tracked and flagged without the owner having to chase them?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q23. Is there a clear escalation path for issues — one that identifies when something genuinely needs the owner versus when it can be resolved without them?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q24. When something goes wrong operationally, does the business have a documented process for addressing it?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q25. Are handovers between team members structured and documented, rather than verbal and informal?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 6: Financial Administration

Q26. Are invoices raised promptly and consistently at the right stage of each job — without the owner needing to prompt it?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q27. Is there a consistent process for following up on outstanding payments that does not rely on the owner to initiate?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q28. Are supplier invoices, receipts and expenses captured and filed in a timely way?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q29. Does your bookkeeper or accountant receive what they need, when they need it, without the owner personally gathering and sending it?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q30. Is there a clear, current picture of what is owed to the business at any given point — without the owner having to manually compile it?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 7: Marketing Implementation and Visibility

Q31. Is content being published consistently to your key channels on a reliable schedule — not in bursts when time allows?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q32. Is someone responsible for scheduling, publishing and monitoring content output — other than the owner?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q33. Are email communications to clients and prospects sent on schedule — not delayed because other priorities have taken over?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q34. Is your online presence reviewed and updated regularly, rather than only when something is obviously out of date?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q35. If the owner stepped back from marketing activity for a month, would the business remain visible?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 8: Your Team and Internal Structure

Q36. Does each person in the business have a clear, written understanding of their responsibilities?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q37. Are regular check-ins or team reviews structured and consistent — not just reactive conversations when something comes up?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q38. When a team member is absent, is there a clear plan for how their responsibilities are covered?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q39. Is there a clear process for raising and resolving internal issues without the owner's involvement at every stage?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q40. Is there visibility of team workload and capacity at any given time?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

SECTION 9: Systems, Access and Continuity

Q41. Are login credentials, system access and software licences stored securely — not held personally by one individual?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q42. If a key team member were suddenly unavailable, would the business know where to find what it needs to keep operating?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q43. Are your core business systems integrated and maintained, rather than running in parallel and reconciled manually?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q44. Is there a basic business continuity plan that sets out what happens if the unexpected occurs?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Q45. Are automations and workflows reviewed periodically to ensure they are still functioning correctly?

In place and running independently

Partially in place

Sits with the owner entirely

Your results are ready

Enter your details below and we'll show you exactly where your business stands — and where the pressure is building.

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