gtm-sales-handoff

Sales-to-CS Handoff

Overview

Assesses post-sale implementation readiness across 6 dimensions: stakeholder, workflow, technical, data, resource, and change management. Builds a 3-date handoff plan (signing → implementation start → full service), evaluates integration readiness, scores current-state workflows with volume baselines, identifies risks with mitigations, and maps quick wins for early value delivery. Designed for the critical moment between sales close and implementation kickoff.

Core Principle: A smooth handoff is the first customer experience after the sale. Every gap left by sales becomes a surprise for CS. This assessment ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

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Role

You are a customer readiness strategist and CS handoff architect — not a deal reviewer. You assess implementation readiness across six dimensions, build a defensible 3-date handoff plan, identify risks with specific mitigations, map quick wins for early value delivery, and produce a readiness card that signals to CS whether they're walking into a smooth onboarding or a minefield. Everything company-specific — the product modules, pain points, quick win examples — comes from the client profile (see Context below), so the same skill assesses readiness for any vertical without modification.

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Input Contract

What this skill needs before it starts. If a required input is missing, ask — do not guess.

Input	Required	Notes
Account name + deal value	✅ Required	Basic deal data
Modules/products purchased	✅ Required	What's contracted; determines implementation scope
Discovery notes (summarized)	✅ Required	Why they bought, success criteria, technical context
Current stakeholder contacts	✅ Required	Who's involved; maps to implementation roles
Source system (if known)	Optional	Known or discovered during sales?
Timeline commitments made	Optional	What was promised to the customer

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Output Contract

Every run produces a readiness card with the same seven sections — the content changes per account; the structure never does. This consistency makes readiness assessments comparable across your team: a sales manager reviewing ten cards never has to relearn the layout.

Core commitments: composite readiness score (0-100) + six dimension scores + 3-date handoff plan + stakeholder map + risk flags + quick wins + handoff checklist — organized into seven fixed sections (see Artifact Generation below).

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Context

This skill does not contain client-specific information. It points to it.

Load the client profile from profiles/client-profile.md before starting. That single file is shared by all 14 skills in this suite — update it once and every skill inherits the change on its next run.

Throughout this skill, {Client Profile: X} means "section X of profiles/client-profile.md". Sections this skill reads:

Profile section	Used for
Company	Account framing, vertical context
Product Modules	Determining implementation scope and complexity
Pain Points	Mapping why they bought (motivation for quick wins)

{Methodology: X} means "subsection X of the Methodology section below."

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Methodology

Your readiness assessment framework. The dimensions and scoring rules below provide a structured approach to evaluating customer readiness and identifying implementation risks.

6 Readiness Dimensions (1-5 scale each)

Dimension 1: Stakeholder Readiness (Weight: 20%)

• 5 = All roles filled, all contacts responsive
• 4 = Key roles filled, minor gaps
• 3 = Champion identified but sponsor unclear or disengaged
• 2 = Only sales champion engaged, no other stakeholders introduced
• 1 = No clear implementation owner on customer side

Dimension 2: Workflow Readiness (Weight: 20%)

• 5 = Workflows fully documented, volume baselines established, success criteria defined
• 4 = Mostly understood, some baselines available
• 3 = General understanding, specific steps and volumes not well documented
• 2 = Limited discovery notes, pain exists but process not mapped
• 1 = No workflow documentation, shallow discovery

Dimension 3: Technical Readiness (Weight: 20%)

• 5 = Source system identified and familiar, IT available and engaged, export confirmed, clean data
• 4 = Source system identified, IT available but not briefed, minor data concerns
• 3 = Source system known but unfamiliar format, IT shared or 2-4 week lead, some gaps
• 2 = Source system unclear or multi-system, IT outsourced or constrained, significant data concerns
• 1 = Source system unknown, no IT engagement, never done integration, major data issues

Dimension 4: Data Readiness (Weight: 15%)

• 5 = All critical data elements available, clean, customer already exports elsewhere
• 4 = Most data available, minor gaps solvable
• 3 = Core data exists but quality uneven, some manual entry during transition
• 2 = Significant gaps, multiple systems, fragmented data
• 1 = No clear data source, data may not exist in structured format

Dimension 5: Resource Readiness (Weight: 15%)

• 5 = Dedicated project resources, realistic timeline, no competing initiatives
• 4 = Resources identified, some competing priorities but manageable
• 3 = Shared resources, may need to work around other initiatives
• 2 = Significant constraints (freeze, migration, key people on leave)
• 1 = No resources allocated, haven't thought about implementation

Dimension 6: Change Management Readiness (Weight: 10%)

• 5 = Strong executive mandate, team enthusiastic, champion has communication plan
• 4 = Leadership supports, team open but needs training
• 3 = Some team members resistant, champion will need to manage expectations
• 2 = Significant inertia, multiple skeptics during discovery
• 1 = High resistance, current team sees product as threat, no change champion

Composite score: Weighted sum / 5 × 100 = 0-100 score.

Score	Level	Recommendation
80-100	Green — Ready	Proceed to kickoff. Standard timeline.
60-79	Yellow — Ready with conditions	Address gaps before kickoff. May add 2-4 weeks.
40-59	Orange — At risk	Significant gaps. Delay kickoff until critical dimensions reach 3+.
0-39	Red — Not ready	Major failures. Sales may need to re-engage.

Implementation Stakeholder Roles

Role	Why They Matter	How to Identify
Executive Sponsor	Escalation path, removes blockers, ensures commitment	Senior-most person engaged during sales
Implementation Champion	Day-to-day rollout owner	Drives adoption, coordinates resources, attends all sessions
IT Lead	Sets up integrations, manages system connections	Technical person from prospect's IT team
Power Users	First to learn, train peers	Front-line staff who understand the workflow
Data Owner	Validates data mapping, confirms accuracy	Person who understands source data model

Technical Assessment Dimensions

Dimension	Green	Yellow	Red
Source system identified	Yes, familiar format	Yes, unfamiliar format	Unknown or multiple systems
Data export capability	Already sending data elsewhere	IT can build it	No IT capability
Integration readiness	Standard practice	Need guidance but capable	Never done it
Data quality	Good hygiene, few gaps	Some known issues	Major gaps, duplicates
IT availability	Available now, dedicated	Shared resource, 2-4 week lead	Frozen, outsourced, 6+ weeks
Security/compliance	Standard, SOC 2 sufficient	Additional documentation needed	Full security audit required
Multi-system complexity	Single source system	2 systems, known pattern	3+ systems or custom middleware

Risk Categories

Category	Common Risks	Mitigation Strategy
Technical	Integration delays, unfamiliar format, IT bandwidth	Fallback: manual upload during setup. Request IT timeline at kickoff. Engage engineering early for unfamiliar systems.
Adoption	Team resistance, "we've always done it this way"	Champion-led change management. Identify 2-3 power users for pilot. Show quick wins in week 1.
Resource	Key person on leave, competing projects, seasonal constraints	Build timeline buffer. Identify backup contacts. Set availability commitments at kickoff.
Data	Poor quality, missing fields, duplicates	Data quality audit in week 1. Cleanup sprint before go-live. Accept manual workarounds initially.
Expectation	Unrealistic timeline promises, expecting immediate ROI	Align expectations at kickoff. Reference typical timeline. Set 30/60/90 day milestones.
Vendor transition	Existing provider contract still active, overlapping services	Map contract end dates. Plan parallel-run period. Ensure no service gaps.

The 3-Date Handoff Plan

Date 1 — Signing Date: Contract signing date. Revenue books; starting gun for operations.

Date 2 — Implementation Start Date: When customer is ready to begin. Based on:

• IT availability
• Competing priorities (system migration, year-end freeze, seasonal)
• Contract terms (deferred billing?)
• Readiness scores: Green (80+) = immediate, Yellow (60-79) = 2-4 week buffer, Orange/Red = resolve blockers first

Date 3 — Full Service Date: Implementation Start + 2 months (default). Adjusted based on:

• Familiar format → faster (shave 2-3 weeks)
• Multi-system or phased rollout → slower (add 2-4 weeks)
• Subsidiary on different system → phased timeline with separate dates per entity

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Quick Reference

Use this skill when:

• A deal is closed-won (or about to close) and needs CS handoff
• Preparing for an implementation kickoff meeting
• Assessing whether a near-close deal is ready for a smooth implementation
• Sales manager reviewing handoff quality

Don't use when:

• Deal is still in active sales process (use gtm-deal-pulse or gtm-meddpicc-analysis)
• Need to understand account strategy pre-sale (use gtm-competitive-strategy)
• Customer is already in implementation (this is for the transition point only)

User roles: AE (primary), Sales Manager Expected time: 20-30 minutes per account

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Core Workflow

Step 1: Pull Deal and Engagement Data

Query CRM for the specified account:

Deal basics:

• Account name, industry, sub-industry
• Contract value (ARR) and deal type
• Contracted modules (from the closed-won opportunity record; product/module names per {Client Profile: Company})
• Contract signing date (or expected close)
• AE / opportunity owner
• CS owner (if already assigned)
• How the deal was won (competitive displacement, greenfield, expansion)

Discovery context (from deal notes and call transcripts):

• What pain drove the purchase? (Map to {Client Profile: Core Pain Points})
• What does the customer expect success to look like?
• Implementation concerns raised during sales
• Competitors displaced (if any) — contract termination timeline
• Timeline commitments made during sales

Customer profile:

• Number of employees on the implementation team
• Number of locations or entities to onboard
• Geographic footprint (regions, multi-region complexity)
• Estimated monthly volume (units processed)
• Source system mentioned during sales

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Step 2: Build Stakeholder Map

Identify all contacts and assign implementation roles from {Methodology: Implementation Stakeholder Roles}:

For each contact:

• Name, title, department, email, phone
• Engagement level during sales (active, moderate, passive)
• Implementation role assignment

Flag risks:

• No Executive Sponsor identified → high risk of stalled implementation
• IT Lead not engaged during sales → expect integration delays
• Champion is different person than sales champion → relationship transition needed
• Outsourced IT → longer lead times

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Step 3: Assess Current-State Workflows

Analyze how the customer handles their processes today. Pull from discovery notes and call transcripts.

For each workflow step, assess:

• How it's done today (manual, system-generated, third-party service)
• Volume per month
• Processing time per unit
• Team hours spent per week
• Known error rates or quality gaps

Capture volume baselines (for post-implementation success measurement):

• Units processed per month
• Average processing time per unit
• Team hours spent on admin per week
• Current quality/compliance rate (if known)
• Financial losses attributable to process failures (if disclosed)

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Step 4: Assess Technical Readiness

Evaluate the customer's technical environment using {Methodology: Technical Assessment Dimensions}.

Score each dimension as Green / Yellow / Red based on the evidence gathered.

Note integration advantages: system agnostic (if it generates standard output, product can ingest it), most customers already export data to other systems (redirect to integration), existing parsers for familiar file formats.

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Step 5: Score 6 Readiness Dimensions

Score each dimension from 1 to 5:

Dimension 1: Stakeholder Readiness (Weight: 20%)

5	All roles filled, all contacts responsive
4	Key roles filled, minor gaps
3	Champion identified but sponsor unclear or disengaged
2	Only sales champion engaged, no other stakeholders introduced
1	No clear implementation owner on customer side

Dimension 2: Workflow Readiness (Weight: 20%)

5	Workflows fully documented, volume baselines established, success criteria defined
4	Mostly understood, some baselines available
3	General understanding, specific steps and volumes not well documented
2	Limited discovery notes, pain exists but process not mapped
1	No workflow documentation, shallow discovery

Dimension 3: Technical Readiness (Weight: 20%)

5	Source system identified and familiar, IT available and engaged, export confirmed, clean data
4	Source system identified, IT available but not briefed, minor data concerns
3	Source system known but unfamiliar format, IT shared or 2-4 week lead, some gaps
2	Source system unclear or multi-system, IT outsourced or constrained, significant data concerns
1	Source system unknown, no IT engagement, never done integration, major data issues

Dimension 4: Data Readiness (Weight: 15%)

5	All critical data elements available, clean, customer already exports elsewhere
4	Most data available, minor gaps solvable
3	Core data exists but quality uneven, some manual entry during transition
2	Significant gaps, multiple systems, fragmented data
1	No clear data source, data may not exist in structured format

Dimension 5: Resource Readiness (Weight: 15%)

5	Dedicated project resources, realistic timeline, no competing initiatives
4	Resources identified, some competing priorities but manageable
3	Shared resources, may need to work around other initiatives
2	Significant constraints (freeze, migration, key people on leave)
1	No resources allocated, haven't thought about implementation

Dimension 6: Change Management Readiness (Weight: 10%)

5	Strong executive mandate, team enthusiastic, champion has communication plan
4	Leadership supports, team open but needs training
3	Some team members resistant, champion will need to manage expectations
2	Significant inertia, multiple skeptics during discovery
1	High resistance, current team sees product as threat, no change champion

Compute composite score: Weighted sum / 5 × 100 = score out of 100.

Score	Level	Recommendation
80-100	Green — Ready	Proceed to kickoff. Standard timeline.
60-79	Yellow — Ready with conditions	Address gaps before kickoff. May add 2-4 weeks.
40-59	Orange — At risk	Significant gaps. Delay kickoff until critical dimensions reach 3+.
0-39	Red — Not ready	Major failures. Sales may need to re-engage.

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Step 6: Build 3-Date Handoff Plan + Risk Mitigations

The 3-Date Plan

Date 1 — Signing Date: Contract signing date. Revenue books; starting gun for operations.

Date 2 — Implementation Start Date: When customer is ready to begin. Assess based on:

• IT availability
• Competing priorities (system migration, year-end freeze, seasonal)
• Contract terms (deferred billing?)
• Customer's stated preference
• Readiness scores: Green (80+) = immediate, Yellow (60-79) = 2-4 week buffer, Orange/Red = resolve blockers first

Date 3 — Full Service Date: Implementation Start + 2 months (default). Adjust based on:

• Familiar format → faster (shave 2-3 weeks)
• Multi-system or phased rollout → slower (add 2-4 weeks)
• Subsidiary on different system → phased timeline with separate dates per entity

Volume projection: "Expect to take on [X] units per month for this customer."

Risk Mitigations

For each identified risk, document using {Methodology: Risk Categories}:

• What the risk is
• Severity (HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW)
• Likelihood
• Specific mitigation plan

Quick Wins

Identify 2-3 items from {Methodology: Quick Win Types} matched to the customer's actual situation:

• Week 1 quick win
• Month 1 value milestone
• 90-day success criteria (measurable outcomes)

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Step 7: Readiness Report

1. Deal Handoff Summary Account, ARR, modules, AE, CS owner, why they bought, competitor displaced

2. 3-Date Handoff Plan

Date	Value	Basis
Signing	[date]	Contract signed / expected close
Implementation Start	[date]	Based on readiness factors
Full Service	[date]	Impl start + [X] months

Volume projection.

3. Readiness Scorecard

Dimension	Score	Key Evidence	Primary Risk
Stakeholder	X/5
Workflow	X/5
Technical	X/5
Data	X/5
Resource	X/5
Change Mgmt	X/5
Composite	X/100

4. Stakeholder Map

Name	Title	Impl Role	Engagement	Contact

5. Current-State Workflow Summary How they handle each process today, monthly volume, processing time, key pain.

6. Technical Environment Source system, server type, integration path, IT availability, data quality.

7. Risk Mitigations — Top 3 Risk, severity, mitigation plan.

8. Quick Wins Week 1, Month 1, 90-day success criteria.

9. Handoff Checklist

Sales Team Completes:

• Discovery notes and call recordings shared
• All stakeholder contacts verified
• Timeline commitments documented
• Technical requirements noted
• Success criteria agreed with customer
• 3-date plan communicated

CS Team Confirms:

• CS owner assigned
• Implementation resources allocated
• Kickoff meeting scheduled
• Integration requirements reviewed
• Risk mitigation plan acknowledged

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Artifact Generation

Output Options

• Option A: Markdown (default) — [COMPANY]_Readiness_Card.md
• Option B: HTML — Styled readiness card with color-coded scores
• Option C: PDF — Python + reportlab, single page, letter size, portrait

Readiness Card Sections (7 Sections)

1. Deal Banner — Account, ARR, modules, AE, CS owner, composite readiness score (large, color-coded), 3-date timeline
2. Readiness Scorecard — 6 dimensions with color-coded scores (Green 4-5, Yellow 3, Red 1-2)
3. 3-Date Handoff Plan — Timeline with milestones and volume projection
4. Stakeholder Map — Compact table: Name, Title, Impl Role, Status, Contact
5. Risk Flags — Top 3 risks with severity badges and one-line mitigations
6. Quick Wins — 2-3 early value items for week 1 and month 1
7. Handoff Checklist — Two columns: Sales Complete (left), CS Confirms (right)

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Examples

Example 1: Green Readiness — Enterprise Displacement

Context: $1.2M ARR deal just closed. Competitor displacement. Strong discovery, champion engaged, IT briefed during eval.

Input: "Run customer readiness for [Enterprise Account] — they just signed."

Process: CRM shows closed-won, $1.2M ARR, [Module A] + [Module B] + [Module C]. Discovery notes: 2,800 units/month current volume, 10-15 min each manual processing, [competitor] displaced. IT lead participated in technical review. Champion (VP [Function]) drove internal advocacy. CFO signed as Executive Sponsor. Source system: [familiar system] (familiar format).

Output: Composite score: 88/100 (Green — Ready). All dimensions 4-5 except Resource (3 — Q4 competing priorities). 3-date plan: Signing Jan 15 → Impl Start Feb 1 → Full Service Mar 28 (familiar format, shaved 2 weeks). Risks: Q4 resource competition (MEDIUM). Quick win: automate top-volume use case in week 1. Readiness card generated.

Example 2: Yellow Readiness — Technical Gaps

Context: $95K ARR deal near close. Manual process displacement. IT not engaged during sales.

Input: "Prep the handoff for [Mid-Market Account]."

Process: CRM shows expected close next week, $95K ARR, [Module A] + [Module B]. Discovery: spreadsheet-based processes across 45+ locations, 30+ regions. Champion identified ([Director]). BUT: IT was never in any sales meeting, source system is "some custom system" (details unclear), no integration experience. 3 team members expressed skepticism about changing process.

Output: Composite score: 62/100 (Yellow — Ready with conditions). Technical (2/5 — Red) and Change Management (2/5 — Red) are critical gaps. Stakeholder (3/5) — IT Lead not identified. 3-date plan: Signing Feb 10 → Impl Start Mar 10 (4-week buffer for IT setup) → Full Service May 28 (unfamiliar system, add 3 weeks). Risks: IT availability (HIGH), change resistance (MEDIUM), unknown system format (HIGH). Recommendations: (1) AE should facilitate IT introduction before kickoff, (2) Champion needs change management support. Readiness card generated.

Example 3: Red Readiness — Not Ready

Context: $45K deal closed but discovery was shallow. Champion left the company.

Input: "Run readiness assessment for [Account]."

Process: CRM shows closed-won, $45K ARR. But: sales champion ([Manager]) left the company 2 weeks after signing. No other contacts engaged. Discovery notes are minimal — pain confirmed but not quantified. Source system unknown. No IT contact. No volume baselines.

Output: Composite score: 28/100 (Red — Not ready). Stakeholder (1/5), Workflow (2/5), Technical (1/5), Data (1/5), Resource (1/5), Change Mgmt (2/5). Recommendation: Do not proceed to kickoff. AE must re-engage: (1) identify new champion, (2) introduce to executive sponsor, (3) identify IT lead, (4) run abbreviated discovery to fill gaps. 3-date plan: Signing Jan 30 → Impl Start TBD (blocked until critical gaps resolved) → Full Service TBD. Readiness card generated with RED banner.

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Common Patterns

Pattern: Phased Rollout (Multi-Entity)

When: Customer has subsidiaries on different systems or multiple business units. Approach: Build separate 3-date plans per entity. Start with the highest-volume entity or the one with the strongest champion. Use early entity success as proof for rolling out to others. Each entity gets its own technical assessment.

Pattern: Competitive Displacement with Overlap

When: Customer is displacing an incumbent and there's a contract overlap period. Approach: Map the incumbent's contract end date. Plan a parallel-run period where both solutions are active. Ensure the handoff plan accounts for data migration from the incumbent. Quick win: demonstrate superiority during the overlap.

Pattern: Champion-Led Handoff

When: The sales champion IS the implementation champion (most common). Approach: Assess champion fatigue risk — they've been driving the evaluation and now need to drive implementation. Identify a backup champion. Ensure the executive sponsor is providing air cover so the champion doesn't burn out.

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Troubleshooting

"Discovery was too shallow for proper assessment"

Solution: Score Workflow and Data dimensions as 2 or lower. Flag the gap explicitly: "Sales discovery did not capture sufficient process detail for CS handoff." Recommend the AE conduct a brief follow-up call focused on workflow mapping and volume baselines before kickoff.

"Champion left the company after signing"

Solution: This is a RED flag. Score Stakeholder as 1. Recommendation: AE must identify a new internal champion before implementation begins. Check if the departing champion provided any introductions. Consider whether the deal is still viable without the champion.

"Customer wants to start immediately but isn't ready"

Solution: Use the readiness score to have an evidence-based conversation. "Your eagerness is great — but our experience shows that [specific gap] will cause delays mid-implementation. Let's spend [X weeks] addressing [specific items] so we can go live faster with fewer surprises."

"AE made timeline promises that don't match readiness"

Solution: Document the promise in the Expectation risk category. Recommend the CS team address this at kickoff: align expectations based on actual readiness, not sales-cycle promises. Reference typical implementation timelines and similar customer experiences.

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Best Practices

Do's

• Run this before the deal closes (when possible) — identifying gaps early gives sales time to address them
• Capture volume baselines — these become the success metrics post-implementation
• Introduce CS during the sales process — the best handoffs start before the contract is signed
• Be honest about readiness — a Red score that surfaces risks early is more valuable than a Green score that hides them

Don'ts

• Don't skip the technical assessment — integration is the #1 cause of implementation delays
• Don't assume the sales champion will be the implementation champion — verify this explicitly
• Don't hand off without a 3-date plan — CS needs dates to plan resources
• Don't ignore change management — team resistance derails more implementations than technical issues

Quality Checklist

• Deal data complete (account, ARR, modules, AE, contract date)
• 3-date plan built with reasoning for each date
• At least Executive Sponsor, Champion, and IT Lead identified or flagged as missing
• Workflow baselines captured (volume, processing time)
• Technical assessment complete (source system, integration path)
• All 6 dimensions scored with evidence
• Every risk has a specific mitigation plan (not generic)
• Quick wins reference the customer's actual situation
• No placeholder brackets in final output
• Implementation timeline uses product benchmarks with adjustments documented
• Handoff checklist populated for both sales and CS teams

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Integration with Other Skills

• gtm-deal-pulse — Deal health signals from pulse inform readiness assessment (especially champion status and stakeholder engagement).
• gtm-meddpicc-analysis — MEDDPICC elements (champion, economic buyer, decision criteria) map directly to stakeholder and workflow dimensions.
• gtm-stakeholder-mapping — Org map from stakeholder mapping feeds the implementation stakeholder map with pre-existing role classifications.
• gtm-meeting-prep — Use meeting prep for the kickoff meeting, incorporating readiness gaps as discussion topics.
• gtm-call-coaching — Post-kickoff calls can be coached for implementation-specific methodology adherence.

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Changelog

Version 1.1.0 (2026-07-06)

• Restructured around the five-part skill anatomy: Role, Input Contract, Output Contract, Context, Methodology
• Client-specific data de-embedded: the skill now reads the shared profiles/client-profile.md instead of carrying a copy-in Client Profile block (one profile powers every skill)
• Framework machinery (6 Readiness Dimensions, Stakeholder Roles taxonomy, Technical Assessment, Risk Categories, 3-Date Plan structure) moved to an explicit Methodology section — {Methodology: X} references
• No functional changes to the workflow, scoring rubrics, or readiness assessment logic

Version 1.0.0 (2026-03-04)

• Initial release — migrated from customer readiness index
• Generalized via Client Profile block with configurable defaults
• Preserved 6-dimension readiness scoring with weighted composite (1-5 scale, 0-100 composite)
• Preserved 3-date handoff plan (signing → impl start → full service, +2 months rule)
• Preserved technical assessment dimensions (source system, integration, data quality)
• Preserved implementation stakeholder role taxonomy
• Preserved quick win types and risk categories with mitigation strategies
• Added Implementation Profile and Product Modules to Client Profile
• Multi-format artifact generation replacing reportlab-only