Handing over clients when someone leaves: don't do it by email

A team member who manages clients is leaving. That client has grown alongside this one person for five years. How do you make sure the relationship doesn't walk out the door with them?

For a sales rep or account manager, the client relationship is often just as valuable as the revenue. Losing it during offboarding is the real risk.

Three weeks before the last day

• Draw up an internal list of every client this person manages. If there are more than 20, prioritise the top accounts.
• Assign a successor per client (or multiple successors across different segments).
• Internal kick-off: a concise knowledge transfer per client covering context, open items, and potential pitfalls.

Two weeks before

A warm introduction email or call to top clients, from the departing employee: "I'm leaving [company]. Your new point of contact is [successor]. They're fully up to speed and will be in touch shortly."

One week before

The successor proactively reaches out themselves — by phone, not email. Around 15 minutes per client. The goal: make them feel that things will continue seamlessly, not to hard-sell anything.

After the last day

• Forward emails from the departing employee's address to the successor for 90 days (this warrants longer than the standard 30).
• CRM ownership formally transferred.
• Review at 60 days: are there clients who haven't responded since the departure? Red flag.

What doesn't work

• A bulk email saying "our new contact person is…" with no personal follow-up.
• Clients only finding out someone has left two months later.
• No warm handover — the client feels like just a number.

See also: offboarding pillar, external parties.