Map responsibilities to reduce business handoff gaps
Practical answer: Map responsibilities to reduce business handoff gaps
Identify who acknowledges the enquiry, who gathers context and who decides the next step. Define where a handoff occurs and what information must accompany it. Name a backup for routine coverage. Keep approval authority explicit, particularly when a proposal involves commercial obligations.
An enquiry can stall when everyone assumes another person will answer it. A September 2024 responsibility map makes the route from receipt to decision visible without requiring a complicated organisational model.
Economic context
The RBA’s August 2024 overview described persistent inflation and continuing uncertainty around the economic outlook. Read the RBA overview.
An illustrative example
Imagine a supplier enquiry passes from an inbox reviewer to an internal decision-maker. The handoff includes the subject, requested response and current brief. The decision-maker confirms receipt and identifies any missing information. A short map can show this sequence and make it easier to recognise when a conversation has fallen between roles.
Three points to take into the conversation
- Name each role
- Define the handoff information
- Confirm receipt and ownership
Before progressing the conversation, check that the purpose, current information, responsible contact and next review date are clear. For a corporate-information, supplier or partnership enquiry, contact EJN Services through its enquiry page.
The economic context comes from the report linked above. The process suggestions and examples are original editorial guidance, not RBA recommendations or records of EJN Services engagements.
