How to Avoid the Hidden Risks That Can Show Up in the Final Stages of a Business Deal Even small, overlooked changes to contracts at the final stages of a deal can create serious business risks if not properly reviewed and vetted.

In any fast-paced sales environment, closing a deal is often seen as the final hurdle. But just before that contract is signed, subtle missteps can create major risks, particularly when client-requested changes go unchecked or processes aren't followed closely.

While these issues often appear within the sales cycle, the potential consequences span across legal, compliance, operations and finance.

Related: Your Contracts Could Be Limiting Your Revenue Potential and Increasing Risk in Your Business. Here's How to Take Control.

When standard processes meet last-minute changes

For many organizations, platforms like Salesforce have helped bring structure and consistency to deal-making. From initial outreach to signed agreement, the path is streamlined and standardized — especially in industries where contracts are carefully templated and rarely deviated from.

But even the most carefully designed workflows can become vulnerable at the finish line.

A common scenario: A client returns a contract with their edits incorporated, rather than marked. Buried deep in the document, a key clause has been deleted. It may seem minor. It may go unnoticed. But that single, unvetted change can alter legal responsibilities, shift liabilities or remove important protections. One word changed or omitted can carry long-term consequences.

These kinds of last-minute revisions, particularly when delivered in a seemingly complete, clean format, present a serious risk. The issue isn't malice; it's momentum. At this stage, the client is often ready to get the deal done.

That's why the most important defense against risk isn't about slowing down the sales team; it's about reinforcing the systems and habits that allow them to move quickly without sacrificing accuracy.

The power of proactive training

Mitigating these risks starts with consistent, practical training that goes beyond product knowledge. Teams need regular reminders of where and how deals can go off track. At Associa, the world's largest homeowners association management company, we have quarterly regional calls for our sales leaders and legal department, which are essential to create a space not only to share updates, but to talk through real-world challenges. These sessions often surface emerging trends, like new types of redlines or recurring client requests that require broader alignment.

Our annual leadership summit adds another powerful layer of connection and alignment. Over the course of nearly a week, leaders from more than 300 branch offices and sales leaders come together in person for immersive training, open Q&A sessions and collaborative problem solving. It's an opportunity to cover not just what's changing, but why certain policies and processes matter. Accessibility during these events is key — salespeople need direct access to legal, finance and operations leaders who can clarify expectations and help prevent common errors.

Related: 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Creating Client Contracts

Standardization is your safety net

Beyond training, standardized deal checklists are a critical tool for catching oversights. Whether responding to an RFP, hiring a vendor or onboarding a client, these checklists prompt teams to confirm legal review, double-check key sections of a contract and ensure no critical terms have been deleted or altered.

These aren't just administrative tools; they're guardrails. When the pressure is on to finalize a deal, checklists force a pause for essential verifications. Did the client send back a PDF instead of a redlined Word document? Has anyone reviewed the terms that were modified? Has legal approved the final version? These questions matter — and the checklist ensures they're answered before the deal closes.

Standardization also removes ambiguity. When everyone uses the same process, it's easier to spot when something is off. That consistency protects the business while enabling the sales team to move confidently.

Cross-functional collaboration is key

It's also important to remember that protecting the business isn't the job of any single team. While these risks may emerge during the final stages of a deal, they require coordinated vigilance from legal, compliance, operations and leadership alike. Sales teams shouldn't be expected to be the final gatekeepers of every nuanced legal clause, but they should know when to flag something and who to bring in when they do.

The most resilient organizations cultivate this kind of shared accountability. They break down silos, making it easy for team members to get answers quickly and escalate when needed. Whether through workflow automation or simple communication channels, the goal is the same: to make it easier to do the right thing than to make a mistake.

Related: 6 Ways to Save Your Shirt

Audit before you act

Finally, before any changes are made to existing systems or processes, it's essential to audit what you already have. It's a simple principle, but one that's often missed in the rush to improve or adjust.

A thorough audit helps reveal weak points, whether it's outdated templates, unclear handoff protocols, inconsistent training or information communication. In one instance, a contract signed casually over dinner — meant in good faith — lacked basic protections like defined services or pricing terms, which later led to avoidable complications. Without this step, well-intentioned updates can accidentally introduce new risks. But with it, your team can evolve your processes with confidence, building on a solid foundation rather than layering fixes on top of blind spots.

Closing a deal is the culmination of hard work, strategy and relationship-building. But it's also one of the most delicate moments in the business lifecycle. Without the right safeguards in place, it's all too easy for a last-minute change to slip through unnoticed.

By investing in recurring training, implementing standardized checklists, fostering collaboration across departments and auditing your processes before making changes, you can significantly reduce vulnerabilities and empower your teams to move quickly, confidently and in alignment with your long-term goals.