Lead Intake: A Minimum-Data Qualification Checklist
Question: What is the least information a responsible team member needs to decide the next step for a new service request?
Start with purpose, not data collection
The goal of intake is to decide whether the request needs clarification, a follow-up, a human review, or a polite decline. Do not collect information “just in case.” Every item should have a clear operational reason.
A new message, call, web request, or referral is a prompt to review; it is not proof of identity, service eligibility, availability, payment ability, urgency, or a booked appointment.
Capture only what supports the next decision
- Request in plain language: What service or outcome did the person ask about?
- Permitted contact path: How can the authorized team follow up if needed?
- Relevant timing request: Record a requested time as a request, not a confirmed slot.
- Verification need: State exactly what is missing or unclear.
- Named owner: Identify who decides the next step.
- Next action: Create a task or follow-up instead of leaving an open note.
Do not place passwords, access codes, payment details, full addresses, documents, private health or legal information, internal URLs, or full message exports into a general intake note.
Decide the next action
| Intake result | Safe next step |
|---|---|
| Request is understandable but details are missing | Ask for the minimum needed clarification and assign the owner. |
| It may match an existing customer | Review the existing record before creating a duplicate. |
| A service time is requested | Route it to schedule review; do not promise availability. |
| Scope may require specialist or safety review | Create a human decision task. |
| The request is outside the team’s process | Record a factual reason and use the approved response path. |
Keep the conversation factual
Use “needs review,” “requested,” “pending verification,” and “follow-up assigned” where appropriate. Avoid language that implies completion: “booked,” “approved,” “covered,” “available,” or “guaranteed.”
For a product-record workflow after intake, see Leads: Qualify a New Request Without Guessing. For call handoff, see Calls: Capture the Next Step Without Overpromising.
Daily review
Review unassigned requests, records with no next action, and conversations that state an outcome without a matching operational record. Correct the gap while the source context is still available.
Boundaries
This is a vendor-neutral intake checklist. It does not claim that any product captures, routes, scores, schedules, stores, or automates requests. It does not prove identity, consent, availability, customer communication, booking, conversion, payment, security, or business outcome. Verify those facts through the approved process.