Audit Your Lead Intake: Find Bottlenecks in 30 Minutes

Why an Intake Audit?

In larger law firms, intake has usually grown organically, not planned. Emails, forms, phone, referrals – everything lands somewhere. That works until it doesn't: Inquiries get lost, response times fluctuate, and nobody knows exactly how many leads are actually open.

An intake audit shows in 30 minutes where the biggest bottlenecks are – without external tools, without IT project.

The 5 Audit Questions

1) What Channels Actually Exist?

List all ways inquiries come in:

• Website form
• Email (general, personal)
• Phone (switchboard, direct dial)
• Referrals/network
• Social media / messenger

Red Flag: More than 4 channels without central capture = high risk of lost inquiries.

2) Who Responds – and When?

For each channel: Who is responsible? Is there a target response time?

Typical finding: "Whoever has time" is not a responsibility. Without a clear owner, response time fluctuates between 2 hours and 2 days.

3) How is Priority Determined?

Are there criteria for which inquiries take precedence?

• Practice area
• Urgency/deadline
• Existing client vs. new inquiry

Red Flag: All inquiries are treated equally = good cases wait next to spam.

4) Is There a Status?

Can you say right now how many inquiries are open?

• New (not yet reviewed)
• In clarification (questions ongoing)
• Meeting scheduled
• Completed (accepted/rejected)

Red Flag: No central status = nobody knows what's where.

5) What Happens with No Response?

Is there follow-up logic? Do you follow up when the prospect doesn't respond?

Typical finding: Follow-up happens "when you think of it" – so usually not at all.

Next Steps

If several red flags apply, a structured intake workflow is worthwhile:

1. Central capture (one place, one status)
2. Clear categories (practice area, priority)
3. Routing rules (who handles what)
4. Automatic follow-ups (no manual tracking)

More on this in the Lead Intake Automation Guide.

Want to know which improvements will have the fastest impact for you?

In the initial consultation, we analyze your current intake and show concrete next steps.

Schedule initial consultation →