How to Use Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists for Lead Qualification & Intake

Are you getting the most out of your Smith.ai service? Our virtual receptionists are capable of so much more than answering and transferring your calls, taking messages, and scheduling appointments. Notably, we can handle all of your lead qualification and new client intake. Here, we explain how this works, and how your business benefits.

How to Use Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists for Lead Qualification

No matter what business you're in, there are parameters for the clients you'll work with. You might filter leads by location, ability to pay, service type, consumer type (residential vs. commercial), etc. Take just a few examples:

• You're a lawyer who practices family and marital law. A good lead is someone who needs a prenup, a divorce, or a custody agreement.

• You're a financial advisor. A good lead is someone who has enough assets for you to take under management.

• You're a locksmith who operates within a service area. A good lead is someone in that service area.

• You're a graphic designer. A good lead is someone who needs one-off graphic design work, like logos and banner ads, but not full websites.

• You're an Apple consultant. A good lead is someone who needs help with Apple computers, not PCs.

Maybe you have one primary filter, or maybe you have 10. No matter the parameters, they're often easily documented in a checklist or web form. The "contact us" form on your website might already require potential new clients to answer questions when submitting a work request.

But what happens when someone calls your business? They often haven't completed the form, and they may not even know what services you offer. They just searched "Boston lawyer" on Google. Who knows if they're a good fit as a client? Don't waste your time vetting these callers; let us do it for you.

Many virtual receptionists like Ruby Receptionists, offer what they call "lead qualification," but all they're doing is taking notes on what the caller needs, and answering caller questions based on what's documented in your FAQ. After they pass that message along to you, you can ask them to book an appointment with that caller, once you've determined they're a good lead. That's still very hands-on. You're the person qualifying the leads, one by one. But you run a business, and who has time for that? A primary reason you've hired or you're going to hire a virtual receptionist service is to save you time.

At Smith.ai, we handle the whole qualification and intake process, so you can sit back and watch as new clients get a slot on your calendar and their completed client profiles get added to your CRM.

Here's How It Works:

1. Provide your list of lead-vetting questions
2. Tell us which answers indicate a great lead
3. Tell us what to do with great leads (book an appointment, complete a full intake form, schedule a call-back, direct-transfer to you, etc.)
4. Tell us what to do with not-great leads (refer to another attorney who practices that area of law, for example)

Our receptionists can also handle a two-step process, where we ask questions to vet the lead, and if it's determined they're a good fit for your business, we can then share your business policies, availability for new clients, fees, and other information to ensure they agree to (and can afford) working with you. If they do agree, then we can proceed with your lead intake directions (step 3 above).

If you have a new client intake form with HubSpot, Keap, Intake123, or other software, we can even complete that over the phone with the new lead, so you can begin the first appointment with all the information in hand.

(Please note that custom intake procedures like these may exceed our Reasonable Use policy and result in extra fees. Appointment booking and other add-on services are available for an additional charge. For details, see our Pricing page.)

As always, we're here to deliver the experience to an in-house receptionist, at a fraction of the cost. Call us your right-hand, call us your gatekeeper — with Smith.ai, your business runs more efficiently.

Smith.ai Client Testimonial

Don't just take it from us. Here’s what a longtime client had to say about our virtual receptionists and their ability to qualify leads:

“I've used their services since 2015 and don't know how I could live without them now. A live person answers each call with the greeting I select, hands the call over to me with an introduction, and prepares a summary of each call sent by email… I have an IP boutique practice, so my new leads call with pretty much patent, trademark, or copyright needs. The Smith receptionists are better at classifying some lead's IP needs than the lead themselves. Smith.ai also screens out solicitors or anyone else I don't want to take calls from. It's all so customized that it feels as if I have a dedicated receptionist. The prices are super affordable, too. Highly recommended!”

- Scott Nyman, Nyman IP

Get Smith.ai to Vet Your Leads

Ready for us to help you qualify and generate leads? Email support@smith.ai with the subject line "Lead qualification," and we'll get you set up.