I’ve called companies and been stunned by the apathetic response. I’m often calling because I want to spend money. Are they too busy to take my money?

Recently, I had the same experience in a department store. I walked around shopping, picked something out, and headed to the cash register.

There’s no one at the register.

I wander to another register. Same deal.

Finally, I track down an employee and ask for help. All I want to do is PAY.

She takes my money, and it’s like I’ve interrupted her smoking break or something. She’s grumpy.

I should have just walked out and bought the thing from Amazon.

Your Intake Person Makes a Lasting First Impression

The last thing you want is a grumpy person talking to your clients. That’s especially important when it comes to talking to prospective clients calling your office for the first time.

Our intake people are critical. Every penny of revenue starts with these fine folks. Get the right person, and your practice booms. Get the wrong person, and it’s a bust.

What should you look for when you’re hiring an intake person? What are the special qualities that make them successful in this role?

These are the things I look for in the interview for a new intake specialist:

1. Empathy

Do they get it? Can they relate to the issues your clients are facing? When they do get it, can they communicate that they understand?

Ask about their experiences dealing with upset people.

Ask them to tell you stories about helping others under stress. Watch for clues about how they felt about the experience.

• Did they really connect with the other person?
• Did they feel the other person’s pain?
• Do their words and tone match what you’d expect to hear?
• Do you feel their concern?

You want someone who gets it—someone who can put herself in the other person’s shoes. However, you also need someone who won’t be traumatized by the issues she’ll hear about over the phone. Probe about your candidates’ sensitivity to issues faced by your clients. You want empathy and understanding. You don’t want your intake person to experience post-traumatic stress triggered by your prospective clients.

2. Patience

Intake people must be willing to give the inbound client plenty of runway to talk. They need to be willing to let a prospective client drone (and they won’t refer to it as “drone,” or you need to move on to the next applicant) on for hours. Zappos brags about a 10+ hour call to one of its customer service representatives. Long calls build trust. You can’t put people who are in a hurry into the intake role. They need to be willing to listen and listen and listen.

In the interview, ask them about their experiences with patience. Of course, children test patience like nothing else. Ask them how they feel around kids.

3. Ability to Multitask

Intake invariably involves doing some juggling of the phone with the computer. While listening attentively, your intake person needs to conduct a conflicts check, collect pertinent data, and, in some instances, deal with payment.

Can your applicants handle all of that at one time while continuing to empathize with the caller? Can they get someone talking and keep the person talking while simultaneously handling the required computer tasks?

Again, ask for stories.

Ask about previous experiences, and find out how they coped with lots of incoming stimulus. Did they need to slow down and focus on one thing, or were they able to bounce back and forth and keep the process moving forward? It’s better to find out now than to wait for the meltdown during live, inbound calls.

4. Active Listening

Your intake person must be capable of active listening. Active listening is much broader than just listening. It’s a process of hearing what is said and confirming that it was heard.

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Active listening comes naturally to some folks. It’s that kind of born listener you’re looking for. Find out whether your applicants are the kind of people others seek out to talk about their problems. Everyone knows some good listeners. You need to figure out whether each candidate you interview is one of those people.

Inquire about the candidate’s relationships with others. Who goes to whom with the problems? Is your applicant the person others use as a shoulder to cry on?

Active listening is easy to describe but hard to teach. Like empathy, being good at it requires standing in the shoes of another. It’s easy for some, but impossible for others. Your screening process must test for this skill. Role-playing is the shortcut to determining whether your candidate has what it takes.

5. Strong Interpersonal Skills

Some of us love people. Others don’t (for me, it depends on the day). The intake person needs to be a people person. You need someone thrilled by the next inbound call. Each time the phone rings, your intake person needs to see it as an opportunity and not as a burden.

Use your gut in the interview process and check how you feel about the candidate. You’ll connect with those naturally good at dealing with others. You’ll feel distant from those who don’t love being with others. You’ll feel the difference as you consciously make that judgment part of your interview process.

Interacting with people is something you’re not going to be able to teach. You’re going to need to screen hard for those who lack the ability to connect, communicate, and guide others. You need someone who can show others the path and then encourage them to follow it. You need someone others trust, connect with, and feel fondly toward. You need someone who loves people and who is naturally loved by them. Check your emotions during this part of the interview.

Make the Effort to Find the Right Person

Finding an excellent intake person is challenging. However, it is worth the effort. A great intake person makes all the difference. When the phone rings, you’ll know that it’s being answered and that those calling are being cared for and carefully moved to the next step in the process.

The next time you’re interviewing intake prospects, remember to look for these five characteristics. Push them to tell you their stories, and carefully distinguish between their belief that they possess these attributes and stories that demonstrate the attributes actually dominate their personality.