Separate intake from advice. One person answers fast, qualifies and books. The practitioner runs the consultation. Measure intake on speed, contact rate and booked consultations, not on calls made.
Most resolution firms do not have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem. An enquiry comes in, the practitioner is with a client, and by the time anyone calls back the taxpayer has spoken to two other firms. A small intake function fixes that, and it is one of the cheapest growth levers a firm has.
The roles
| Role | Job | Measured on |
|---|---|---|
| Intake specialist (setter) | First contact, qualification, booking | Response time, contact rate, booked and held consultations |
| Practitioner (EA, CPA or attorney) | Consultation, diagnosis, engagement | Consultations held, cases retained |
| Case coordinator | Forms, transcripts, follow-up after signing | Time from signing to 2848 filed |
In a small firm one person may cover intake and coordination. What matters is that the practitioner is not the first responder.
A first call in five parts
- Acknowledge. "Thanks for getting in touch. I can see you mentioned a letter from the IRS. Is now a good time for five minutes?"
- Understand. Let them explain in their own words. Most people are worried and want to be heard before they answer questions.
- Qualify. Ask the questions below, calmly and in order.
- Explain the next step. What the consultation covers, who they will speak to and what to have ready (recent notices, the last return filed).
- Book. A specific time on the calendar while they are on the phone, with a confirmation by text.
The qualifying questions
- Is the debt with the IRS, the state or both, and roughly how much?
- Which notices have you received? (Ask them to read the notice number in the top corner.)
- Are any tax returns unfiled? For which years?
- Is anything being taken from wages or a bank account right now?
- Are you employed, self-employed or a business owner? Any payroll taxes involved?
An active levy or garnishment is the most urgent case you will get. Route it to the front of the queue. Our guide to IRS notice stages explains what each notice means for urgency.
Targets that keep intake honest
- Response time: under five minutes in business hours. See speed to lead.
- Contact attempts: at least six over the first three days, mixing calls and texts.
- Show rate: track how many booked consultations actually happen. Reminders the day before and an hour before help.
- Cost per retained case by lead source, reviewed monthly.
Avoid setting targets on call volume alone. It rewards dialling, not booking.
What intake must never say
Intake staff are not practitioners. They should not estimate settlement amounts, promise that penalties will be removed or suggest the debt can be reduced. Those are the claims the FTC has acted on in tax relief cases (see what legitimate firms can learn). A good line to train: "That is exactly what the consultation is for. They will look at your situation and tell you honestly what options make sense."
Questions
Who should answer new tax resolution enquiries?
A trained intake specialist or setter, not the enrolled agent or attorney. Their job is to respond fast, qualify the situation and book a consultation with the practitioner, which protects the practitioner's time for work only they can do.
How fast should a tax resolution firm call back a new lead?
Within five minutes where possible. People with an IRS problem often contact several firms at once, and the first firm to reach them has a large advantage.
What questions should intake ask a tax debt enquiry?
Roughly how much is owed and to whom (IRS, state or both), which notices they have received, whether any returns are unfiled, whether wages or bank accounts are being levied, and whether they are employed, self-employed or own a business.
Want this built for your firm? See how our tax resolution marketing works. Book a strategy call and we will walk through your lead sources, intake and cost per retained case.