Client intake form?

[quickdraw]

I am in the process of putting together a form for that first client interview. My partner has a thriving practice but no organizational skills. She is always writing down vital bits of info on scraps of flimsy which then go into some void.

We spent 3 hours looking for one such bit last week. She called me yesterday to tell me that she found it in the bottom of her purse.

As a result of this experience she is willing to participate in my organizational zeal.

Does anyone here have an intake form that they like that they would be willing to share? Or conversely, suggestions for what would be on such a form besides the obvious name-add-APN-phone?

I started working on one in Excel - all assistance will be most appreciated.

- Rachel

[WendyWelton]

I use an all purpose form I call my "instant minutes". It's a 3 part carbonless form with my letterhead at the top and a grid on the body. I have a little card for the usual round of contact information, and everything else from that, or any meeting, goes on the 3-part by hand. The client gets a copy, one goes in the file, the other floats around the desk as a To Do. They're numbered, so I know if one is missing.

By giving the client a copy, I make sure we are all on the same page. I use this to do To Do lists for both them and me.

Mine are numbered, for which I had to buy in bulk to get a decent price. You can get something similar at your local copy shop, usually for about 30 cents a set. It's expensive until you think how costly boo boos are! I ran a trial that way, and discovered that less is more. I started off with an elaborate form, and settled on a nice big blank grid.

I also use it for construction meetings. The three copies go to the client, GC and me. I keep the white one so I can make a photocopy in the office - again, one for the file, one to use.

Wendy

[EricWK]

name, date of mtg., phone no., cell no.,mail addr., prop. addr., e-mail addr., best call/contact times for client, bulleted list of top-to-bottom building feature/use aspects for your first mtg. once-over, some extra lined area for xtra misc. notes as you go.

Clip or staple this to the first mtg. project folder (I like the Smead manilla kind at Office Depot) this sheet starts & stays with the project start folder, expand with as-built field sheets, mark down a note of copy of plat received by...from/to, etc.

It's always good to prepare at the start, and hold some organized control for those occasional C.Y.A. moments.
Scraps and scribbles, especially with no name & date, are a hard recall and just add up to lost effort ($).

[WendyWelton]

BTW

It sounds like your problem isn't what goes on it (hence my suggestion to use an almost blank form) - but having a place to put it.

W

[Niuoka]

good ideas folks

[quickdraw]

Thanks for the help.