Optimizing Mentor Matches: Best Practices for Client Intake Coordinators (CICs)

Audience: Client Intake Coordinators 

Introduction

As a Client Intake Coordinator (CIC), your role is critical in ensuring clients are efficiently matched with the right mentors. Proper assignment processes improve mentoring outcomes, client satisfaction, and volunteer engagement. This guide provides the best practices for reviewing and assigning client mentoring requests effectively. 

Check the Origination Field 

• Identify where the request comes from (e.g. from a certain page in score.org, social media referral or a partner referral). 
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Run Session Activity Report 

• Determine if the client is an existing SCORE client and check their mentoring history. 
• Check if the client is an existing SCORE client and review their mentoring history. If they have an active mentor and the new request relates to past sessions, reassign to the most recent mentor for continuity. 
• Do not reassign if the mentor has resigned, is paused (1+ month, the case status is withdrawn/no-show/no response/no session, or the client requested a different mentor (via direct request, origination field, or notes). Watch this short recording on how to run a Session Activity Report. 

Review Direct Mentor Requests (If Applicable) 

• If a client has requested a specific mentor but was declined, check the reason before reassignment.
• If expertise mismatch was the issue, ensure the next mentor is a better fit.
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Use Keywords to Search in Engage

• Use relevant keywords from the mentoring request (e.g., industry, expertise, business type, keywords from the mentoring question field) to find the best mentor match. Refer to this additional resource: Tips in Searching.
• When assigning a request, you can also opt to use the keyword search feature found in the assignment window. See here for additional tips: Best Practices for Using the Keyword Search Feature.

Provide Context and a Warm Handoff

• Leave an Assignment Note explaining why the reassignment was necessary to help the new mentor understand the situation.
• When possible, introduce the client and new mentor via email to facilitate a smooth transition and maintain client engagement.

Monitor Not Yet Clients

• Regularly check the Not Yet Clients list to follow up on requests that haven't been assigned or accepted.
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Note: This is a growing document, and we welcome input from Client Intake Coordinators! If you have best practices that can help, make the Client Intake Journey more efficient, please share them with us at help@score.org with the subject line: Best Practices for CIC. Your insights can help improve our processes and support both mentors and clients more effectively.

Contributors: Khrisna Murphy and Hannah Hazen