Referral intake automation
When a referral comes in, both sides get handled: the new customer gets a fast welcome call and the referrer gets thanked the same day.
Trigger
A new contact is created with a Referred by field filled in.
Built from
Why teams set this up
Referrals are your highest-converting leads, and they get processed like everyone else, or lost between the person who took the call and the person who owns follow-up.
Referred leads get same-day contact
Referrers always get thanked
Referral sources visible in the CRM
How the automation runs
A longtime client tells a friend to call you. The friend gets a welcome call that opens with the client’s name and books an appointment. The client gets a thank-you text before dinner. Next quarter, you can list your top five referrers from a CRM filter.
- 1CRM update
The referral arrives with the referrer linked on the record
- 2Outbound call
The new customer gets a welcome call that mentions who sent them
- 3Calendar
The first appointment books on that call
- 4Outbound SMS
The referrer gets a same-day thank-you text
- 5Team notification
The account owner is notified so the relationship gets credited
The same workflow in different businesses
Accounting firms
Client referrals get white-glove intake and the referring client gets acknowledged, every time.
Therapy practices
Provider referrals get contacted within hours, and the referring provider gets a confirmation.
Built from standard Frontdesk blocks
No custom development. Each step is a building block you can rearrange, retime, or extend, so this workflow can grow into the next one.
Activation journeys that include this workflow
This workflow is one step inside larger activation journeys that run the full customer lifecycle.
Customer activation
Guide every new customer toward the behavior that proves value and builds momentum.
See the journey →Lead-to-demo activation
Respond while intent is high, answer early questions, and book the right next meeting.
See the journey →Trial user activation
Use behavior and conversation signals to rescue stalled trials before the evaluation window closes.
See the journey →Common questions
How does the referral intake automation workflow start?
A new contact is created with a Referred by field filled in.
Which channels does this use?
This workflow runs over outbound voice, sms. Each step can use the channel that fits the customer and the urgency.
Can my team stay in control of when it fires?
Yes. The trigger can be a field a person flips on a ticket or contact, so a human makes the decision and Frontdesk does the follow-through. Any step can also route to a teammate with the transcript and collected data.
Does it keep our records up to date?
Every call, text, and email in the workflow is logged against the contact and ticket, with transcripts attached. Frontdesk can also sync contacts and fields to your CRM.
What happens when a customer needs a human?
The workflow hands off with context: the right teammate gets the full history, the transcript, and the collected answers, so the customer never repeats themselves.
Thinking bigger than one workflow?
The customer journey library maps full lifecycle automations across activation, onboarding, retention, and growth.
Explore customer journeys →More from speed to lead
Reach new leads while they are still on your website, and follow up like your best rep every time.
Instant form callback
A form submission triggers a phone call in under a minute, while the lead is still on your website.
Web chat to booked appointment
The website chat answers real questions from your knowledge base and converts visitors into booked appointments without a form in sight.
New lead welcome sequence
Every new contact gets the same disciplined first 48 hours: an immediate text, a call within the hour, an email recap, and a booked next step.