Lead Intake Specialist

Bonney--watso; SeaTac (WA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly performance incentives

Paid training during onboarding

Job summary

Bonney Watson is seeking a Lead Intake Specialist to handle inbound family inquiries with warmth and confidence, guiding them to the right next step such as appointments with FSD, a Funeral Director, or cemetery planning.

The role emphasizes listening, asking thoughtful questions, accurate documentation, and adherence to call standards, with a focus on compassionate family service and high-quality follow-through.

Qualifications

• Ability to remain calm and professional in emotional situations.
• Strong listening and questioning skills.
• Experience in phone-based customer service or intake is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Answer inbound family calls with professionalism, care, and confidence.
• Listen carefully to understand what the family needs.
• Identify whether the call is at-need, imminent need, pre-need, cemetery, funeral, cremation, memorialization, or planning.
• Ask thoughtful questions without rushing families.
• Provide general guidance and approved price-range information when appropriate.
• Schedule appointments with an FSD, Funeral Director, or team member.
• Document calls, appointments, follow-up needs, and outcomes accurately.

Skills

Calm under pressure

Warm and compassionate

Confident on the phone

Lead conversations

Appointment setting

Active listening

Document calls

Professionalism

Teamwork

Coachable

Tools

Scheduling software

Job description

Pay:$23.00/hour during initial training period. After training, $17.13/hour plus monthly performance incentive. Target annual compensation for a strong performer is approximately $65,630.

About Bonney Watson

Bonney Watson has served families in the Puget Sound region for generations. We are a funeral home and cemetery company, but more than that, we are a team of people who help families through some of the most important and emotional decisions they will ever face.

We are looking for someone who understands that the first phone call matters.

When a family calls us, they may be grieving, overwhelmed, planning ahead, comparing options, or simply trying to figure out what to do next. The person in this role will often be the first voice they hear. That means tone, confidence, care, and follow-through matter.

This is not a basic receptionist position. This is a family-facing, performance-based intake and appointment-setting role.

About the Role

The Lead Intake Specialist is responsible for handling inbound family inquiries, identifying the caller’s needs, providing calm and helpful guidance, and helping the family get to the right next step.

That next step may be an appointment with an FSD, a Funeral Director, an arrangement conference, a cemetery/property appointment, or another appropriate handoff.

The right person for this role will be warm, steady, organized, confident on the phone, and comfortable asking for the appointment when it is the right next step for the family.

Funeral industry experience is helpful, but not required. We can teach the industry. We are looking for the right person.

What You Will Do

Answer inbound family calls with professionalism, care, and confidence.

Listen carefully to understand what the family needs.

Identify whether the call is at-need, imminent need, pre-need, cemetery, funeral, cremation, memorialization, or general planning.

Ask thoughtful questions without making the family feel rushed or overwhelmed.

Provide general guidance and approved price-range information when appropriate.

Help families understand why meeting with the right Bonney Watson professional is the best next step.

Schedule appointments with an FSD, Funeral Director, or appropriate team member.

Complete warm handoffs when needed.

Accurately document calls, appointments, follow-up needs, and call outcomes.

Follow Bonney Watson call standards and participate in call coaching, roleplay, and ongoing training.

Maintain a high level of professionalism, compassion, and accountability.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role is measured by both results and quality.

The Lead Intake Specialist is expected to help convert qualified inbound opportunities into scheduled appointments or documented next steps while maintaining a strong family experience.

Key performance areas include:

• Appointment capture rate
• Call quality score
• Documentation accuracy
• Appointment follow-through
• Professionalism and teamwork
• Ability to follow the approved call process
• Coachability and improvement over time

This role includes monthly performance incentives tied to appointment capture and call quality.

Compensation

During the initial 60-day training period, the position pays:

$23.00 per hour

After the training period, the compensation structure changes to:

$17.13 per hour plus monthly performance incentive

Target annual compensation for a fully performing Lead Intake Specialist is approximately:

$65,630 annually

The monthly incentive is based on:

• 75% appointment capture performance
• 25% call quality and performance score

Who We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate is someone who is:

• Calm under pressure
• Warm and compassionate
• Confident on the phone
• Comfortable leading conversations
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Able to ask for the appointment without sounding pushy
• Good at listening and responding appropriately
• Professional with families and coworkers
• Motivated by clear goals and performance incentives
• Open to coaching, feedback, and roleplay
• Able to handle emotional conversations with maturity and care

Experience That May Be a Good Fit

Funeral home or cemetery experience is preferred, but not required.

Experience in any of the following may also be a strong fit:

• Appointment setting
• Inside sales
• Customer service
• Healthcare intake
• Senior living
• Hospice or caregiving support
• Insurance or financial services
• High-volume phone support
• Hospitality
• Real estate or property management
• Call center work with a service or sales focus

The most important qualifications are emotional intelligence, phone confidence, follow-through, and the ability to guide a family to the right next step.

Requirements

• Strong phone communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and professional in emotional situations
• Comfortable using basic computer systems and scheduling tools
• Strong attention to detail
• Reliable attendance and punctuality
• Ability to document calls and appointment information accurately
• Willingness to be coached and participate in call review
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Professional appearance and communication style

Why This Role Matters

Families do not always know what they need when they call. They may be grieving, confused, overwhelmed, or comparing options.

Your job is to help them feel heard, supported, and guided.

The right person in this role can make a real difference for families and help Bonney Watson serve more people in the right way.

If you are someone who can combine compassion, confidence, and follow-through, we would like to meet you.