Getting client info before the first meeting
Right now, advisors spend part of a client's first session collecting basic background. We are building a short online form that clients fill in ahead of time, plus an AI helper that turns their answers into a one-page summary the advisor reads before the meeting.
The idea in plain words
This comes from the Arizona SBDC's approved project brief, "Collecting Client Data before Initial Session."
The problem
Advisors walk into first meetings with very little information. The first 15 minutes or so go to basic questions instead of the client's real goals.
Our answer
A Google Form the client fills in before the meeting, and a Google Gemini "GEM" that turns their answers into a short briefing for the advisor. Staff stay in charge of every decision.
What we will hand over
- A draft questionnaire, reviewed by SBDC staff
- A working Google Form with a linked response Sheet
- A Gemini GEM that writes a one-page advisor briefing
- Sample briefings from made-up test clients, scored by advisors
- A short guide explaining how it works and what its limits are
How it would work
Clients already fill in the SBDC's online Request for Counseling form (the "eRFC") before anything else. Our form slots in after that, so nobody types the same thing twice.
- Client requests helpFills in the eRFC: name, email, phone, business name and address, demographics.
- Staff assign an advisorThe SBDC's existing assignment process.
- Client gets our form linkSent with the meeting invite. Asks only what the eRFC does not.New
- AI writes a briefingThe GEM turns the answers into one page, with each fact tagged by where it came from.New
- Better first meetingThe advisor reads the briefing in under 2 minutes and starts with the client's goals.
Red steps are our proposal. Where the link gets sent from (advisor email or the automatic reply) is still a question for staff.
The 6-week plan
One milestone per weekly check-in, following the official AI U intern timeframe.
- Oct 30 · Now
M1 · Kickoff
Share the project charter, book interviews, send staff our open questions.
- Nov 6
M2 · Discovery
Interview staff and advisors. Write up how intake works today and what advisors wish they knew.
- Nov 13
M3 · Questionnaire
Map the intake flow. Finalize the question list against the advisors' first-session template.
- Nov 20
M4 · Google Form
Build the Form and Sheet in test mode. Demo with 3 made-up clients.
- Nov 27
M5 · AI briefing and testing
Set up the GEM, run 6 made-up test clients, and have advisors score the briefings.
- Dec 4
M6 · Final review
Hand over the guide with test results and give a final demo to staff.
What's already built
Drafts exist for all six milestones. Nothing is live yet, and only made-up test clients are used.
Project charter
Goals, scope, roles, open questions for staff.
Interview guide
10 short questions, a notes template and the people list.
Question list
30 questions matched to Rick Spears' first-session template.
Form builder script
Creates the Google Form and Sheet in one click. Blocks Social Security and account numbers.
GEM instructions
Tells the AI how to write the briefing and tag every fact's source.
Testing kit
6 made-up clients, sample briefings, a scoring sheet and an automatic checker.
What we learned on Oct 27
From the advisors' first-session template, the eRFC screenshots, and the SBDC's list of tools staff already use.
The eRFC already collects the basics
Name, email, phone, business name and address, website, a 3 to 5 word business description, and demographics including military status. Our form should skip these.
A few template questions are missing from our list
Annual profit (NOI), business debt, past SBA loans, current bank, other owners or investors, comfort with financial statements, and payroll.
Some things belong in the meeting
The expectations form, collateral, SBA loan explanations, documents to exchange, next steps, and the satisfaction survey.
Use the tools staff already have
Google Workspace, Gemini, CenterIC and the eRFC come first. We suggest nothing new unless those can't do the job.
Who we need to talk to
From the SBDC onboarding and interviewing worksheet. Contact details are in the shared contact sheet on Drive.
| Person | Role | What to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Janella Cleveland | Operations Supervisor | How clients get assigned, the automatic reply, what the eRFC collects |
| CJ Johnson | Program Supervisor, Business Advisor | Intake steps between assignment and the first meeting |
| Rick Spears | Business Advisor, Financial | His first-session template: what could be asked beforehand |
| Lou Farina | Business Advisor, Technology | Intake pain points, concerns about AI |
| Luis Herrera | Business Advisor, General | What he wishes he knew before a first meeting |
| Jessica Starr | Business Advisor, General | What she wishes she knew before a first meeting |
Also on the worksheet if time allows: Nancy Sanders (Center Director), George Kimble, Veronica Alejandro, Carol Laisure-Pool.
Who does what
Split from the project charter. We run the interviews together.
Jonathan
- Google Form: build and test it with the script (Nov 20)
- Response Sheet: check that answers land cleanly
- Test clients: review the 6 made-up scenarios
- Interviews: co-run them and take notes
Riley covers the AI briefing (GEM) and its testing.
Ground rules
- Made-up test clients only, no real client data until staff approve
- Never ask for Social Security or bank account numbers
- Staff decide what gets collected, not us
- Label our ideas as proposals and back every fact with a source
- We don't rank clients or recommend services
Next steps this week
- Book the interviews with Janella, CJ, Rick and 2 to 3 advisors before the Oct 30 check-in.
- Ask Janella two questions: does the eRFC have more screens after demographics, and can our form link go in the automatic reply?
- Read the question list and flag anything that feels confusing to a first-time business owner.