How to set up lead routing
Lead routing is the automated assignment of incoming leads to the right rep. Get it wrong and leads sit unassigned while intent decays; get it right and every lead reaches a qualified owner within minutes, which is the single biggest driver of conversion.
Short answer
Set up lead routing by defining rules that assign each new lead to the right rep instantly based on territory, segment, round-robin, or account ownership, with fallbacks for coverage gaps. Enforce a speed-to-lead SLA, and alert on unassigned or unworked leads so none go stale.
Step by step
Define your routing model
Decide the basis for assignment: geographic territory, segment or size, industry vertical, or round-robin for even distribution. Most teams combine several.
Respect existing account ownership
Route any lead from a known account to its existing owner so you never have two reps working the same company. Account-based routing prevents collisions.
- Known account: route to current owner
- New account in a territory: route to that territory owner
- Unclaimed: round-robin among eligible reps
Set a speed-to-lead SLA
Define how fast an assigned lead must be worked, often within five minutes for high-intent inbound, and start a timer on assignment.
Build fallbacks and reassignment
If the assigned rep is out or does not act within the SLA, auto-reassign so no lead stalls on someone's plate.
Monitor and alert
Track unassigned leads, SLA breaches, and load balance. Alert managers when a lead goes unworked so coverage gaps surface immediately.
How Ardovo helps
Ardovo routes leads the moment they arrive using your rules, enforces the speed-to-lead SLA with a live timer, and has Rook reassign or escalate any lead that goes unworked. Nothing sits in an unassigned queue losing intent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best lead routing method?
There is no single best method; most teams layer them: account-based routing first to respect ownership, then territory or segment rules, with round-robin as the fallback for unclaimed leads. The goal is instant, fair, collision-free assignment.
Why does speed-to-lead matter so much?
Buyer intent decays fast. Responding within the first few minutes dramatically raises the odds of connecting and qualifying compared to waiting hours. Routing that assigns instantly is what makes fast response possible.
How do I prevent two reps working the same account?
Route by account ownership first: any lead tied to a known account goes to that account's existing owner. Only genuinely new, unclaimed accounts should hit round-robin.