This problem is usually identified when you see numerous Lead Sources and Appointments for one Prospect. When looking at the Lead Comments from Sales Rabbit, you'll notice the Address and details noted on the Lead Source do not match the Address or other details about the Prospect. Essentially bad Lead data is getting attached to a Prospect who is already in the system. Note the record below shows 46 Lead Sources but looking at the Comments, these Lead Sources are for multiple residences and the address noted in the Comments does not match the Prospect.
Cause
The most likely cause is the Canvasser entering an incorrect Email address for the Prospect. Email address is the most unique identifier used to Match the eLead with an existing Prospect.
In this example, the Canvasser entered his own Email address for every Lead he collected. Email address is the most unique Prospect identifier. If the Email matches an existing Prospect in the system, the system auto-converts and attaches a Lead Source (and possibly an Appointment) to the Prospect.
Notice how the Tina & Cary Eller Prospect and Lead Source attached to the Callaway eLead have no other matching data points, except for the Canvasser's Email address. The first name, last name, Address and Phone number are all different. However, the Email addresses match. See also: eLead Matching Details
Prevent Duplicate Lead Sources
To prevent additional Lead Sources from being attached to this Prospect, Delete the Email Address from the Prospect record.
If the Canvasser did not collect an Email address, this field should ALWAYS be left blank.
Before continuing to the next step of Manually Converting eLeads, you'll want to first Remove ALL Email Addresses from the existing Prospects in the system where you find that the Canvasser entered their own Email address on multiple records. If you do not Delete the Email Addresses, the system will locate the other non-matching Prospect (due to the Email address being a match).
Manually Converting the eLeads
Because the eLead matched to the Prospect based on Email (by mistake), the eLead will need to be manually Converted and a new Prospect created, or a new Lead Source created and attached to the correct Prospect.
From the eLead, click Convert:
The tool will search for any matches, if you find a matching Prospect, click Use next to their name. If the Prospect does not exist, use the Create New button instead. Be sure to REMOVE the Email address before converting the Lead.
How do we find eLeads that were incorrectly Converted?
Use a Report Type of "eLeads with Prospect" and create a Report pulling in the following fields: eLead Name, Prospect Name and Prospect Primary Email address.
Change the Filters to show All eLeads and filter on a Date Range of eLead Created Date: All Time.
Change the Report Format to a Summary format.
Use the Field Quick Find to locate the Email field on the eLead record. Drag and Drop the field to create a Grouping.
This will group the eLeads by the common Email Address and allow you to locate duplicates. Click Run Report.
Change the Sorted By field to sort by Record Count, descending.
The Sort setting should look like this when finished:
From here you can easily see the eLeads which were matched to the incorrect Prospect based solely on a bad Email address. Note the Primary Email field for the Prospect should be Blank. If the incorrect Email has not been Removed from the Prospect, you'll want to remove the Email address first, then Manually Convert the eLead. These eLeads will need to be Manually Converted using the process shown above.
If there have been a substantial number of eLeads entered incorrectly and matched to existing Prospects incorrectly, improveit 360 can provide Data Clean-up services starting at $250/hour. If your company needs assistance in clearing out the duplicated Lead Sources and Appointments and converting the eLeads to new or existing Prospects appropriately, please reach out to our team for an estimate.