From Agent to Intake Manager: Catching Problems Before They Pile Up
Speaker
Elitsandro Deleon
Intake Manager
Interviewer
Robert Cowlishaw
VP of Marketing at AmplifAI
Based on a conversation at CCW Orlando 2026 between Elitsandro Deleon with Robert Cowlishaw.
TL;DR
Elitsandro Deleon shares how his agent background shapes his management style and why catching issues early is the key to contact center success.
The Agent Lens
Elitsandro Deleon recently made the jump from Intake Coordinator to Intake Manager at his law firm—a promotion he says formalizes work he was already doing. But what sets him apart is his perspective: he started as an agent.
"Whenever I am looking at any new products or just whenever our operations team brings a new idea, I have the lens of an agent," Elitsandro explains. "Before we implement or go with anything, I like to have the whole team on board and just make sure it's actually going to benefit us."
“I try to catch things in the beginning. A lot of people don't do that, so it can cause conflict or make some days feel like 'oh my goodness, what's going on?'”
Elitsandro Deleon
Intake Manager
Catching Issues Early
Elitsandro's approach centers on proactive problem-solving rather than reactive firefighting.
"I try to catch things in the beginning. A lot of people don't do that, so it can cause conflict or make some days feel like 'oh my goodness, what's going on?'" he says.
His method combines dashboard monitoring with hands-on oversight. Using Salesforce dashboards, he tracks call volumes, customer journeys, and team performance. When something looks off, he deploys team leads to investigate—and follows up to ensure resolution.
"I will not forget that. I'm making sure there was a resolution done," he emphasizes.
“When someone else comes in, sees the work you put in and the resources that we use and how can we get better and cares—it makes a big difference.”
Elitsandro Deleon
Intake Manager
Open Communication as Culture
Managing a team of around 24 agents in New Jersey, Elitsandro credits their open office concept with fostering strong communication.
"Everything's open. Open lines of communication, open door policy all the time, unless it's a meeting," he explains. "Team leads are at the front—they're easy for everybody to access. I feel like that has helped us become very successful."
“I'm excited to be able to make decisions on my own that I know can have positive impacts. Literally, it's powerful.”
Elitsandro Deleon
Intake Manager
The Leadership Factor
Elitsandro also highlighted how new leadership can reignite passion for the work.
"When someone else comes in, sees the work you put in and the resources that we use and how can we get better and cares—it makes a big difference," he reflects. "Things do kind of plateau at some point when your leadership isn't as intensive. When someone fires you back up, it's nice to have that."
Looking Ahead
What excites Elitsandro most about his new role? Autonomy.
"I'm excited to be able to make decisions on my own that I know can have positive impacts," he says. "Literally, it's powerful."
Key Takeaways
Start with the agent perspective—evaluate every new tool or process through the lens of front-line workers
Catch issues early by monitoring dashboards and following up on every resolution
Open office layouts and communication policies can drive team success
New leadership that recognizes and builds on existing work can reignite team motivation
Involving the whole team before implementing changes increases buy-in and effectiveness