Short answer
Financial services firms need a controlled enquiry workflow: rapid acknowledgement, safe triage, clear ownership, recorded follow-up and human review before advice or recommendations.
What the calculator is showing
According to the 2025 Professional Services Client Journey Report by insight6, financial services firms scoring below 80% on enquiry handling are materially less likely to convert opportunities. For a firm handling 100 enquiries a month, the model below uses an 84% at-risk enquiry rate, a 30% conversion drop and a £2,500 average client value. That is how the annual leakage figure reaches about £756k.
The issue is usually delay plus uncertainty
A prospect who asks for advice after hours may wait until the adviser has time. The firm then loses momentum, and the prospect may speak to another adviser first. The fix is not an uncontrolled chatbot. The fix is a clear first-response workflow that keeps advice with qualified people.
Separate triage from advice
The workflow can ask what the person needs help with, capture contact details, record the source and book the right next step. It should not recommend products, assess suitability or imply advice before the firm has completed its normal process.
Record the handoff
Every enquiry should have a timestamp, owner, status and next action. This gives managers visibility and helps the firm show that prospects were handled consistently, not just by whoever had a spare moment.
Build follow-up around client outcomes
A good follow-up process confirms the next step, sets expectations and avoids pressure. If the prospect is not suitable, the workflow should still record the outcome and any signposting agreed by the firm.
Use automation with controls
AI can draft acknowledgements, classify enquiry type, prepare adviser notes and remind the owner. It needs approved data rules, reviewed templates and clear limits on anything that could look like regulated advice.