In professional services, where expertise and trust are paramount, human connection is at the heart of enquiry handling, writes Shaun Cremins.
However, with squeezed marketing budgets and pressure on profits - too many firms lose opportunities and revenue simply because they don't fully understand how potential clients engage with their business.
Clients no longer judge firms solely on their expertise but on how they make them feel. They evaluate how responsive, clear, and helpful a firm is from the first interaction.
A simple way to stand out is to deliver an exceptional Client Experience (CX) from the first enquiry.
Despite best intentions, too many professional services firms miss out on new business at the first step. In partnership with Moneypenny, we set out to measure, analyse, and benchmark how these firms handle new business enquiries.
The results? These firms potentially lose an eye-watering £5.2 million annually through poor enquiry handling.
Slow responses, missed follow-ups, and impersonal communication turns warm leads cold.
The real concern? Many firms don't even know it's happening. Without measuring enquiry handling, opportunities quietly disappear—and revenue goes with them.
Client Experience is no longer a "nice to have "; it's business critical.
Firms prioritising enquiry handling will build trust, convert more leads, and grow through reputation and referrals.
If your firm wants to stand out, the insights in our 2025 Professional Services Client Journey Report will help you turn enquiry handling into your competitive edge.
We mystery-shopped 219 professional services firms to learn where the best stand out. We evaluated a mix of legal (134), property services (18), financial services (23), and accountancy firms (44), conducting 430 enquiries via phone, web and live chat.
The result? A clear snapshot of how these firms handle new client enquiries.
The legal sector showed the most improvement since our last study in 2021, but there is still some way to go. The overall Net Promoter Score (NPS) at the enquiry stage declined from -42 to -44.
Worryingly, that still reflects a largely negative experience for many potential clients.
Web Enquiry Performance: Only 44 per cent
Phone Enquiry Performance: 66 per cent
Follow-Up Rates: Just 9 per cent for web, 13 per cent for phone
Only 28 professional services firms delivered an experience scoring over 80 per cent, which is the level we consider likely to win the client's business.
Our full report is now available for free download. It reveals how law, property services, accountancy, and financial services firms perform— and where they're losing ground.
You'll see where your sector stands, the revenue at stake, and the most significant areas where firms are slipping up. But more importantly, you'll learn what the best firms are doing to stand out.
Who Is insight6?
From mystery shopping to CX strategy and team development, we help firms like yours attract and retain more clients. I'd welcome a conversation about how we can improve your enquiry process—and boost your results.
