Approval volumes, arrears figures, house price indices, protection claims data and product counts are all published regularly, and each is quoted with confidence by somebody. Their usefulness to a working adviser varies enormously.
This matters because a firm that plans around the wrong indicator can misjudge hiring, marketing or capacity for several months before the error becomes obvious.
Questions for discussion:
- Which published statistics do you actually use in planning, rather than reading out of interest?
- Which have proven misleading as a guide to your own pipeline?
- Is there a measure you would like to see published that currently is not?
Please avoid presenting any statistic as a forecast of what will happen next.
As always, this is an editorial discussion starter written by Adviser Forum rather than a member opinion. Nothing here is regulated advice, no view expressed should be treated as a settled industry position, and any example you contribute should be anonymised so that no client, colleague or firm can be identified from it.