Absolute Engagement Launches First Annual Client Intelligence Monitor
TORONTO, ON - May 28, 2026 Absolute Engagement today released the inaugural 2026 Client Intelligence Monitor, a new annual report designed to help advisory firm leaders understand the relationship between client sentiment, emotional signals and business growth.
The Client Intelligence Monitor provides current data and a five-year historical perspective, drawing on data captured annually from high-net-worth investors.
The report introduces what Absolute Engagement calls the Client Intelligence Equation that goes beyond demographics, assets and transactional data to include how clients think and feel about their financial future.
According to Julie Littlechild, Absolute Engagement Founder& CEO, “the equation is simple and yet powerful. Client sentiment andsignals combine to create meaningful client intelligence. And clientintelligence can be harnessed and used to drive engagement, loyalty and growth.”
“Based on the client intelligence captured, AbsoluteEngagement is giving the industry a solid ‘B-’,” Littlechild added.“This reflects clear strength in satisfaction but acknowledges meaningful gapsin perceived value, confidence and referral activation and lurking retentionrisks.”
The 2026 Client Intelligence Monitor includes both proprietary and standardized indices including the following:
SENTIMENTS
Satisfaction Index: 93
o Advisors continue to deliver strongly on core service expectations
Net Promoter Score (NPS): 57
o There is strong advocacy, while revealing that willingness to refer does not necessarily translate into actual referrals
Value Index: 80
o There is lurking risk based on client perceptionof value relative to fees paid
SIGNALS
Self-Confidence Index: 87
o Overall confidence is relatively strong but athird of clients need additional support
Concern Index: 65
o Clients can feel confident about their futurewhile still experiencing some anxiety in the present
OUTCOMES
Engagement Index: 35
o There is a clear opportunity to go beyondsatisfaction and drive deeper engagement among clients
Loyalty Index: 92
o While loyalty is strong, there is evidence of underlyingrisk masked by industry inertia
Referral Activation Index: 46
o There is a persistent gap between satisfied clients and actual referral behavior
The findings suggest that while traditional measures, such as satisfaction and NPS, remain high, deeper emotional indicators reveal both opportunity and hidden risk across client relationships.
“At a time when firms are aggressively investing in AI, the industry is starting to recognize those tools are only as powerful as the data that feeds them,” said Julie Littlechild. “The reality is that most firms are drowning in operational and transactional data, but they are missing a client intelligence layer that captures confidence, concerns, perceived value and emotional engagement over time.”
The 2026 Client Intelligence Monitor is intended toserve as both an industry benchmark and a call to action for advisory firmsseeking to strengthen engagement, deepen relationships and build a strongerfoundation for future growth.
The report encourages advisory firm leaders to:
- Assess their current data strategy by evaluatingwhether they are capturing the right data, going beyond demographics andfinancial data to capture emotional drivers.
- Move beyond lagging indicators of risk by capturingleading indicators such as confidence and perceived value, to identify risksearlier.
- Create household-level intelligence by capturinginsights across couples and families, not just primary decision-makers.
- Build longitudinal visibility to create a meaningfulcompetitive advantage.
- Align AI strategy with data readiness to supportinsight, personalization and engagement.
The full report is available here.
About the Research
Absolute Engagement conducts new investor research each year using high-net-worth investor panels. In 2026, the data was collected, via online survey, from 1,000 respondents between February 28 and March 9 with a 3.1%margin of error.
All respondents work with a financial advisor, meet specific household investable asset thresholds and have some involvement in financial decision-making. Fourteen percent of respondents have $5m+ in household investable assets, 36% have between $1m - $4.9m and 50% between $500k - $999k.
About Absolute Engagement
Absolute Engagement empowers advisory firms to accelerate growth and engagement using the Engagement Engine. This award-winning technology captures, analyzes and uses real-time data on the true needs of prospects and clients to uncover relationship risks and opportunities, trigger the next action and support strategic decision-making. Absolute Engagement was named one of the 100 most innovative wealth tech firms in 2024. For more information visit https://absoluteengagement.com
Media Contact:
Mike Reynolds, President, Absolute Engagement at mreynolds@absoluteengagement.com
