List every entry point
Start with forms, email inboxes, referrals and other sources of real enquiries. Find out where each message goes and who is expected to answer.
Keep acknowledgements honest
A receipt confirmation can be automatic. Do not suggest a person has read the request before that has happened. Keep the information requested from potential customers short.
Give each enquiry an owner
Someone must be able to see what is new, who owns it and which requests are still waiting. That matters more than a complicated sequence of automated messages.
Measure useful outcomes
Track first-response time, unanswered enquiries and the proportion that move into meaningful conversations. Raw message counts do not equal new business.
Check privacy and access
Use the information only for appropriate purposes, respect communication preferences and test what happens to duplicates and failures.
A sound process gets the right request to the right person, with enough context for a useful response.