Protect your firm's referrals with approval workflows
Professional services firms are under more pressure than ever to control referral activity. Approval workflows in RQ give firms an extra layer of...
Protect your firm's referrals with approval workflows
Professional services firms are under more pressure than ever to control referral activity. Approval workflows in RQ give firms an extra layer of protection, without turning referrals into a bottleneck.
Professional services firms are under more pressure than ever to control referral activity.
Compliance teams at accountancy firms and solicitors need confidence that relationships are appropriate, referrals reach the right destination, and sensitive cases receive proper oversight.
Financial planning and wealth firms face their own scrutiny through the FCA's Consumer Duty, which demands evidence that clients are being routed to appropriate specialists and treated fairly throughout.
At the same time, firms need to let teams serve clients well, making introductions to trusted advisers without unnecessary friction. Approval workflows in RQ give firms that extra layer of protection, without turning referrals into a bottleneck.
A centralised panel you can trust
When a firm joins RQ, all professional relationships sit in one place. For many firms, this is the first time they have had a single, accurate view of who they refer to and why.
It replaces scattered spreadsheets, inbox threads, and private relationships with a transparent, governed panel. From day one, firms can see:
- Every active relationship
- Who approved it
- How it is used across the firm
- Where new relationships are being requested
This visibility is the foundation for controlled, predictable referrals.
Relationship approvals
Many firms want oversight of new relationships before they appear in their panel. With relationship approvals switched on, any request to add a new partner routes to account admins for review.
A typical flow:
1. A team member requests a new relationship (for example, a tax adviser wants to refer to a new pensions specialist)
2. Admins are alerted instantly
3. They review the request, approve it, and RQ sends the invite
4. Once the partner signs up, they join the firm's panel
This protects the firm from informal or inappropriate additions and ensures every relationship meets internal and regulatory standards before a single referral is made.
Referral approvals
Some firms need to go further and approve individual referrals before they are sent.
With referral approvals switched on, a referral created by any team member is held until an admin reviews and approves it. This is particularly useful for:
- High-value or sensitive clients
- New or recently added partners
- Regulated referrals where sign-off is required
Approvers see the full referral details and can approve, reject, or request changes before the referral reaches the partner.
How to set it up
Both approval types are available in your account settings. You can enable either or both depending on what your firm needs.
Once switched on, the approval process runs in the background. Teams continue to create referrals and request relationships as normal. The only difference is that an admin reviews and approves before anything goes live.
Head to your settings page at refer.rq.app to get started.