What clients ask the AI
Choosing an accountant, solicitor or adviser feels like a big decision, so people often start by asking for a shortlist. The questions are usually about a specific need, not a firm type:
- "Accountant in Peterborough for a small limited company, fixed fee?"
- "Which solicitors in Stamford handle probate?"
- "Recommend a family law solicitor near Grantham who offers a free first call."
- "Bookkeeper in Rutland who works with Xero?"
The assistant picks a few names it can describe with confidence. A firm whose website only says "a full range of services" gives it nothing to match.
What makes a professional firm easy to recommend
For professional services, the details that help most are the ones clients use to decide:
- One clear page per service. "Probate", "conveyancing" and "wills" each explained separately, or "self-assessment", "payroll" and "R&D tax claims" each with their own page, rather than a single list.
- Who you work with. Sole traders, landlords, farms, start-ups, families: say who your typical clients are. It helps an assistant match you to the right question.
- How you charge, if you're happy to say. Fixed fees, free first consultations and hourly-rate ranges are frequent questions. Only publish what you'll stand by.
- Credentials in words. Regulator, professional body and named qualified staff, written on the page, not only as logos.
- Consistent firm details. Partnership names change and offices merge. Make sure your current name, address and phone number match everywhere, and that old names point to the new one.
See where you stand first. It's free.
We ask ChatGPT and Google's Gemini the kind of questions your customers ask, then email you whether you were named, roughly where, and who was suggested instead. A person reviews your check before we send it, usually within 2 working days.
Get my free checkGaps we often see
Professional websites tend to be cautious and general, which is understandable but hard for an assistant to use. Common gaps: team pages without what each person does; service pages written for other professionals instead of clients; an old office still listed on directories; and a firm name that's similar to another firm nearby, which can lead an assistant to mix the two up. If that last one sounds familiar, see what to do when AI confuses you with another business.
None of this means giving advice on your website. It means describing plainly what you do, for whom, and where, so a prospective client and an assistant can both understand it.
What the free check tells you
We ask ChatGPT and Google's Gemini the kind of questions your prospective clients ask, using your services and your town. You get a plain-English email saying whether your firm was named, roughly where, which firms were suggested instead, and anything said about you that looks wrong. It doesn't cover Perplexity or other assistants.
It's a snapshot, not a ranking or a promise. If it shows gaps, the £395 +VAT audit goes much wider, but there's no obligation.
Questions people ask
Would anyone really ask ChatGPT to find an accountant or solicitor?
Some people do, often as a first step to get a shortlist before they read reviews or ask around. Nobody outside the AI companies knows how many. What you can check is what the assistants say about your firm when someone asks.
Should we mention our regulator or professional body?
If you're regulated or a member of a professional body, saying so clearly in words (with your registration details where that's normal for your profession) helps people and assistants confirm who you are. Only state memberships you genuinely hold.
We're a small firm. Can we compete with the big names?
Often, for local and specialist questions. Someone asking for 'an accountant in Stamford who does sole trader tax returns' isn't necessarily looking for a national brand. Being clear about what you do and where is what gives an assistant a reason to mention you.
Is the check really free?
Yes. No card and no obligation. We ask ChatGPT and Google's Gemini the questions your clients would ask and email you what they said, usually within 2 working days after a person has reviewed it.
