Customer Acquisition and Lead Conversion Efficiency in Retail Banking: An Empirical Study of Sales Funnel Performance at Private Bank.

Author

Yash Pramod Pawar, Prof. Pallavi Patil


Abstract

Customer acquisition efficiency is a central operating concern in Indian retail banking, yet published studies rarely report front-end sales funnel metrics. This study analyses the funnel performance recorded during an eight-week on-the-job training assignment in the sales function of the Ravet branch of HDFC Bank in Pune (18 May to 10 July 2026). Using descriptive and analytical methods on the internship activity records, it traces 1,250 customer contacts to 75 recorded leads and 7 conversions, supported by 100 follow-up activities and reported loan business of 60 lakh rupees. The lead generation rate was 6.00 percent, the lead-to-conversion rate 9.33 percent and the contact-to-conversion rate 0.56 percent. Loans accounted for 80.00 percent of leads and 71.43 percent of conversions (conversion rate 8.33 percent), whereas credit cards converted 2 of 8 leads (25.00 percent); Wilson intervals and a Fisher exact test show that this difference is not statistically established at these small counts (p about 0.19). Qualified leads, applications and follow-up outcomes were not separately recorded, so the study does not infer the effect of follow-up or communication on conversion. The paper proposes measurable lead scoring, outcome-coded follow-up and weekly funnel dashboards as managerial responses and sets out a research agenda for multi-branch, outcome-linked evaluation.


Keywords

customer acquisition, lead conversion, sales funnel, retail banking, customer relationship management, HDFC Bank



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References


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