I was shocked this week to find that last week’s diary entry had been reposted on a conveyancing forum and one lawyer had commented: “is this going to be renamed the High Street Conveyancer’s Rant?”
I had never intended my diary entries to be read as rants, rather just truthful comments on how I view conveyancing – but I think it is interesting that this is how they are being interpreted.
I read about how long it is taking a transaction to progress to completion and know that five or more years ago, transaction times were so much quicker.
I read that buyers’ conveyancers are raising more and more enquiries, and know this to be true as the volume of enquiries I receive on sale transactions are still far more than I would have received five or more years ago.
I know that the responsibilities for us as the gatekeepers of the process are becoming more and more onerous.
My comments are not meant to be rants, so I apologise if that is how they are seen. They are my honest thoughts about a process that is getting out of hand – the conveyancing process itself is the same as it was five, 10, or 20 years ago; it is all of the other stuff around the process which has become harder and, in a 24-hour world, the demands of the clients are also hard to handle as they want instant responses.
I was chatting with a colleague in a neighbouring firm about providing a breakdown of costs to clients. We compared recent experiences and how when clients receive quotes from different firms: it is like comparing apples and pears. How experienced is the conveyancer who will carry out the work? Will the client get on and trust the conveyancer? What level of service does the client expect? And at what price?
This incredibly well-respected conveyancer said to me: “well, even if we were to run down the street naked, shouting to clients ‘check the small print and the hidden costs’, the client would still not listen.”
Now that conjures up a whole load of visions. Conveyancers stripping off and running up and down high streets throughout the country! This gives a whole new interpretation to the phrase bare easement.
2 Responses
‘This incredibly well-respected conveyancer said to me: “well, even if we were to run down the street naked, shouting to clients ‘check the small print and the hidden costs’, the client would still not listen.”
I was always taught to find a different way to communicate.
If the client isn’t listening then you’re either not saying anything of interest, or you’re speaking a language they don’t understand, or relate to.
This is fairly low level marketing and business strategy 101.
If you don’t learn to communicate with the customer in their language, and/or do not learn what conversation would engage them. Then you only have yourself to blame when they fail to listen.
Your well respected friend has just displayed contempt, and disrespect to the people who pay his/her wages.
I just wanted to say I really enjoy your diary.