Dear Sirs, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to hear that law is in for a 'shake up'. I
know law is an old profession with many traditions, etiquettes and
a culture that will find it harder to embrace Facebook, Google and
customer service than other industries, BUT...
I have been speaking with friends - amongst them solicitor
clients, consumers, a few barristers and a bunch of new graduates
who have never used a solicitor and would rather not (they have
heard it will 'hit' them financially) - and we have come up with a
few handy hints which we think would help law firms really improve
their image and usability.
Our 7 recommendations for your law firms
are:
- Please can you be available from 6-8pm?
You currently stop working at 5pm and that means I can't speak to
you if I work full-time. For £225 an hour, making yourself
accessible for at least 1 hour out of normal working hours would be
a fair deal don't you think?
- Technology - please use email. Everyone does,
even the President of the United States. It's quick, cheap and
I can reply immediately if you need me to. At the moment you
dictate letters which get typed the next day, then posted, and it
means it takes 3-4 days for you to get a message to me.
Stop using Pigeon Post.
- Please stop charging £225 an hour! I know the
flowers in reception cost a fortune but any chance you could make
it financially sensible for me to use a solicitor? At the
moment it feels like I will lose out even if I win. I know
you got a good 2:1 in law but surely some of the work is quite easy
for you.
- Be friendly. OK, we may be a bit
different - you are a solicitor and know a bit of Latin, whereas
I'm more of a media type. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could
all speak frankly and in plain English about what we really care
about? For example - how long will this take, how much will
it cost...? Even our I.T. guy who is fluent in computer
jargon can do this.
- Don't worry about Tesco Law. Small is
beautiful, and if we use a solicitor it will be because something
very serious is happening in our lives which we need help
with. We promise not to be swayed by Clubcard points
and 20% off bananas, but please meet us half way. How about
an 0800 telephone number? How about giving me a radical
online 'login' so I can get instant updates on the status of my
case?
- Ditch the wigs and gowns - Don't get me wrong,
they are really impressive and I love them in Judge John Deed, but
outside of TV drama is there any chance of just wearing a nice pair
of trousers and a neatly ironed shirt? I just want to be
honest with you - we all find the gowns a bit weird and they make
you look a bit like a budget Batman. No offense.
- The bouquets of flowers in the reception area
are beautiful but can you please swap them for something useful,
such as a hot beverages machine?
Anyway, I'll leave it there. If you want any more ideas
give me a shout and we can brainstorm.
Yours sincerely,
Brad Askew
(and co-workers)
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