Rising Froth: Assigning Value Discipline
Just as the economists are said to be puzzled by ONS statistics showing a rise in employment during recession, I’m hearing some business owners being equally puzzled as to why, with an increasing roll-call of practicing solicitors, it’s difficult to find one they’re comfortable with.
As essential facilitator as part of the buying /selling of businesses and property process, the proactive and efficient Solicitor seems to be as hit-and-miss experience as the intermediary who works with client best-interest at the forefront; or as my dear old Grandpapa would say they’re all froth, no beer. From the most recent comments, it would seem that some business Service markets (just to be clear, finance included) have elements in their sectors who are achieving disproportionate reward for the work they are perceived as undertaking. Nice work if you can get it? … Not from what I’m hearing, which makes it galling to have given out advice to a business owner to seek out the right people to handle the job, those who add value before their business gains the value, and to hear of them being let down and ultimately ever more cautious. The good old days of the friendly Solicitor haven’t gone but, just as any business has to adjust, if the friendly Solicitor can’t be friendly as well as efficient, I’ll no doubt continue hearing of a disinclination by business owners to approach them as part of the business process.
Without going into the minutia of data, exploring whether a downturn in the economy has increase or decrease effect on a professions numbers, any business service sectors’ paying clients expect full market applicable knowledge to be offered: along with guidance, advice and information; whilst efficiently having as much of any pain of a sometimes painful process taken away – no matter what the economy. In a downturn the necessity of offering value for money is ever more prevalent.
Like the three bears’ porridge, there are those who’ve always striven in reacting their resources and experience to be just right – neither too hot nor too cold with their offerings – unlike the hot temperamental ones who won’t move until fees are paid upfront, or would rather bicker with the other party’s solicitors (I’m considerably smarter than yow!), or the too cold who are so uncommunicative they may as well be in a freezer.
The notion of excellence widely varies: think about the last place someone told you to get a bite to eat – was it the same experience for you, as them? Now think about following through a recommendation made for your business to use….. I once needed personal photo verification; I enquired with a Solicitor’s office and was told it wasn’t a problem if I was willing to wait around to nip-in a space between appointments. It was a painless couple of minutes; I was acknowledged, and signature assigned as such. I also left £20 lighter with no receipt and a sense of being ‘fleeced’, yet had I been told beforehand about the charge, and proffered a service receipt, I’d likely be admiring the efficiency.
A frequent request made to me is that of recommending a solicitor, to which I’m happy to oblige and put into the pot those who’ve worked well with my clients. With some clients/customers never having been through a process they’re about to embark on, not fully understanding that process is understandable. How a business Service, such as the Solicitor, can surpass their understanding; un-confuse its often alien language, inform of the relevance of qualification or regulation and explain the efficiency of implementing technology, should be considerations to go alongside any recommendations.
Working with a proactive team means benefits for all the businesses involved and ultimately all-around client/customer service level – however, Customer Service is a value discipline to which only the customer can assign worth.
Image credit: mrrakt Article credit: Copyright SUF 2012
Trackbacks/Pingbacks