Recently I contacted a law firm to see if they could assist me with preparing some contracts. I got through to the receptionist after the phone had been ringing for over a minute. The receptionist said she would put me through to the person who could help me. The person who answered the call said her name was “Sarah”. Sarah did not sound very confident that she could assist with my enquiry. What I found most concerning was that Sarah did not state her role or which department she worked in. Therefore I had no idea of her expertise or qualifications or why she had been chosen as the person to assist me. I think it is of high importance that the staff tell potential clients what their position is. This would have set my expectations and left me feeling a lot more reassured. I could have then either asked Sarah if I could to speak to a colleague with a higher level of expertise or I could have asked her the reasons for her hesitancy. As it stood, I felt it would have been impolite to ask her position. I did not feel confident in the company and so I decided not to proceed with their service. I had the same issue when purchasing a property. It was only right at the end of the process that I discovered that my solicitor was a trainee. Had I known this from the start, I would have felt more grateful for the effort that he was making. As it was, I had a perception that he was not taking my case as seriously as I would have expected from someone who had a higher level of experience. The conclusion that I draw from this is that in potentially stressful situations it is important that clients understand the position and skills of the person with whom they are dealing. This sets expectations from the start. Have you been in a similar situation? Interested to hear your stories and comments below.
