The Gazette 1986

s e p t e m b e r 1986

g a z e t t e

The Heart of the Matter: Client Relations A La yman 's Vi ew*

Company Secretarial Consultant Peter H. Quinlan MBA AITI offers A COMPLETE COMPANY SERVICE Searches and Updates of Company Records Advice on Corporate Procedures Drafting of Resolutions and Minutes Arrangement of Company Meetings Filing Returns and Other Compliance. 67 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4. Telephone: (01) 684245 Summons Servers Ltd. Internationally represented in over 40 countries. Summons Servers Limited is available for service of all Court Documents, Summons, Petitions, Citations, Probate, Debtors Summons throughout Ireland and under Order 11 R.S.C. for Out of Jurisdiction Cases on a worldwide basis.

Because many people seldom visit a solicitor's office they feel "strange" — out of their element, and therefore uneasy. They feel there is a mystique about the law and its workings. The reaction of a new client is often one of apprehension. The solicitor's objective should be to ensure this impression is dispelled as soon as possible. In this, front office staff can be a help — too often they are abrupt and show lack of concern for a potential new client. They forget that it is clients who pay their salaries. Solicitors should offer a pleasant greeting and project a willingness to be helpful — an obvious start of a good solicitor-client relationship. This is commonsense, but too often the subconscious reaction of the solicitor is to be "heavy with professionalism" — an "I know it all" syndrome, an enhancement of the mystique. Frankness in responding to clients and avoidance of legal jargon in discussions establishes good communica- tion. Solicitors are busy, but listening is often more important than talking. When it comes to talking it is important that the client is understanding what is being said — not just nodding his or her head. Give an outline time scale for the action required, warning of possible delays — and the reasons for them — and an indication of what the work is likely to cost. Forthrightness dispels the mystique and instils confidence in the client. Part of the mystique surrounding the profession has grown up through silence . . . the failure of solicitors to communicate with clients. To solicitors, a client is a case, approximating to the many others which the office may be processing. To the client his or her case is possibly the most important thing in their lives . . . "What is happening? Why don't we hear fromi our solicitor . . . has anything gone wrong? We don't like to keep pressing, but we should like to know". Silence to them is part of the mystique — it is also the source of a number of complaints to the Law Society. Tell clients of progress — or reasons for delays — from time to time. A phone call is a 'human' contact. Maintaining contact is an indication that you care, and, after all, you are a member of a Society which prides itself on representing a caring profession. Communications is very much the " i n" word at present. Do you, as a profession, wrap up your communications in too many words? Unfortunately, the use of dictating machines has encouraged verbosity and verbosity leads to confusion. Solicitors tend to use the jargon of the profession — the verbal "shorthand" which is used in discussions with fellow-practitioners. But it is this use of jargon — or too much detail — in communication with clients that tends to confuse and is yet another suggestion ot the mystique of the profession. . . . Simplicity is the keynote to good communications. ^ * This critique was presented .for publication by an informed layman, who believes he speaks for many other laymen who haxe occasion to deal with solicitors. For impact the contributor prefers to remain anonymous.

Richmond Chambers, 101 Richmond Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 3. Tel: 3 6 0 1 2 4 / 5 - 371906.

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