Top Tips for Streamlining Your Conveyancing Business

The residential property market is booming and your clients are expecting a more efficient service than ever before. To make the most of the boost, remain competitive and keep your clients happy, it’s never been more important to streamline your conveyancing business.

We asked three leaders of innovative conveyancing firms for their top tips for streamlining a conveyancing business.  

Three key themes emerged: leverage technology, adopt a client-centric approach, and simple is better. ‍

Mike Leeman, Managing Partner at Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors

"My top tip for streamlining a conveyancing business is implementing processes that make it easier for clients. We use a variety of client facing technologies that make it easy for clients to do things on a self-service basis at a time which is convenient to them. 

At the same time, invest in training your team with knowledge and customer service skills so they can help the client through the matter, should they need additional support. One thing we implemented was combining our new business and onboarding teams so clients had one individual assisting them from the outset.  This has made it easier for us to build relationships with our clients and ensure that any technologies we use, such as Thirdfort, not only impact our clients but drives efficiency gains for us. 

Adopting this approach enables us to achieve much more within two working days without clients having to visit our offices and often without even a phone call having been made."

Kelly Fleming, Director at Suremove

"‍It’s all about simplifying the process – for both clients and staff.  Simplifying the information we provide to clients, simplifying the information we need from clients and simplifying the process involved. 

For example, when sending a quote to a client, we send a written quote with a simple instruction form for clients to complete and return – we only ask for the information that we need to get started.  We see many examples where firms send out additional protocol forms, T&Cs etc. This can overwhelm clients, stalling them and the transaction.

Once instructed, we then ask clients to do their ID checks with Thirdfort, which makes things simple. Our staff only need to input the client’s file number, name and mobile phone number. The app is equally simple for clients to use, taking them only five minutes to download and complete ID checks.  No need to visit our office or risk posting the ID to us. We are then delivered a fully compliant ID check incorporating AML (with PEPs and sanctions screening), facial recognition, bank statements and a source of funds questionnaire, straight to our inbox.

We have also simplified how we report to clients in a timely manner.  Traditionally, clients receive a large report containing a report on the title and contract, a report on the searches and the mortgage offer. This is often not received until the very end of  a transaction which can overwhelm clients. We break this process down into three individual reports which clients receive at each stage of the transaction. It’s less overwhelming and the reports are received one at a time, giving clients a chance to raise questions as we go."

Heather Philip, Director at HPLC Conveyancin

"My top tip for streamlining a conveyancing practice is to have a good case management system which integrates with a search provider, Land Registry and HMRC, and also to have a quoting platform which links into the case management system. 

Since we have had both of these and started using the facilities available we have found that whilst business has increased we are able to keep track of potential work that we are winning or losing at the touch of a button.  

The integrations make for much smoother work processes, saving the duplication of inputting information, and having to access various platforms for information.  Information is also directly recorded to the appropriate case, making easy reference for updating all parties."‍‍

Interested in how Thirdfort can help streamline your client onboarding? Get in touch at [email protected].