Lessons learned from being a client- for a change

My clients are usually going through a period of profound change under stress.  These changes can be fast-paced, disorientating and often beyond the control of the individual.  So, very much what we are all living through just now.

Over the course of February and early March we implemented our business continuity plans to reshape the way we work (from having a minority of home workers to complete home working). I’ve been reliant on other professionals to help me effect and adapt to these changes: various IT providers, other lawyers, suppliers.  That has put me in the position of being a client of multiple professional services during a period of disruptive change. 

I’ve learned a lot from being a client in these circumstances.  My experience of the service I’ve received from the various sources has varied a lot. It would be unfair to criticise any of those who’ve let me down publicly and I’ll let them know directly how things have felt and how I’d like things to change. 

However, there is one that stands out as a positive experience and I’ve been reflecting on why.  Our IT support is contracted out to Excellimore.  This is an exceptionally busy time for them and the way they have handled that has been a good client experience.  When I’ve been asking for 101 things at once they’ve been clear with me about which things are possible immediately and which will have to wait.  They’ve been very clear and realistic that lots of their clients need extra help just now and clear that they are making sure everyone’s urgent needs are met which means that my non-urgent requests have to wait.  That has felt completely ok because they’ve explained why and reassured me which of my requests are indeed urgent and which requests can safely wait.  Multiple members of their team have picked up different pieces of work to keep making progress: the dipping in and out has gone really smoothly as they are clearly a good team.  They’ve done things thoughtfully rather than dashing at them and that careful approach has meant that potential problems have been avoided.

I’ve also learned a fair bit about how to instruct a professional.  These are things that are totally obvious in the cool light of day but not so obvious in the middle of the disruption!  Collecting my thoughts into one composite email has produced better results than firing off emails as and when things to occur to me.  Following up with a phone call when something is very urgent makes good sense: if someone is buried in a time intensive piece of work then I can’t assume they’ve seen my email. And I’ve become much clearer at identifying the things that are genuinely worrying me (whether they’re objectively urgent or not): sending a neutrally framed email doesn’t give the recipient enough information to identify that particular reassurance is needed at my end.

I’ll reflect on these things.  Although they’re things we know in theory, experiencing them has brought them closer to home.