Given the fact that I’ve not received a single solitary lead from a free listing, why would I want to pay a “special price” of just £200 to have a flashing banner on a webpage? 

The salesperson couldn’t event tell me how many hits “transcription services” receives each month, let alone what hits their current customers receive.  Then I was told that there are no guarantees with any marketing.  So no thanks.  I’ll refuse your offer of a “special price”. 

Now, if I was asked to buy something that would give me something tangible and I could have guaranteed results, I might be interested. 

I offer a “try before you buy” freebie so clients can see for themselves how outsourced typing services can impact on their business.  Do you think online directories will use the same tactic? 

The past few seminars have teamed up with Robin Bayley, Director of Prime Professions and Underwriter, Lewis Edwards of Allianz.  Their presentations have been enlightening.  Lewis tells us why Allianz is entering the market for Solicitors Professional Indemnity and how they hope to make it profitable.  Robin is giving guidance on how to differentiate your law firm from more than 10,000 other practices who will be hoping for good rates of premium in a hardening market.  From what I’ve heard so far, it is doom and gloom.

Having said that, if you’re not a “head in the sand” law firm and choose to be innovative and proactive in providing best quality services and have excellent risk management, then you can stand out from the crowd and put yourself in a better bargaining position than others when it comes to negotiating your renewal terms.

One question made my ears prick up at yesterday’s presentation.  Do you have a business plan?  Are you managing your overheads and what are your strategies for future growth and risk management. 

Managing overheads is where I fit in with anybody’s business plan.  On a very simple and straight forward cost analysis, send just one day’s dictation from one lawyer and it will cost about £39 to have typed by us.  It would cost a whole lot more for a good quality secretary/temp to type up the same amount of typing in a working day.  

Making use of confidential and secure systems, 24 hour availability and totally flexible hours and places of work then businesses can become more creative and innovative in the delivery of their services.  Would this help your business stand out from the crowd? 

VST’s services assist companies in making alternative formats more available to the Visually Impaired. This is not just a legal requirement but is of a real help to the end user who may have to go to unreasonable or uncomfortable lengths to be able to access the information that is sent to them. It provides a barrier to accepting and using new services. If a Visually Impaired person feels wrongly excluded from provision of goods or services they have recourse to the courts and can claim damages, not only for financial loss, but also for injury to feelings, and there is no limit to damages that can be awarded for the latter.

David Scott, Managing Director of VST says:

In our work with companies two of the more common questions are:

 ”What are the limits on the materials that we have to produce?” and

“What is a reasonable adjustment?”

The answer to the first is that service providers are required, by the DDA, to be proactive rather than reactive. There is a duty to consider all the ways in which you provide information and make sure that is accessible to everyone. In short any materials that you produce and send out to customers existing or potential must include those with a Visual Impairment. Special offers, adverts, or general update materials must be available and sent out in the format of the customer’s choice. The Act does not limit the communication spectrum.

In terms of reasonable adjustment there are no hard and fast rules, no single solution. However, the production and availability of materials in the format selected by the customer and available across all communications is a good start.

As a general rule the more important the information the more vital that it is available quickly in alternative formats. For example:

• A change to an existing service which some or all customers will need to be aware of in order to take action.
• Essential information such a labeling, safety notices, evacuation procedures.
• Information from which important decisions will be made.
  Contracts.
• Confidential of personal information.

If the information concerns a product, offer or service that is only available for a limited period, and customers must respond quickly to take advantage of it, you will need to ensure that Visually Impaired customers are not disadvantaged by delays in the production of alternative formats.

However, since the DDA became law additional legislation and regulatory guidelines have come into effect.

In December 2007 the Disability Equality Duty became law. The main aim of the Disability Equality Duty is to get public authorities to think and act proactively on disability equality issues from the start. This will help them to identify from the beginning, where and how, unnecessary barriers are created to the equal participation of disabled users of their services as well as current and potential employees. This is not just about physical/sensory barriers but also barriers which are created by the way services, policies or practices are designed. Understanding these barriers will help ensure the public sector plays its full roll in enabling disabled people to participate in all aspects of society as equal citizens.

This duty is therefore aimed at ensuring, for the first time ever, that public authorities take responsibility for tackling institutional disability-related discrimination. This is a really exciting step-change compared to the individual rights focus of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). It is not about more individual rights; instead it is about improving public authorities’ policies and services as a whole for all disabled people.

The general duty applies to all public authorities (with a handful of specialised exceptions). This includes government departments, local authorities and schools. Voluntary and private sector organisations are also subject to the general duty where they are delivering services commissioned by public authorities.

This includes access to alternative formats.

The Financial Services Authority published guidelines under the heading “treating customers fairly.” Outcome 3 of this guidance was to ensure that “Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.” The FSA argue the clear information is crucial to ensuring that consumers are treated fairly. In particular where consumers do not take advice and must rely on the clarity of information when making decisions. It states that “a firm must pay due regard to the information needs of its clients, and communicate information to them in a way which is clear, fair and not misleading.

This incorporates the provision of accessible formats.

 When considering your current and future policies, procedures and practices, seeking merely to comply with the letter of the law is a high risk approach as the DDA is difficult to interpret. For example, working practices may be challenged in the courts and, until a body of case law is established, it would be imprudent to quibble over whether a customer is covered by the Act. Best practice is not only the most prudent option but it serves all of your customers to the best possible standard and does not discriminate between them. To work within the spirit of the Act is not only the best option for an individual company but for the end user who will remain loyal to you and recommend you to family and friends. The argument for adopting a best policy approach is not limited to the obeying the law but has its roots in commercial benefits and social responsibility.

Contact VST if you would like to know more about transcribing your documents into Braille or alternative formats.

A free Women and Leadership event is being held on Friday 26th June 2009, 9.30am until 1pm, lunch provided.

This interactive event is for all large and small employers and learning providers in Science, Engineering, Technology and the Built Environment. It will be a great opportunity to network with others in the region.

Hear the business case and success stories of women in management get practical ideas for implementing in your organisation.

Booking Details are available here.

Document Direct can replace the typist’s role in your firm. We speak your language, understand your processes and systems and our services can complement your existing support staff so you can deliver outstanding service to your clients.

If you are looking to recruit a legal secretary, stop right here, as we’re the alternative.

If you’re looking to recruit a fee earner the same criteria applies. I suppose you would want to speak to someone who understands your needs, speaks your language and wants to help you deliver the best service to your clients.

David Artingstall of Future Legal Recruitment is a former Senior Partner of a national law firm who now has a legal recruitment business.  

• His business partner is Caroline Medcalfe who has worked in legal recruitment for a major firm for several years
• Between them they know Legal Recruitment well … from both sides of the fence
• Their service is personal and hard working and not targets driven

In turbulent times, there’s lots of changes happening and having a chat with someone who deals with firms on a very personal basis means individual’s ambitions and goals can be matched to recruiter’s needs and vice versa.

Trust Future Legal with Your Legal Future

Just a few years ago I never thought I would have my dream job where I could work when I wanted (and needed) to, from wherever I was.  Our technology really does help with a work/life balance.  In this Computer Weekly article I share my “living the dream” experience.

Would flexible working times and places suit you?  Would you like to be able to work remotely from your office, perhaps whilst mobile, and have a secretarial support service available 24 hours a day so you’re free to take the day off knowing you can ”catch up” in the evenings?

I’m interested to learn you views.  Please leave a comment below.

Jayne 

The Keep With Next code is a little known feature of Microsoft Word.  The code is applied to a paragraph and used mainly for headings in a document to prevent them appearing on their own at the bottom of a page.  Using the Keep With Next code means the document can flow without having to insert page breaks or empty line spaces, it will be less prone to errors in formatting and speeds up the process of producing professionally presented documents.

Word 2007: On the Home ribbon, click on the button to show the Paragraph dialogue box.
Word 2003: Click on Format-Paragraph

The option to choose Keep With Next appears on the Line and Page Breaks tab (pictured).

Increase your speed and use shortcut keys.
Press and hold the Alt key then press letters O, P, X.

If you use the show/hide feature (¶ button), you will see the small square dot at the beginning of your paragraph which means Keep With Next is applied.

If you liked this tip please leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.

Document Direct is now using PRINT@Form Online, the newest product from PEAPOD LEGALOffice Limited ® which gives clients

Document Direct can deliver clients a printable version of the completed form.  Simply dictate the form or send us a fax of your handwritten form and our secretaries will forward a completed PDF version of the form direct to your email address.  This is very useful if you’re working away from your offices and don’t have remote access to your office systems or, for that matter, access to any legal forms, you remote outsourced secretaries can help you. 

Built using the existing and well established PRINTAForm software, PRINT@Form Online is a full legal forms package available on the Internet.

Using PRINT@Form Online will allow you peace of mind, knowing that you are always using the most up to date form. The technology used allows automatic calculation of forms such as IHT’s and Form E improving accuracy and efficiency. To find out more, please click here to register your interest.

For added value, Document Direct will complete your dictated forms for the same cost as our standard dictation charges.   

If you would like to open an account with us and get started, then click here.

One of the key reasons for his success is his unparalleled ability to help organisations sell more, especially in these troubled times (his clients won £3 billion last year!).

I asked him for some top tips on how to sell more in a recession.  This is what he said:

• More than ever, it is imperative to deliver a significant, measurable return on investment (ROI) for your clients.  They just will not spend unless they can see they will be in a better place after buying from you.
• This means, of course, that traditional selling messages – “about us”, “our credentials”, “why we are great” – won’t work any more, because they don’t highlight ROI.
• Instead, when talking to potential customers, our sole focus must be on them – not us – and the future value they want us to bring.  To do this, simply ask lots of future-based questions, to find what’s crucial to them, such as:
  • What are you looking to achieve here?
  • How will you know it’s worked?
  • How would you judge our working relationship to be a success? etc.
• Clarity on their desired future state will guide your ensuing discussions.  After all, which legal practice would you buy from:
  • Practice A: who said “We are experts in X, X and X, have X partners in X locations and are specialists in X”; or,
  • Practice B: “When we spoke last week, you said that – in the current climate – your key focus has to be on your core business.  You want to give all your time and energy to it.  We can help you do that, by removing the current time you’re spending on certain legal issues, freeing you up to …”

It’s an obvious choice.  Notice how the Practice B repeatedly used the word “you”.  If you’re talking about the client, you’re helping them.  If you keep talking about yourself, you’re selling.  And nobody wants to be sold to these days.

It’s good advice, isn’t it?  Simple, obvious and practical.  Andy has lots of other free advice about wining business on his Resource centre – click here to take a look.

Or, if you feel your practice could do with an immediate injection of new business, go straight to the man himself on andy@andybounds.com.
 

So with all of the free trials on offer, promises of a value added services from template production and superfast turnaround times, what is stopping you from having a go? 

This article is lengthy and it contains detail of our processes.

1. Do you use a digital dictation system already? If no, go to question 2. If yes, then skip number 2 and go directly to question 3.
2. Every firm is set up slightly differently and each individual has their preference to how they work with dictation. Below are questions we ask you, to find out which is the best dictation system for you to use.
   • Do you sit at your desk and work at your computer? If so, we will offer you our Winscribe Author dictation program, at no cost to you, which can be installed on your computer or laptop. This program works with a Philips Speechmike which plugs into your PC. Creating a new dictation is as simple as creating a new email. You can type notes to your dictation and also attach documents, if, for example, you needed to send us a specific template or perhaps a document which needs copy typing or amending.
   • Are you on the move? If you dictate away from the office, prefer walking around and generally don’t like wires, then my favourite, the Philips Pocket Memo, is a good choice for you. Instead of using tapes, the Pocket Memo has a memory card and the device has the familiar slide control. Once you’ve dictated onto your Pocket Memo, the sound files need to be transferred to the Document Direct typists.
     • No software needs to be installed and you can send your dictation from any computer connected to the internet. Simply go to our website to upload your dictations direct from your device. Our help guide is available here.
     • If you’re dictating a lot of small jobs then uploading onto the website might be a little time consuming and fiddly for you. Winscribe’s Importer program can be installed on your computer. The Importer program is constantly scanning your PC for new dictations, so when you connect your Pocket Memo to your computer it copies them and sends them across the internet direct to the Document Direct typists.
     • Do you work with your mobile phone? Winscribe’s dictation software for Blackberry is now available from Document Direct. Using your Blackberry as an all-in-one device means you can send your dictation from anywhere, receiving your work back to your phone too with mobile email.
   • All of the above options are subject to your company IT infrastructure (if any) but are cost effective and require very little capital outlay.
3. You already have a dictation system and depending on which type you have there are a number of solutions for you.
   • If you use Winscribe we will liaise with your software assurance provider to configure your system so that Document Direct appears as an additional typist group. You may also be interested in Winscribe’s 360 Degree product which tracks the progress of each dictation which is outsourced.
   • If you use the BigHand dictation system then we can arrange for the BigHand Outsource Module to be installed onto your system, at no cost to you. The Outsource Module adds Document Direct as an additional typist to your company. Your fee earners can choose to send dictations direct to us or an administrator can choose which dictations to drag/drop to the Document Direct typist. The progress of the outsourced dictations can be tracked and will show on the screen when the dictation is finished and the fee earner should expect their work to be in their system.
   • Philips/Olympus systems have their own proprietary software but the sound files are produced in the DSS format which is compatible with the Document Direct system. As each firm is set up differently and has unique needs we will liaise with your IT department to install and configure Winscribe’s Importer program (see above).
   • If you have any other dictation system then we would ask that you email a sample sound file to us so that we can check compatibility with the Document Direct system.
4. So now the dictation system has been chosen the next stage is telling us what documents you need typing.
   • If you have a bank of standard documents, templates and precedents then simply transfer them over to us.
   • If you have some standard templates but are not happy with them, tell us. We will modernise them, add word processing features such as automatic numbering, page numbering, headers and footers - at no added cost to you. A sample of our templates is the Particulars of Claim template.
   • If you have a house style, or would like one, tell us. We will build up a knowledge base on your preferred style of documents so they’re produced just the way you like them.
5. What happens after the dictation is typed? How do you collect your finished work? Again, each firm and individual will have their own preferred method.
   • We can email documents to a preferred email address.
     • This can be direct to a fee earner, or to an appointed secretary. In many cases it’s the secretaries that we’re helping as they are far too busy with their PA duties, being an unqualified fee earner, and they prefer to choose which dictations to outsource.
     • Each individual author can have the work sent to as many email addresses as required and can be changed at any point. It’s useful for any users who have mobile email, are not always connected to a company network and perhaps want copies to be sent to an administrator.
   • The completed documents can be collected from our website and downloaded. Whilst this system cuts down email traffic it is necessary to have a computer connected to the internet.
   • Work can be completed within the firm’s case management system. We will liaise with your IT department to discuss your infrastructure and requirements for us to connect remotely to your systems.
6. How much does it all cost? Once you’ve decided out which dictation system you’re using the cost of outsourcing to Document Direct is based purely on the amount of dictation sent to us. We base our charges on the length of the recordings and have just one standard rate, regardless of priority or urgency. We produce a report which totals your dictations and forms the basis of our invoice. Our reports can be as detailed as you wish and can even include a client reference so you can assign your typing charges as a disbursement to client files.

Cost = number of minutes x £1.30

You may have lots of questions still unanswered in which case don’t hesitate to drop me an email or give us a call.