A legal firm specialising in Wills, trusts, probate and estate planning have made the bold decision to reduce their working week to four days in a bid to improve the customer experience.
Plymouth based firm, Portcullis Legals, have embarked on the five-month trial after hearing evidence of the benefits to customers, the business and staff working for the company.
A longer working day for staff has enabled the business to extend their opening hours, offering a face to face service beyond the traditional nine to five working hours. Additionally, the staggered third day off has also enabled the firm to remain open five days per week. Overall, this enables clients to access the firm outside of normal, and often inconvenient, working hours.
After reading the results of a New Zealand study which found staff to increase their productivity by 20%, despite working fewer hours, managing director, Trevor Worth, was convinced enough to trigger the trial.
What has transpired, since the change to the working week was made, has surpassed the firm’s expectations: productivity has improved, communication to clients has become a lot more accessible and the staff are a lot happier and considerably less stressed.
Trevor Worth, Managing Director at Portcullis Legals, said:
“The initial results have been heartening – our team is happier and our customers are receiving a better service.
“I’ve contacted businesses far and wide to find out the benefits and pitfalls of the four-day week, working with academics and industry leaders to find out the best way to apply the four-day week to Portcullis.
“The response has been extraordinary and there’s a real passion to help other firms achieve a happier working week for their staff.
“Our valued clients can contact us later in the evening, which is often more convenient.
“Our staff have been more motivated and productive – I’m delighted we’ve been able to make it work and provide an even better service for customers, and a great working environment for our team.
“Values and purpose are very important to us, as is the well-being of every team member.”
Yasmin Serter, of the firm’s client services team, said:
“The bedding-in period and new working patterns has taken a while to get used to but as a team we are definitely better rested and more motivated.
“That means we really look forward to coming to work and meeting the people we’re trying to help, which can only be a good thing for the service we provide.”
When working in an industry that is so sensitive to price, finding law firms and businesses that strive to find innovative ways of improving the customer experience, could be vital to improving the customer journey and gaining increased business.
The productivity benefits in addition to the fact that all staff members were also offered a slight pay increase on top of a shorter working week, could well be the nail in the coffin for this firm using traditional, possibly even outdated, working practices in the future.
How important is it in Wills and estate planning to offer the consumer alternative meeting opportunities? What are other legal service providers doing to improve the customer experience?
