Building on change

The crux of the letter 'Home comforts' (see [2002] Gazette, 21 March, 19) seems to suggest that direct conveyancers are failing to succeed because they do not employ people with genuine conveyancing ability and therefore service suffers.

Failing to succeed? This is wishful thinking.

Practices withdrawing from a market often receive a greater profile than those remaining, and to illustrate the alternative, in 2001 we completed 32,685 sales and purchases and generated a profit of 1.3 million.

We are investing 10 million to handle greater volumes and deliver outstanding customer service.

Not employing people with genuine conveyancing ability, harming service? This is an insult to the many excellent people employed by direct conveyancers and draws a false conclusion.

The key to success is delivering what the customer wants, in addition to a good and marketable title.

Do they also want the cheapest legal fee possible and a visit to the high street, often at an inconvenient time? Some might, but not all.

Many more want outstanding customer service, transparency on fees, a pro-active approach and access to up-to-date information.

And do not forget that the definition of 'the customer' should include the lender and the estate agent, who want exactly the same.

Conveyancers need to consider these issues and to embrace change, rather than draw false comfort from the exit of one practice from the market-place.

Roger Wilson, legal and technical director, Countrywide Property Lawyers