Risk management

Are you getting a good reception?First impressions are often the most lasting.

What impression would a client get when entering your reception area? When a St Paul risk manager visits a firm to carry out a risk assessment, the reception area comes under close scrutiny.

These are some of the points that we look out for and why.Do fee earners use the reception area as a client consulting room?Clients are entitled to see their solicitor in private.

Discussing their affairs in front of other clients is embarrassing for the client and unprofessional on the part of the solicitor.

Bear client confidentiality in mind.

How would you feel if your doctor came down to reception and started talking to you about your medical condition? This extends to signing documents.

Clients should be given the opportunity to read through a document and to discuss any points that may arise with their solicitor.

If they have to do this in the reception area, they may be reluctant to raise any observations they may have.

A simple error in the document may be overlooked which the client may otherwise have picked up.

This is especially so in the case of wills.Is your receptionist also the switchboard operator?Our risk managers have sat in reception areas and heard the receptionist discuss confidential matters with the client over the telephone.

Clients are entitled to complete confidentiality in their dealings with your firm.

The switchboard should be placed out of earshot of the reception area.Does your receptionist deal with post?It is not unusual to see post sitting on the receptionist's desk prior to sealing.

Other clients may see it.

This can also pose a security threat if the post contains cheques which may be left unattended should the receptionist be called away.How tidy is your reception area?If it is littered with old files, deed packets and boxes of stationery this will most likely give an adverse impression to the client.Are valuables stored in reception?For example, jewellery relating to a probate matter, the firm's cheque books, or petty cash are all tempting targets for the dishonest client or the opportunist walk-in thief.

Such items should be secured safely, away from prying eyes.Is there a VDU in the reception area?If so, is it out of sight of clients, or are they able to read the telephone message the receptionist has left on screen before sending to the fee earner.

Imagine if they read something like the following: 'Mrs X - you know, the mayor's wife - has been charged with shoplifting.

Could you call her please?'You may be constrained by the size of your office, or the number of staff that you have, from having a separate switchboard operator and receptionist, located in separate areas.

But be alive to the problems, highlight them to your staff, and implement procedures to keep your reception area neat and tidy and the client's affairs confidential.l This column was prepared by the St.

Paul risk management team.