De Medeiros & Associates :::: Legal Consultants

Our Client Service Standards

We are proud to have a Client Service Standards program in place which is designed to improving our services and relationships with our clients.

Our goals are:

To create a benchmark for ourselves on client service standards.
To provide a level of service that exceeds the needs and expectations of each individual client.
To outshine our competitors by providing an excellent service.

Responsibility

This is a shared responsibility throughout the firm and it means:

Being polite, friendly, and professional with clients at all times.
Listening carefully to the client’s requests and giving an accurate and efficient response.
If needed, asking questions to ensure the client’s request is fully and clearly understood.
Being communicative and replying promptly to messages.
Avoiding the use of voicemail or DND wherever possible – clients like to talk to a real person.
Being available as much as possible to the client even when busy.
Being on time for appointments and ensuring clients are made welcome when visiting us.
Checking that the client was satisfied with the service following conclusion of the matter every time.
Keeping in touch with our clients on a regular basis and looking after them.
Developing a personal relationship with the client during and after the matter.
Delighting our clients will ensure they come back to us next time as well as referring others to us.

Benchmarks:	Goal

1. Telephone Calls
(a) All telephone calls to be answered within 30 seconds	85% of the time
(b) Client calls to be returned by fee earner to deal with specific query	Within 4 hours
(c) Response time to voicemail or other telephone messages	Within 4 hours
(d) If fee earner not available, support staff to advise client when their call will be returned	Within 2 hours
(e) Fee earner to reply to client following (d)

2. Emails
(a) Acknowledgement of receipt of email from client	Within 4 hours
(b) Email from other side	Within 1 working day
(c) Substantive reply within deadlines given under (a) or (b)	Always
(d) Use ‘Out of Office Assistant’ if absent for more than 4 hours, and provide alternative contact	Always

3. Correspondence
(a) Acknowledgement of receipt of letter from client	Within 1 working day
(b) Letter from other side	Within 2 working days
(c) Substantive reply within deadlines given under (a) or (b)	Always
(d) Type the client’s name and address correctly	Always

4. Complaints
(a) Acknowledgement of receipt of complaint	3 working days
(b) Time taken to produce substantive response	Within 14 days of relevant information being received

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