Don't become a statistic in the world of legal service complaints...

However high your standard of client care, you cannot keep all clients happy all the time.

In 2009, regulators for the legal profession received the following number of service complaints (as published on their own websites) :

• Legal Complaints Service (solicitors) – 15069
• Bar Standards Board (Barristers) – 729
• Institute of Licensed Conveyancers – 129

In the first 6 months of operation, the Legal Ombudsman received 40,000 contacts!

This shows a massively growing trend in complaints in the legal sector. With the higher costs implications, and the Legal Ombudsman publishing complaints records, this is something that you must prevent in today's highly competitive market. Let Resolve retain your good name and help you to avoid becoming one of these statistics.

The Solicitors Code of Conduct requires that all practices to have a process for responding to client complaints.

At Resolve we believe that an effective complaints system should be:

• Accessible Information on how and where to complain should be well publicised to clients. The process should be easy to access and free of charge.
• Responsive The timeliness of a response is as important as its tone, in reassuring your client that they are being taken seriously.
• Objective Responses to complaints should be equitable, objective and unbiased.
• Client-focused Your clients are the future of the practice. A satisfied client will recommend new clients, but a dissatisfied client can lose the practice clients. We understand that it is important to remain sensitive to the individual differences and needs of your customer.
• Effectively Communicated Poor communication will result in clients feeling that they have not been understood, taken seriously or valued, which in turn is likely to lead to them raising their complaints in another forum. Effective communication can help to resolve disputes quickly and build greater client loyalty.

Resolve will encompass these 5 principles when dealing with your complaints. We promise that you will find the process simple, transparent and timely.