Attention to detail. Known in the office as ‘ATD’. The second favourite phrase of our Marketing Manager, Rick Barrow, during working hours . The first revolves around whose turn it is to brew up.
On a weekly basis we receive letters addressed to Mr Jackson, Mr Barrett (forgivable given the similarity between this and the name of the family who make up a large percentage of our workforce), Mr Gass, Mr Smithy and Mr Annexe. None of whom work here.
We have letters redirected from our offices on Grove Street, where we have not been located for over ten years.
We have tens of letters sent to us without a reference on them. Many of the letters that *do* have references on them simply have a member of staff’s name on them. Often spelt wrong. ‘Quinton’ being a favourite of mine (as in Quentin Dodd, Legal Executive). Often not the correct member of staff actually working on that file.
This despite us sending out introductory letters at the start of a transaction informing all parties who the point of contact is for that file.
We strive to maintain excellent ATD standards. But you’re only as good as the information that you are given. We rely on the ATD of other stakeholders. When they get something wrong, we get something wrong. The only difference being our mistakes are picked up on by our clients, who assume that we lack ATD.
So I suppose the point I’m trying to make in this first blog of mine is that excellent ATD is vital. Not just in our industry, but in all industries. ATD is key!