Trust in your Business: Check a Professional

It is reported that around 25 million people use review sites to help make a decision on purchasing goods or engaging services in the UK alone. It is becoming expected for businesses to show they value their clients custom, by providing the transparency feedback provides!

The World Wide Web has over 2.4 billion users and has been a great benefit to many: consumers and businesses alike. The world really is now at everyone’s fingertips, transforming the way we work, play and how we interact with each other. However, with this, some concerns and unacceptable activity has been brought to light.

Consumers are increasingly aware of how dressing a shop window can be inviting to lure in prospective clients for their custom, but the question most are now demanding answers to is, ‘what will my experience be with this firm?’ and ‘how do they treat their customers?’ especially if they have had a bad experience, or concerned about the growing reports of fake businesses, wrong advice and poor customer service.

The need for reassurance and third party reviews has moved on; the demand is no longer just for hotels, holidays, restaurants and trades. There is a growing demand for those who offer professional services, regulated or not, big or small!

The public has over the years found that some larger, well known firms, have placed profits in front of service, or been reported to be taking advantage of the tax loopholes in the UK. There have also sadly been reports of those we once looked up to, being found involved in expenses fraud, or other similar activities. The result is that it has left society with a bitter taste in its mouth. we are becoming a society where trust is questioned and the ‘my word is my bond’ kind of trust, for many professions has well and truly disappeared. With reports such as these, maybe providing transparency is not a case of large or small business and should not be disregarded by anyone.

There is a growing demand for reviews on professional services and over the coming years, it will become common practice for prospective clients to be looking for third party, completely independent reviews, along with profiles, which they can quickly review to enable them to find the exact services they are looking for. It is more than just a review they are looking for, but a more easily trusted, digestible information service.

We recently heard from a client of an estate agent, who was recommended a factory type of conveyancers, they encourage their clients to use. The client was selling her property, after the eleventh week, the client reported that she had spoken with over 30 different people, she was unable to speak to the same person twice and they seemed unable to return her calls. On complaining, not one member of the company appeared accountable for the lack of service. The general quality of service was abysmal.

A recent survey

It was reported that, out of 4,500 home movers, just 13% choose the cheapest conveyancer. Contrary to belief, consumers are more focussed on looking for quality now, and are more likely to instruct on recommendation. Many participants nearly all agreed within their comments that price was very much a secondary consideration. It appeared the more the discussion continued, that good old-fashioned customer service was in fact far higher on the priority list, and good communication appeared to be the number one priority.

It would seem that many consumers conduct searches for Legal Services and may then contact a Solicitor or Conveyancer to ask a variety of questions. However, it is assumed that price is the key question when actually, asking the right questions and striking up a rapour with a prospective client could put the client more at ease and giving that tick on the communication sought.

Our sister site, Checkatrade.com was the first in the UK to vet and monitor the trades industry. Back then, reviews (especially third party reviews) had not even been thought of. But, as we stand today, we have over 20,000 members across the UK who have agreed to accept feedback from their clients. These members have found that providing transparency and valuing their clients has resulted in increased business!

We receive over 1.1 million visits to our joint websites per month from prospective clients searching for reviewed, profiled members to engage the services of.

It is often assumed that clients searching for trades, holidays, or similar services, may not be clients requiring professional services, such as an accountant, Financial Adviser, or Solicitor. On the other hand, there is a concern that this may not be the type of clients a law firm, or similar, may be looking to attract – how wrong this assumption is!

Those searching for a bargain and those who are not too concerned about the service, may just search for headline offers. However, many websites that provide profile details and previous client experiences are visited by clients who have good money that they wish to spend, and will spend with a company they’re impressed with. These potential clients wish to make sure that the person, or firm whose services they are looking to engage, will provide them with the service they expect. By providing an independent and verified overview of your practice, along with testimonials from your previous clients, you are providing prospective clients with a more informed choice, showing transparency and how you value them and their need to see this information. It is easy to forget that we are all consumers and in business it is important to listen to your client needs!

We are proud to say that we have received over 2,198,600 recommendations for our members, making the Checka brand the leaders in the review industry for you and your clients!

Here’s what our members have to say:

A Piccirillo – AVRillo Solicitors, London

“Every year we plan on what innovations we can come up with to better serve the client. What other differences, apart from the legal advice we give, can we provide. We learned many years ago that listening to our clients and understanding their perception of our service was more important than our perception. We regularly sent out surveys, both during and after the transaction, to find out what our clients really feel about our service. Good or bad. We still do this, but last year we went further.

“We decided to give an open forum to reviews from the Internet. We consulted various other solicitors to ask for their view. Like us, they had their reservations. What if the review they give is bad? What then? We deliberated and finally took the plunge when we visited Checkaprofessional at an exhibition stand. We listened to their talk and tentatively approached the speaker.

“For us the likes of Checkaprofessional is working and we have no intention of changing from this more open form of communication with our clients.”

Thomas McManners BSc ACA ACMI, Director, Treetops Chartered Accountants

“We often have clients asking us if we could pass on the details of satisfied customers. I always felt that this may breach their confidentiality and it was a strange question, as you would always pass on the details of your happiest client. Checkaprofessional is a way that we can say to prospective clients: ‘see what our existing customers think – independently’.

“We didn’t expect it to be a mechanism for gaining new business per se, however, I am always pleasantly surprised when a new client tells us they saw us on the website and that they relied on the site’s integrity as a recommendation. The new clients we have gained easily outweigh the cost, although this wasn’t our original aim.

“We have our own internal quality control procedures, but these stop at the door. I often wondered, what do our clients really think of us? Now, I know. It does bring a smile to your face when you get another 10 out of 10. It helps us stay on our toes and consistently provide a good service.”

For more information regarding Checkaprofessional.com visit
www.checkaprofessional.com or
call FREEPHONE: 0800 093 8414

 Place your business with a
household brand, which receives over 1.1 million visits per month and has received over 2,198,600 recommendations for our members, making our brand the leaders in the review industry for you and your clients!