YouConvey, a customer facing conveyancing service launched in February 2022, has today hit its first milestone of 100 customers using its services, with the cases revealing that conveyancing timescales can be reduced, along with some other additional key initial findings which can be used to improve the conveyancing process.
YouConvey is the brainchild of Eddie Goldsmith, a well-known national conveyancer, who launched the business with the aim of working with home movers as part of the first collaborative conveyancing service in England and Wales, helping them navigate their way through their moving experience from start to finish, therefore reducing their stress and anxiety along with timescales.
Eddie commented, “Over my 40 years in conveyancing I have always thought what a poor customer experience many customers received. I have never come across anyone who enjoyed the journey, with most vowing never to move again!
“I launched YouConvey with the customer foremost in my mind by looking at the process from solely the customer’s perspective to see how I could reduce the stress, anxiety and lack of transparency. I am delighted with the response that YouConvey has had so far from both customers and the industry”.
Eddie has revealed 10 key findings that YouConvey has unveiled from its first 100 customers:
1. Conveyancing is stressful – the current process is clunky and not fit for the 21st century customer but there’s a lot which can be done about this. From Day 1 customers are hit by a barrage of forms to complete which are unfamiliar and daunting but engaging with them and having a friendly voice at the end of the phone helps customers to feel more comfortable, and the process less stressful.
2. Customers want to know how much it is all going to cost – make sure customers are aware that if the property is leasehold it’s going to cost more, customers are not unreasonable if you explain in advance why a case which turns out to be non-standard is going to cost more.
3. Customers don’t understand the conveyancing process – break the process down to a few headlines to make it easier to digest.
4. Good communication is key – customers have reasonable expectations, as long as they get regular updates then they will be reassured.
5. Explain the legal jargon – rather than use conveyancing terms such as ‘raising enquiries’ simplify the legal jargon so customers have a better understanding
6. Home movers need to feel engaged and given guidance – moving home is one of the most stressful processes, but keeping them engaged and giving them attention throughout the process will make it much less stressful
7. Manage their expectations -most customers know that conveyancing takes time, but if you ask them at the start how long they think it will take, it will reveal what their expectations are.
8. Work with the right conveyancers – any service will fall foul if an important stakeholder, such as the conveyancer, is unresponsive.
9. Always think like the customer – if you are not getting anywhere with the other side – involve the customer. They can speak directly to the Seller or the Purchaser to find out what the holdup is. Too many times conveyancers are disingenuous with the truth and the customer is left hanging in the middle not knowing who to believe.
10. Be empathetic – moving home is a really stressful process and the conveyancers’ job is not just to do the conveyancing but to guide the customer throughout.
Statistics from YouConvey Completed Cases between February 2022 and December 2022 are already showing the benefit of its service. Whilst the average transaction time for conveyancing in 2022 was 18-20 weeks from instruction to completion, the stats from YouConvey, following research by its leading panel conveyancers Rowlinsons Solicitors, show the majority of their cases completed within 13 weeks – bettering the national average by 5-7 weeks.
Alicia Sheath of Rowlinsons commented, “We compiled the statistics from the first batch of cases we completed and it is clear that many have completed weeks sooner than the average transaction times. We primarily put this down to the work which YouConvey carry out at the start of the case by helping us quickly obtain all the initial information we require, saving weeks at the early stages of each transaction.
“Although it is of utmost importance to us to be on hand to support our clients and provide guidance, the constant availability of YouConvey combined with their support and cooperation throughout the process is of real benefit to our mutual customers too”.
Eddie responded, “It’s great to hear from Alicia about the positive benefits of YouConvey. Just like our customers we are on a conveyancing journey together, there is a lot more we have planned and so much more we can do to help our customers. By ourselves we cannot change our antiquated conveyancing process, but we can at least work to make it fit for purpose for 21st Century home movers, and that is an achievement of which we are very proud”.
