Do you really need to spend money training your staff? We learn some tricks so you can count the benefits.
Running a conveyancing business becomes much easier if your staff receive quality training on an ongoing basis. Carol Taylor of Taylor Law and Conveyancing talks about what training is available, and its far-reaching benefits.
When you invest in training for your staff, they not only acquire new knowledge, but their increased skills and understanding can improve the practice and your business.
Well-trained staff tend to be motivated because they feel valued, giving them a greater sense of self-worth. What’s more, their loyalty is invaluable. They feel they’re part of the business – a brick in the building, not just someone who comes in and out of it.
The investment that pays back
Investing in staff training pays for itself over time, and will even save you money. The savings I have seen in my practice long term and even immediately cannot be overstated.
Staff retention: If you have good people who are interested in their work and constantly learning new things, you’re likely to retain them for longer. As a result, you spend less time and money on advertising, interviews and/or recruitment specialists.
Increased efficiency: We are currently partaking in training on electronic conveyancing, which my staff were initially dubious about, as they have long-term experience doing everything by paper. Yet learning to work this way has already saved us time and greatly improved our efficiency on daily tasks.
Value for clients: In a competitive industry such as conveyancing, it’s crucial to have a point of difference and to show that your practice offers more than others. Having confident staff who are both technically competent and knowledgeable about new legislation gives us a unique position. Our clients feel their money is well spent with us.
A wide variety of options
There are countless opportunities for staff to be upskilled, whether in industry knowledge, new technology or business practice. The modes of delivery are also broad, from online webinars through to full-day seminars off-site.
- Online training is a cost-effective method as it reduces travelling and time spent out of office. Modules can be done individually using headsets, though in my business we usually make time to do them together, then follow up with discussions on what we’ve learnt and how we might use it to improve our practice.
- Some training is best delivered by experts skilled in a specific field. By bringing in the right people to train on issues that are important, I find I can target a competency that could be useful to the business, such as electronic conveyancing.
- The Queensland Law Society offers webinars that are not just law specific. They’re targeted at small business, so might be about practice and procedure, team building, efficiencies, improving morale or computer skills.
- When new laws or amendments are introduced that I know will affect transactions, I don’t just keep that knowledge to myself. It becomes a morning tea where we discuss the changes, implications and what adjustments we need to make. My staff appreciate having the knowledge, which often puts them ahead of others they know in the field.
My staff are far more confident than they were when we first started and I believe it’s come from the training. That confidence – and competence – means I can step back knowing they are fully capable of servicing our customers and managing the business.
Quality, well-trained staff also make your company look good. That’s unpaid advertising and goodwill you can benefit from for years to come.
You can start training your staff today, visit the e-Conveyancing Community to find out more.
