Rapid Response Solicitors

Hull-based law firm Rapid Response Solicitors specialises in assessing and pursuing accident compensation claims. The company has grown quickly since it was established in 2003 and now serves clients throughout the UK.

One of Rapid Response’s key service propositions is that it provides fast and flexible ‘access to justice’ for clients. In practice this means that its account handlers offer appointments 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at a location of the client’s choice and that claims are processed promptly.

The challenge

Employed within a growing and competitive industry, with clients based as far apart as Newcastle and Plymouth, Rapid Response’s legal experts are used to working at a fast pace and spending little time in the office.

Each client interview generates detailed notes to be recorded and logged on the company’s central computer system prior to a claim being processed. Until recently, the notes were typed or written up by the account handler in the field and emailed or posted to the company headquarters to be entered on the main system.

Account handlers were notified of new appointments by head office staff who telephoned or emailed them with details. Andy Good, Principal Solicitor, said: “We’re continually improving and streamlining our processes, both to increase the efficiency of our operations and to provide a better experience for our clients. We suspected that this was one area of the business where employing the right technology could have a real impact.”

The solution

The solution Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are small, hand-held computers that integrate a personal organiser with a mobile phone. Although PDAs have been around for several years, today’s devices offer a much wider range of functionality than original models, including email and web browsing as well as common applications such as Outlook, Word and Excel.

PDA users can make and take calls, send and receive emails, view attachments or download information from the internet, all over a secure wireless connection. And through the use of GPRS technology, today’s PDAs allow users to pick up their emails without having to dial up or log on.

Rapid Response identified the Xda Exec as the tool that best suited the needs of its employees, and equipped nine field-based account handlers with their own devices.

The benefits

Andy Good is impressed with the impact the investment has had on the working practices of the PDA users and the knock-on effects for head office. He commented: “Being able to access the company computer system from wherever they are in the UK means that employees can conduct interviews and log the notes from these directly, rather than sending them through to our head office to be entered by someone else. This saves us time and results in a faster outcome for our customers.

“Another time-saving benefit of being able to access our systems remotely is that staff in the office are spending less time locating information on behalf of people in the field, who can now find what they need for themselves."

“A further advantage comes from head office staff being able to put new appointments directly into the calendars of employees who are on the road, which allows them to plan their days more effectively."

”Finally, having access to email while out of the office has also helped to win new customers. Andy explained: “A potential client submitted a claims questionnaire via our website last weekend to enquire about our services. The email came through via my Xda and I was able to contact him immediately and set up an appointment for the following day. It’s great to be able to live up to our company name by being able to provide a level of responsiveness that clients really appreciate."

”The company is currently trialling the use of Bluetooth, full-sized keyboards to make it easier for staff to enter large amounts of data via the Xdas, and is also considering installing satellite navigation software on the devices as a more cost-effective and flexible option than carbased software."