Shoosmiths chooses InfoTrack to make the administrative side of property transactions more efficient
Shoosmiths is a law firm supporting clients across the UK and internationally. The firm focuses on client excellence and innovation. With major clients on its books and over 1,400 lawyers and business support employees, ambition comes naturally to the team at Shoosmiths.
We caught up with Suman Dally, Partner and Head of Conveyancing at Shoosmiths, to understand why the firm chooses InfoTrack as a trusted provider and how the partnership is supporting success.
Striving for excellence
Shoosmiths is committed to being pre-eminent in the various sectors the firm works across. While some businesses may focus solely on increasing transaction volumes, Shoosmiths balances growth with a focus on putting client and service excellence at its core.
“It’s about what we deliver – both in terms of customer service and the quality of our legal knowledge. That’s our priority,” explains Suman. She says this is largely due to conveyancing being part of a highly successful real estate division – enabling the firm to distinguish itself from the competition.
Diversifying its client base has been a key component in the conveyancing team’s growth strategy.
Working with a range of clients from estate agents; panel suppliers; lenders; developers; and more recently IAMSOLD and its modern auction proposition, the firm has been able to ensure its residential and commercial bases continue to expand. Diversification has garnered a breadth of knowledge across residential transactions. Whether it’s complex, high net worth, agricultural or mixed use, overages, shared ownership properties, Islamic mortgages, transfers or re-mortgages, Shoosmiths has the expertise to get the job done.
One place for a better way
Shoosmiths’ conveyancing team did, however, need a way to make the administrative side of property transactions more efficient. Recognising that a fragmented approach was limiting its productivity, the firm identified that there was an opportunity to improve its process – providing the team with more time to focus on clients. That’s when it sought out InfoTrack.
Now, the team at Shoosmiths manage their key property tasks through a single, unified platform. The ‘one-stop shop’, as Suman describes it, helps the firm to deliver exceptional service through modernisation that is in line with consumer behaviour. Shoosmiths has found that using the right technology has allowed it to reaffirm its focus on customer excellence without comprise.
“As a firm, we want to release pressure from somewhere so that we can do the customer service bit well. We still have the same people and we’re doing the work more efficiently, enabling us to improve our customer service,” she says.
Across the board, Shoosmiths is maximising its efforts through InfoTrack and saving time in the process. The team’s favourite feature? Integration with LMS to automate updates for lenders.
Shoosmiths is also:
- Saving 20 minutes per SDLT
- Ordering official copies and drafting digital contracts in under five minutes
- Automating new instructions and digital onboarding via client apps and Perfect Portal integration
- Eliminating manual chasing of onboarding information, prompting clients to provide all essential information in-app
From using eCOS to digitally onboard clients securely, to minimising the time taken to draft contracts with Contract of Sale, Shoosmiths is enthusiastic about the impact InfoTrack has on its business. “We shouldn’t be wasting half an hour trying to draft a contract when it can be done in five minutes. Contract of Sale is fantastic. I think that’s helpful technology, which is making a difference to our lives,” adds Suman.
A refreshing approach to collaboration
Suman shares that working with InfoTrack provides a refreshing approach toward collaboration. She says InfoTrack’s vision to work alongside solicitors and conveyancers while simultaneously building and delivering technology that meets their needs is something not seen elsewhere.
“InfoTrack is dynamic, they listen, they adapt. What I found really refreshing about InfoTrack, is they listen and talk to people. They’ve got lawyers in the room. They are not trying to fix conveyancers with what they perceive is wrong with conveyancing. That’s where they’ve absolutely nailed it,” Suman says.
The collaboration doesn’t end there. It’s also woven into every interaction with Shoosmiths’ Account Manager. Having a dedicated person at InfoTrack who understands the firms’ culture, structure, how its account is set up, which searches it orders and why, makes all the difference.
“We have customer service with InfoTrack that we don’t have with anybody else. Everybody on the floor knows if they’ve got an issue, or they don’t understand anything, they can call InfoTrack and immediately have someone available to help and talk it through,” comments Suman.
Shoosmiths is also impressed by the level of service across the platform. When SDLT changes took effect suddenly, InfoTrack’s same-day SDLT calculator updates enabled the firm’s property department to keep moving – there was no need for manual calculations or waiting weeks for the government to update its website.
Law firms have nothing to lose
When asked whether Shoosmiths would refer InfoTrack to their peers, it was a resounding ‘absolutely’ from Suman. Encouraging firms that they have nothing to lose, she asks ‘why wouldn’t you?’
“InfoTrack is modular, it’s plug and play instantly. It’s easy to use and intuitive, so minimal training is required. For firms who are stressing about the capabilities of their case management systems, it solves so many problems for them. InfoTrack has everything. Put all your work together on one platform, stick it in one place, and make your life a lot easier,” is the final word from Suman.
