Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW president Ann Blannin-Ferguson highlighted challenges to the sector in our latest industry leader profile.
“Not having enough hours in the day when it gets really busy. You end up doing stuff in the middle of the night, sending off emails at 11pm,” the long-standing conveyancer tells Australian Conveyancer in the Q&A.
“A small business’s workflow also ebbs and flows,” added Ann, who covered everything from Artificial Intelligence to insurance, ongoing training and compliance.
“Sometimes we’re really busy, other times we’re scratching for things to do. At what point do you bite the bullet and put someone else on? As soon as you organise it, work suddenly drops off and you’re considering updating the archives or cleaning out the cupboards.
“Then suddenly, you’re busy again and could do with an extra pair of hands. I find that side of things difficult.”
Juggling staff
“The more staff you’ve got, the more supervision is needed to ensure everyone’s pulling their weight,” she said.
“That can bring certain problems as well, like in-house politics of who does what and when, which is something we don’t have here, and something I don’t miss.
“Having worked in larger firms, I’ve had people who look busy but aren’t actually achieving anything. They’re hurrying here or there, but when you look at their billings, they’re not actually getting anywhere fast.”
Compliance obligations
“This year we’ve had additional cyber security requirements and questionnaires about electronic conveyancing,” she added.
“We have to comply with all sorts of things just to get our professional indemnity insurance.
“The insurer will look at your risk management and any cyber problems and bill you accordingly, and the insurance seems to go up and up. But it’s whole industry coverage and covers you after you’ve retired.
“We also must update our education and pass an exam each year to stay licensed.
“Compliance is part of the job and there’s not much wiggle room to be different to everybody else. We’ve all got to make sure the forms are correct and the clients are advised accordingly, whether you’re buying into a retirement village or a two-bedroom unit down the road.”
