Category: Education

Education

To charge GST or not to charge… That is the question!

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

It’s a debate that has been ongoing since the inception of GST some 20 years ago.  Should conveyancers charge GST on search and enquiry fees or not? Conveyancers, being the highly compliant bunch that we are, want to get it right, so it’s interesting to see that still, depending on who you ask, you’ll probably get a variety of answers ranging from ‘Yes, definitely’ to ‘It depends’ to ‘Of course not’. So what is correct? To get a straight answer for you once and for all, we went straight to the source of the truth: the Australian Taxation Office. Specifically, Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2000/37 – GST and Reimbursements.

Upon first glance, the ruling may seem daunting, filled with tax jargon that could induce heart palpitations. However, let’s break it down into digestible pieces…

When does GST not apply?

Let’s start with the instances where you shouldn’t add GST. The easiest way to consider this is when you are merely acting as a money handler or a conduit for payments that your clients need to make. Essentially, you’re the go-between, not the end user. These payments are specific costs you incur on behalf of the client, which are not part of your service fee but are essential for completing the client’s required tasks.

For example, when you pay government charges like application fees, registration fees, or court fees on behalf of your client, these disbursements should not attract GST when you recover these costs from your client. This is because you are acting as a paying agent. You are not incurring the cost and then seeking reimbursement from your client. GST-free disbursements include:

  • Application fees
  • Registration fees
  • Court fees
  • Official fines and penalties
  • Stamp duties and other taxes
  • Probate fees

In these instances, the expenses are incurred under your client’s name and authority, and you do not add a markup to these costs. Your role is that of a facilitator, ensuring that the necessary payments are made promptly and accurately.

The only other instance in which GST should not be charged is when the conveyancing business operates under the GST threshold and is not registered for GST.

When does GST apply?

Now, let’s consider the alternative – when GST does apply. There are scenarios where you, as a conveyancer, need to recover costs that are integral to the services you provide. These are not just pass-through expenses but are necessary for delivering your professional service to the client. These costs are incurred by your business during the course of providing your services, and as such, they form part of the consideration for your service delivery, which means they attract GST.

Examples include:

  • Search fees such as council searches, title searches, and Main Roads searches
  • Service of document fees
  • Fees for obtaining official documents like birth, death, or marriage certificates
  • Costs related to court proceedings, such as filing fees and obtaining court transcripts

When you incur these costs directly in the process of providing your conveyancing services and then charge these costs to your clients, GST should be applied. Think of the analogy of a baker buying ingredients to bake a cake for a client – the cost of ingredients (in this case, the disbursements) naturally becomes part of the price of the cake (your service), upon which GST is charged.

Seek professional tax guidance on GST matters

Given the complexities of GST legislation, it’s wise to consult with a tax professional to ensure that your billing practices align with current laws. After all, no conveyancer wants to inadvertently contravene the GST Act. GST on disbursements isn’t just a matter of if but how you apply it based on your role in the payment process and the nature of each cost.

Certainly, the above ruling as it relates to conveyancers will give your tax practitioner an excellent starting point to form the basis of their advice.

Integrating an accurate approach to GST in your conveyancing practices not only ensures you stay on the right side of the law but also solidifies your reputation as a transparent and trustworthy service provider. So, while GST considerations can add an extra layer to your workload, it’s important to get it right. 

See also: ATO Private Ruling Authorisation Number: 1011513551891

Education

Are you crazy busy or just crazy?

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

Einstein once famously said that the definition of insanity was to keep doing the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result. 

If that’s the case, the majority of conveyancers risk being labelled crazy because of our commitment to continuing to work the way we have always done while hoping that maybe next month, things will calm down a bit and we’ll be able to catch our breath.

There are some key cultural reasons why the workload for conveyancers has significantly increased over the past five years – and it’s got nothing to do with the personal diligence or commitment of conveyancers. 

Rather, changing client expectations created by the adoption of technology across all aspects of our lives has made us increasingly impatient as a society with structures and processes that seem confusing, opaque and slow. If I can see every step of my $20 pizza being made and delivered, surely it’s not unreasonable to expect a similar service when settling a property that is the most expensive thing I will ever buy in my life, right? 

Wrong!

With conveyancers relying on phone, email and paper based processes as the primary tools to deliver our services, it places extraordinary stress on our people to personally try to meet these client expectations. 

The result is days, weeks and months feeling like we are constantly chasing our tails always communicating or missing calls with clients, and driven by a constant adrenalin rush that pricks every time we fear a dropped ball between parties, a missed detail or an error that causes a settlement delay. 

We demand excellence from ourselves – ALL the time – because the tools that we use to do our job are no longer fit for purpose. And when things don’t work as intended we simply work harder and longer hours to fix it until we find that we are always in the office. (With the occasional bout of crying at your desk or in a toilet cubicle).

If this sounds like you, you are not alone. Preliminary results of new research from Realtime Conveyancer show that 72% of conveyancers say dealing with stress is one of the biggest challenges in the industry. 

And this has big ramifications for us as an industry because 34% state that finding and retaining staff is becoming harder and harder with 17% looking to leave the industry and a further 14% saying they are affected by burnout. 

Yet when faced with so many compelling and essential reasons for change, the response from so many conveyancers is that they just simply don’t have the time. Maybe next month, next quarter or next year when things are not so – you guessed it – busy. 

Hoping things will calm down enough to give you the bandwidth you need to adopt tools and processes that will genuinely give you back time, reduce stress and support workflows that let you and your staff commit to something closer to a 38-hour week is not a strategy. 

Instead, we should identify technology that will be a genuine game changer for our businesses, intentionally plan our next move, set a timeline, make sure we have a supportive and patient and technical team behind us and carve out time for training and adoption. (It’s rarely as hard as we fear). 

You don’t have to be a genius to realise that anything else is just crazy. 

If work is always mad for you and your team, it’s time for change and we’d love to help. 

Book a demo to see how Realtime Conveyancer can help you and your team get your lives back.

Education

How is your client’s data safeguarded from cyber threats?

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

It’s a topic that is at the forefront of every modern conveyancing business owner’s mind. Client data security. As technology advances and data becomes increasingly digitised, the risk of data breaches, cyber-attacks, and privacy violations looms large. Over the course of any given conveyancing transaction, massive amounts of sensitive information are exchanged, so the security and confidentiality of client data are paramount. Conveyancing businesses, like any others handling personal information, must be vigilant against potential risks and threats to data security.

Data breaches, cyber-attacks, and privacy concerns are not new phenomena. However, with the rapid advancement of technology and the growing reliance on digital platforms, the landscape of data security is evolving, and with this, conveyancers are presented with new challenges and vulnerabilities. It’s critical to stay informed about these trends and take proactive measures to safeguard your clients’ data.

Data Breaches

One of the most significant threats facing conveyancing businesses is the risk of data breaches. A data breach occurs when unauthorised individuals gain access to sensitive information, such as personal details, financial records, or legal documents. These breaches can occur through various means, including hacking, phishing scams, malware infections, or even physical theft of devices.

At Realtime Conveyancer, we understand the critical importance of data security in the conveyancing process. We are committed to implementing robust policies and practices to protect the privacy and integrity of the information entrusted to us by our clients.

Our commitment to data security extends to the systems and infrastructure we employ. Realtime Conveyancer utilises Microsoft Azure, a leading cloud computing platform known for its advanced security features and compliance certifications. You and your client’s data is encrypted during transmission and while at rest, using industry-standard protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). All data stored by Realtime is done so within Australia. This ensures that your data is not only secure but also compliant with data residency regulations.

Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks are another prevalent threat to client data security. Cybercriminals employ sophisticated techniques to infiltrate systems, steal data, and disrupt operations. These attacks can range from ransomware and malware infections to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and social engineering scams. The consequences of a successful cyber attack can be severe, resulting in financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. Access to our databases is secured using Cloudflare, which provides an additional layer of security, including DDoS attack mitigation, to further safeguard your data.

Privacy Concerns

Privacy concerns also pose significant challenges for conveyancing businesses. With the introduction of data privacy regulations such as the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Privacy Act Review 2023, organisations are under increasing pressure to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of client information. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines, legal penalties, and damage to reputation.

Realtime Conveyancer complies with these regulations and adheres to the Australian Government’s Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme, ensuring that our data handling practices meet the highest standards of security and accountability.

Internal Threats & Risks

In addition to external threats, conveyancing businesses also face internal risks, such as employee negligence or misconduct. Accidental data breaches, unauthorised access to information, or improper handling of sensitive data can all pose significant risks to client confidentiality. It’s essential for organisations to implement robust security policies, employee training programs, and access controls to mitigate these internal threats.

There are many training options available to ensure that your staff stays up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity best practices. Contact your local AIC for information about what courses are available to you and your team.

Conveyancing Best Practices

Ultimately, protecting client data requires a multifaceted approach from conveyancing business owners as well as their teams that addresses both technical and human factors. Our goal at Realtime Conveyancer is to provide our clients with peace of mind, knowing that their data is in safe hands. We recognise that data security is not just a legal obligation. For conveyancers, it is a fundamental aspect of building trust and confidence with your clients, and so to for us, with you. 

Find out more about our data use and security practices.

Education

New calculator helps conveyancers understand savings

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

A new online calculator has been created to help conveyancers understand the benefits of using the latest cloud-based and paperless technology to improve their practice. 

The Realtime Conveyancer calculator identifies in detail how many hours conveyancing practices can save, the additional number of Matters they can complete and the additional revenue they can earn with their current team in just a few clicks. 

It demonstrates that a typical conveyancing practice can improve their productivity by 42% and increase their workload by 20% – all while reducing the hours they need to spend in the office. 

For a three-person conveyancing firm, this translates into the ability to handle an additional 288 files a year, earning more than $172,000 in revenue while reducing the time worked by more than 1000 hours, the calculator shows. A team of 9 people are able to handle an additional 960 files across the year and earn more than $575,000 in additional revenue with a reduction of 3600 hours of overtime annually. 

The founder and CEO of Realtime Conveyancer, Kylie Dillon, said the calculator demonstrates how conveyancers can handle more Matters, earn more money and yet go home earlier because they’ll work fewer hours.

It also identifies the hidden costs inside their current workflows, including overtime, and how technology could both reduce the business risks and significantly improve their revenue – without a lot of extra work. 

“Most conveyancers will tell you that overtime isn’t an issue for them because they don’t pay it, but even unpaid overtime has a cost for your team members and your business, through stress caused by long hours, burnout and needing to give staff members time in lieu,” Kylie said. 

“But most importantly, the calculator helps conveyancers visualise the benefits of Realtime by showing them how much extra they can earn while still having a workload that is more manageable and flexible.” 

The calculator works for conveyancing practices of any size. To use the calculator, conveyancers type in the size of their team, the number of Matters they typically handle in a month, and the amount they typically charge per Matter. 

The calculator then identifies the annual number of Matters the practice handles across the year, the revenue that earned, wages bill and most importantly, the number of hours it takes for the team to complete the work, including the overtime required. 

Kylie said the algorithm behind the calculator was based on a Time and Motion study conducted in 2023 that analysed the performance of conveyancing firms using Realtime Conveyancer and compared their productivity to what they used to achieve using legacy platforms. 

“From that study, we identified that it typically takes a conveyancing team 8.5 hours to complete a Matter using traditional methods, but this is reduced to just 5 hours using Realtime,” she said. 

“That’s because our unique paperless, cloud-based system automates many of the manual and administrative tasks of conveyancing, while also allowing multiple team members into the same file, and the ability to work from anywhere, meaning conveyancers are no longer tied to the office.” 

The calculator then applies a Matter fee of $599 as a base, but this can be overwritten.

“We used the lowest fee we know that is advertised out in the market to ensure that our predictions about increased revenue were conservative,” Kylie said. “Obviously, if you charge more per Matter, your earnings and savings will be considerably higher.” 

Kylie said the calculator was just one way that Realtime was working to help conveyancers understand the benefits of adopting technology were worth the effort of changing systems. 

“Our clients tell us that our technology makes them 50% faster and 100% happier which we love, but our favourite stories are those where clients tell us that they’re getting their quality of life back by being able to attend family events, or go home early to be with the kids after school since using our platform,” Kylie said. 

“The combination of those anecdotes and the work we’ve done with the study and the calculator mean that we’re very confident that after moving to Realtime Conveyancer, you and your team will be able to handle more files, earn more money and even go home on time.”

Try the Realtime Calculator

Education

Navigating Client Communications: Balancing Availability with Productivity

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

Effective client communication sits at the centre of every transaction. It is crucial for building trust, managing expectations, and, ultimately, ensuring successful property settlements. However, for many conveyancing business owners, traditional client communication methods – such as phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings – can be time-consuming and inefficient and often cause stress among team members. Our previous article looked at the financial and non-financial costs (including the toll on mental wellness) of these constant interruptions and work fragmentation that typically plague conveyancers. 

So, on one hand, conveyancers are overwhelmed by communication. But at the same time, consumers are demanding even more transparency and immediacy in the communication around their property settlement. As a business owner who cares not only about your team’s wellbeing but also about your clients and the business’s bottom line, how do we satisfy everyone? 

The answer? Leverage technology. Implement tools to streamline and automate the communication pipeline to enhance client communication while reducing the manual burden on conveyancers. Fortunately, innovative solutions are available that can facilitate communication processes, improve client satisfaction, and alleviate the stress and overwhelm experienced by your team.

Streamlining Communication Processes with Technology

Realtime Conveyancer offers industry-first solutions, such as app-based communication through the Pathway to Settlement consumer app, which automates client updates, reducing the need for constant phone calls and emails. Pathway to Settlement enables you to leverage app-based, automated communication, update your clients, and allow them to track the progress of their transactions 24/7 without the need for constant phone calls or emails. This not only improves the client experience but also frees up valuable time for your team to focus on higher-value tasks.

Other tools conveyancing businesses could consider include automated quoting processes and chatbots to provide clients and potential clients with accurate information and responses in real-time. Web-based instant quote tools provide clients with accurate and timely quotes without requiring manual calculations, lengthy phone calls, or back-and-forth emails. This saves time for your team and ensures consistency and transparency in your pricing.

For those willing to lead the way with communication technology, chatbots can handle basic client enquiries, such as general information about the conveyancing process and documentation requirements. By implementing chatbots on your website, you can provide instant responses to common queries, freeing up your team to focus on more complex tasks and reducing the need for constant interruptions.

Finally, conveyancers can leverage SMS messages to send regular updates to clients, informing them of important milestones and deadlines throughout the conveyancing process. SMS messages can be used to keep your clients in the loop without requiring lengthy phone calls or email exchanges, allowing your team to maintain productivity and focus.

Establishing Processes for Effective Communication

While the modern communication technologies mentioned above offer numerous benefits, it’s crucial to establish processes and boundaries to ensure that convenience does not come at the expense of productivity or client relationships. Encouraging these alternative channels for non-urgent queries can help prevent interruptions and allow your team to focus on their work uninterrupted. This frees them up to have lengthy phone conversations with clients whose transactions are trickier or require more comprehensive support. 

Consider this scenario: You’ve sent your client a large packet of settlement documents to sign and return. Perhaps you post them, or more likely, you email them. When your client receives them, they call you to discuss some questions they have. Then, since they need to complete their ID check anyway, they decide to drop the signed documents back to their conveyancer in your office (without pre-booking a meeting) and chat about what’s next while they’re with you. 

Juxtapose this with the alternative scenario, where your office is leveraging available technology to reduce the impost of client communication whilst simultaneously empowering your client to be informed on the status of their transaction.

You send your client a large packet of settlement documents via Pathway to Settlement. They review them and call you with some questions. They sign the documents and return them to you via the app. At the same time, they action the ID request you sent them via your Virtual ID partner. The conveyancer receives the documents back, straight into their Realtime matter along with the completed ID, and marks off these tasks in their matter’s workflow. The client checks back in the Pathway to Settlement app to see that these milestones have been completed. 

Note that in the second scenario, you haven’t removed client communication. In fact, if anything, it could be argued that your client is even more informed about their transaction, given that they can view all of the pathway steps in their app. Your conveyancer has still been able to foster a positive relationship with their client when they go over the documents on the phone with them. But the time your conveyancer has spent overall is significantly reduced, freeing them to work on more pressing matters.

Supporting Team Wellbeing and Productivity

Implementing tools and strategies to support your team’s wellbeing and productivity is essential for creating a positive work environment and ensuring efficient client communications. As highlighted in our previous blog, the constant interruptions and work fragmentation experienced by conveyancing staff significantly disrupt concentration and elevate stress levels, ultimately impacting productivity, employee morale and client satisfaction.

To address these challenges, consider implementing task management software, such as Realtime Conveyancer, and use time-blocking techniques to help your team manage their workload more effectively. By providing your team with the resources and support they need to stay organised and focused, you can prevent burnout and ensure that client communications enhance productivity rather than detract from it.

Furthermore, fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration within your team can also improve wellbeing and productivity. Encourage team members to share insights, ideas, and best practices and provide professional development and growth opportunities. Research has shown that businesses that invest in their team’s development and create a supportive work environment have greater employee satisfaction, which can lead to superior client experiences.

Balancing Communication, Productivity and Employee Workload in Conveyancing

Finding the balance between accessibility and productivity is essential in business, but never more so than for modern conveyancing businesses. As explored throughout this article, leveraging technology can streamline client communications, offering greater transparency and on-demand information while supporting your team’s wellbeing and productivity.

By embracing innovative solutions such as Realtime Conveyancer’s Pathway to Settlement app, automated quoting processes, chatbots, and SMS updates, conveyancing business owners can streamline communication channels, enhance the client experience, and alleviate the burden on their team. These tools improve efficiency and empower clients to stay informed and engaged throughout the transaction process, fostering trust and satisfaction.

Education

What daily interruptions are costing your team and your business

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

The conveyancing industry in 2024 is fast-paced and, at times, incredibly stressful. We see many business owners who have yet to fully realise the transformative power of technology to streamline their operations, enhance their team’s efficiency, and, ultimately, improve their business’s bottom line.

Having sat with hundreds of conveyancers, it is apparent that much of the challenge lies in the day-to-day interruptions that conveyancing staff face – phone calls, client walk-ins, urgent emails and software outages. These interruptions significantly disrupt concentration and elevate stress levels among staff members. While seemingly short, research has shown that they are major productivity killers and can lead to increased errors, missed deadlines, and heightened employee burnout.

Let’s consider a typical scenario in a conveyancing office…

A conveyancer is deeply focused on balancing a matter for settlement when an urgent call from a client breaks their concentration and takes their attention to another matter. This disruption not only delays the task at hand but also requires a significant mental effort to regain focus, further exacerbating the employee’s stress and overwhelm.

The cumulative effect of these interruptions throughout the day can be profound. Longer working hours and a stressed workforce impact client satisfaction and the business’s reputation.

What does the research say about interruptions?

A University of California study examining the nature of interruption and fragmented work found that the mental and cognitive burden on employees juggling multiple tasks suggests a need for better tools and strategies to support task management. The authors surmised that technology can help workers maintain continuity in their work and more effectively manage interruptions, resulting in the potential for improved productivity and well-being in the workplace.

In the context of conveyancing, where precision and timely communication are necessities, the cost of interruptions extends beyond just the immediate loss of productivity. They also contribute to a higher error rate, increased operational costs, and, arguably most importantly, a deteriorating workplace culture that can affect employee retention and well-being.

So, what can we do about this issue?

Conveyancing business owners should look to the adoption of technology as a viable solution to these issues. Automation tools and software streamline repetitive tasks and offer their staff a more organised and efficient way to manage client communications and documents. This technological intervention can significantly reduce the need for manual input.

The result? Fewer opportunities for interruptions, allowing staff to concentrate on higher-value tasks that require their expertise and judgment.

When we look at the tools and technology available to conveyancers, modern solutions are equipped to overcome traditional limitations, such as software outages and are conducive to the growing trend towards flexible work arrangements. Cloud-based systems offer the advantage of remote accessibility, enabling team members to work flexibly and balance their personal well-being with professional responsibilities.

What happens when we address work fragmentation and interruptions?

In acknowledging the significant toll that day-to-day interruptions take on your operations and on your team, you can take the first step to improve your business’s bottom line and enhance your team’s wellness.

Integrating technology into conveyancing practices is about embracing a culture change that values efficiency, employee well-being, and client satisfaction. Business owners who recognise the intangible benefits of technology will be better equipped to foster a healthier, more productive work environment for their employees.

Investing in the right technological solutions can reduce disruptions, streamline your processes, and create a more efficient and happier workplace.

Education

Six Reasons to Upgrade Your Conveyancing Tech Stack

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

It is easy to stick to the familiar and continue doing things the way we’ve always done them. But as consumer expectations evolve and cyber concerns loom larger than ever, at the back of every conveyancing business owner’s mind is the thought, ‘How do I keep up, keep my business secure and stay competitive?”. Change can be daunting, and the thought of upgrading our tech stack may seem like an overwhelming task. However, upgrading your conveyancing technology is not only beneficial but essential for the growth and success of your business. 

Think of your tech stack as all of the technologies used in your office and how they work together and interact to support you in running your business and delivering your services to your clients. Over time, you might find that you have different accounts and software used for different things but that they don’t really talk to each other, and in fact, some may not even be relevant to you any longer. So, here are our top six reasons why reviewing and upgrading your tech stack is the smartest move you’ll make for your conveyancing business.

1. Efficiency Gains & Time Savings

Efficiency is key in the modern conveyancing process. By upgrading your tech stack, you can streamline operations, reduce manual tasks, and significantly improve efficiency. Advanced technology solutions automate repetitive tasks, such as document generation and data entry, freeing up valuable time for your team to focus on higher-value activities and client interactions. This not only boosts productivity but also enhances job satisfaction among your staff.

In speaking with conveyancers who have harnessed efficiencies in their businesses, it seems they have two choices when it comes to what to do with the extra time they get back in their day. Many use this additional time to achieve a greater work/life balance, freeing them up to work fewer hours and spend time with their families. Others have chosen to take on additional work, increasing their revenue and growing their business whilst still working the same number of hours as they would have previously.

2. Enhanced Client Experience

The modern homeowner expects a seamless, transparent transaction. By upgrading your tech stack, you can meet the expectations of today’s consumers by providing easy access to information and streamlined communication channels. Advances in conveyancing software facilitate smoother transactions, faster response times, and improved communication with clients, enhancing their overall experience. 

In almost all other areas of their lives, consumers can obtain real-time updates from their smartphones. These capabilities are now possible in conveyancing with consumer apps like Pathway to Settlement. These apps empower clients to track the status of their settlement 24/7 and securely exchange documents and bank account details, leading to increased client satisfaction and loyalty.

3. Remote Work Capabilities

The rise of remote work has transformed the conveyancing industry, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional conveyancing software does not allow for the flexibility needed to work remotely with ease, especially if you’re out and about on the road. By upgrading your tech stack with cloud-based software and digital tools, you can empower your team to work from anywhere, increasing flexibility and resilience in your business operations. 

Remote work has also been shown to reduce workplace stress, improve mental well-being, and enhance productivity, creating a more supportive and adaptable work environment for your staff. In fact, according to Randstad’s 2023 Workmonitor Report, 74.6% of Australian workers believe that flexibility in terms of location is important to them.

4. Competitive Advantage

Conveyancing is a highly regulated industry, and as such, there is not much room to differentiate your services in terms of the legal process that must be followed. So instead, conveyancing businesses need to look for alternative ways to stand out from the crowd. One way to do so is by leveraging the latest technology.

Modern tech solutions like Pathway to Settlement enable you to offer innovative services and unique experiences to clients and real estate agents, such as real-time transaction tracking and secure document sharing. By adapting to changing market trends and client expectations of transparency and immediacy, you can position your business as a leader in the industry, attracting new clients and retaining existing ones.

5. Data Security

Cybercrime is a very real threat to the conveyancing industry, with new scams being uncovered all the time, like these recent ones in WA. Given the massive amounts of personal data received from clients over the course of a transaction, protecting this sensitive information is paramount. By upgrading your tech stack with advanced software, you can be confident that you’re operating with the latest, robust security features to minimise the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. 

Aside from the legal obligation to keep client data secure, implementing stringent security measures also enhances your client’s trust and confidence in your business, fostering long-term relationships and loyalty. Traditional communication methods such as email are no longer secure, and it is important that business owners follow best practices to reduce the risk of falling victim to a property scam to them and their clients.

6. Staff Retention and Wellbeing

We’ve talked a lot about the benefits to clients and the benefits to your business, but investing in technology has also been shown to have a positive impact on your team’s retention and well-being. By providing your staff with the tools and support they need to succeed, you create a supportive and empowering work environment. 

Modern tech facilitates collaboration, even when working remotely or across different branch locations. Easy, open communication, improved efficiency, and reduced manual tasks allow your team to focus on client interactions and higher-value aspects of their job, leading to increased job satisfaction, reduced stress and improved overall well-being.

So, what are you waiting for?

Upgrading your tech stack is essential for modern conveyancing businesses to stay competitive, meet changing client expectations, and support your team’s success. Conveyancers are blessed to have a myriad of tools and solutions available to them to tailor to their unique business needs. However you decide to do it, embracing modern technology will allow you to streamline operations, enhance your client experiences, and ultimately future-proof your business for continued growth and success.

If you’re looking to streamline your conveyancing workflows and leverage industry-leading integrations, to save you time and money, reach out to us today to book a demo of the Realtime Conveyancer platform. 

Education

How to Engage Your Team in the Transition to a Paperless Office

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

The shift toward paperless offices in the conveyancing industry has become a necessity, driven by the need for greater efficiency, security, and sustainability. However, the success of this transition depends heavily on your team’s willingness and ability to adapt to these changes. 

We know that human beings are hardwired to resist change.  So naturally, you might find that you’re up against some opposition when introducing new processes or procedures into your office.

Remember that this resistance does not come from a place of defiance. Instead, it is often fear of the unknown, the ‘comfortableness’ of the norm (no matter how clunky or time-consuming that is) or even anxiety around what these changes might mean for your team’s jobs and workload.

So, if you’re considering taking steps to transition your business to a paperless office, here are some strategies to help bring your team along on that journey:

1. Communicate your vision for a paperless office.

Before introducing any changes, it’s essential to articulate a clear vision of why transitioning to a paperless office is beneficial. Understanding the bigger picture will help your team to recognise why the changes you’re introducing are so important (and also, ‘whats in it for them’).

Highlight how it will streamline workflows, reduce errors, enhance security, and contribute to a more sustainable workplace. Ensure your team understands that this transition isn’t about replacing them with technology but about making their jobs more manageable and more enjoyable. 

2. Involve your team from day one.

Include your team members in the decision-making process right from the beginning. You can do this in various ways, such as asking for their input on what digital tools and software to implement, how to implement certain changes and weighing up the pros and cons for different solutions. 

When your employees feel that they’re being listened to and that their opinions are valued, they’re more likely to embrace the changes wholeheartedly.

It’s important to note that if this collaborative process isn’t something that they’ve been involved in before, they may be apprehensive to contribute at first. Continue to ask for their feedback and encourage them to share their views. It won’t happen overnight, but your persistence will pay off. 

3. Provide adequate training.

Transitioning to a paperless office often means adopting new software and tools. Ensure that your team receives thorough training to build their confidence in using these tools effectively. It is likely that one-off training will not be sufficient, particularly if they’re learning whilst simultaneously managing a portfolio of properties.

Offer ongoing, regular training sessions and resources, including opportunities to provide feedback and ask questions. If you have the resources to do so, you might consider temporarily lightening their workload while they get a handle on the new systems and processes.

4. Highlight the benefits (for the business and them).

Emphasise the advantages of the transition. Paperless offices lead to reduced clutter, faster document retrieval, and improved accessibility to information, allowing your team to work more efficiently. Moreover, going paperless often results in cost savings, which can translate into better job security and potential salary increases.

Ensure your team is aware of both the benefits to the business as well as for themselves. You’ll have a far more difficult time trying to implement a change that only benefits your business compared to implementing one that also benefits your team.

5. Start small. It’s not a race to be a paperless office.

Begin the transition by digitising specific processes rather than overhauling the entire conveyancing process at once. For example, digitise your matter checklist (by using your workflow within Realtime Conveyancer) but retain the paper checklist for a period of time until your team is confident with the digital method. 

This gradual approach allows your team to adapt without feeling overwhelmed. It also offers the opportunity to gather feedback and make necessary changes based on what’s working and what’s not.

6. Foster a learning culture.

Encourage a culture of continuous learning within your organisation. Invest in your team and provide regular opportunities for them to attend workshops, webinars, or conferences. Empower them to seek out professional development opportunities that align with areas they feel they need assistance.

This investment in their professional development can boost their confidence when navigating the transition to a new digital working environment.

7. Offer support and resources.

Not everyone is going to pick things up at the same speed. Recognise that some team members may be more tech-savvy than others. 

Ensure that additional support and resources, such as training and software assistance, are readily available and that they know how to access them to address their concerns and questions promptly.

8. Create digital champions.

Identify those employees who are more ‘tech-savvy’. Empower them to become digital champions within your organisation. Often, you’ll find that your team will be more inclined to turn to each other for support rather than management, and these digital champions can serve as mentors for staff to lean on. 

9. Monitor progress, and don’t forget to celebrate successes!

Regularly assess the progress of the transition using both quantitative and qualitative measures. Consider things like time spent working on matters, employee and client satisfaction and cost reduction. 

It is also just as important (if not more) to celebrate achievements along the way. Acknowledging milestones and recognising the efforts of your team can boost morale and maintain their enthusiasm for the changes.

10. Be patient and genuinely encourage feedback.

Transitioning to a paperless office can be challenging, and it’s essential to be patient with your team as they adapt. They will take longer to complete tasks in the beginning as they get used to the new processes. Give them time to learn and adapt before making any more changes.

Encourage open and honest feedback to address any concerns promptly and make necessary improvements.

11. Lead by example.

As a leader, it’s vital to lead by example. Embrace the changes yourself and show your team that you are committed to the paperless transition. Share your challenges and openly communicate the steps that you take personally to overcome these challenges and embrace the changes.

Your enthusiasm and willingness to learn can inspire your team to follow suit.

Education

It is time for conveyancers to stop pretending about how they feel

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

Realtime Conveyancer had the honour of co-hosting Mitch Wallis, founder of Heart on My Sleeve, at the recent AICWA CPC Breakfast, where he presented his heartfelt keynote, ‘Pretending is Painful’ 

His presentation took the whole room on a journey from laughter to tears and back again in a way none of us expected. Of course, nothing can entirely summarise the incredible message Mitch delivered on the day, but we know there were a lot of people who couldn’t make it, so we’ve shared his key takeaways.

  1. Courage
    Drop the brave face and go toward the hard part. 
  2. Coherence
    Make sense of your life by understanding your ‘why’.
  3. Cognition
    Change the story you tell yourself. You are not your situation
  4. Connection
    Seek first to understand when someone wants to talk to you about their mental health. Don’t try to solve the problem. 
  5. Chemistry
    Treat your body well because it always keeps the score. 
  6. Calm
    Learn what to care about so you can find some inner peace. 
  7. Control
    Manufacture stability through a routine.
  8. Crappy TV
    Don’t be embarrassed to have something that you do – simply because it brings you joy. 
  9. Celestial
    Try tapping into something bigger than yourself
  10.  Calling
    Service is purpose. Help others to help yourself. 

To hear more from Mitch himself, check out his podcast 👉 https://www.mitchwallis.com/podcast

Education

Why are we wired to resist change, and what can we do about it?

Posted on by Realtime Conveyancer

No one likes change. It’s human nature to seek out things that are familiar and known to us. And so often, we meet change with hesitation and resistance. This hardwired instinct is our brain’s way of safeguarding us from potential risks and dangers. However, it can also hold us back from embracing new, more efficient, and innovative ways of doing things.

When it comes to conveyancing, we only have to look at the last 10-15 years to see just how much change the industry has endured. Electronic conveyancing, verification of identity, Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding, GST Withholding. And so the list goes on… Often (somewhat unsurprisingly), these changes were met with resistance and frustration by those impacted.

Having endured so many regulatory changes, business owners have found themselves needing more time and motivation to make impactful procedural changes to modernise their conveyancing businesses. Familiar, safe processes can be easy to accept, even if they are slow and heavily manual. However, for your business to continue to grow and thrive, a more streamlined, technology-driven approach is essential.

So, how can understanding the psychology of change help conveyancers and their staff transition to modern conveyancing practices?

First, let’s understand the brain’s resistance to change

Our brains are wired to resist change. To our brain, familiarity equals safety. In conveyancing, this means that even if your current methods are slow, error-prone, and frustrating, they still feel safe because they are known to you. On the flip side, learning something new can trigger feelings of uncertainty and potential risk.

Think about your current processes. You probably use many extra steps and workarounds to overcome the limitations of the tool or process and ensure a successful outcome.

But what if you could change your process or system to avoid the need for these safeguards?

Objections to change are entirely normal. Often, they’re rooted in our instinctual need to be in our ‘safe zone’. So, rather than bulldozing through any objections to change that your team may raise or donning a ‘like it or lump it’ attitude, you’ll achieve a far more favourable outcome if you address them with empathy and understanding.

Embrace your and your team’s worries and anxieties

Feeling worried, anxious or overwhelmed about change is entirely valid. It’s a sign that your brain is dealing with an unfamiliar situation. It’s essential to convey to your team that these emotions are normal and not insurmountable obstacles. It is OK that it may take time for everyone to adapt and feel comfortable with new processes and tools.

Open, honest and frequent communication without fear of judgement or negative repercussions is vital to ease your team’s concerns about any impending change. In all honesty, it’s pretty likely you’ll experience many of the same feelings yourself. After all, if you’ve done things the same way for many years, any change to this ‘norm’ will feel tricky at the start. You may even second-guess your decision to implement the changes at points throughout your journey.

Being kind to yourself and your team, setting reasonable milestones and reflecting regularly on your progress are essential.

Don’t forget to learn from your mistakes

Mistakes may happen. In fact, we can almost guarantee that they will, especially during the initial learning phase. Instead of viewing these mistakes as failures, consider them opportunities for improvement. Put a plan together for how you will mitigate or manage these mistakes and, most importantly, learn from them. 

Again, open communication with your team is key here. They should feel confident about bringing concerns or challenges to the table to workshop solutions and receive additional training for any ‘sticky bits’.

Sharing stories with your team of how you’ve overcome challenging issues can help everyone feel more confident navigating new systems and processes.

Give yourself time, change doesn’t happen overnight

Change takes time, and it’s essential to acknowledge that things might take longer than expected while you’re in the learning phase. You cannot expect to implement a new system or procedure and get things done as quickly as before from day one. 

Of course, the goal when implementing changes in your office is to be more efficient and work more effectively. So it can be disheartening when what you thought would speed things up actually seems to take longer. Be patient with yourself and your team. As you gain experience and practice, your efficiency will increase, and these processes will get faster.

Future-proof your conveyancing business

Embracing change in your conveyancing office is not just about adopting the latest new flashy tech. Change for the sake of change or because ‘everyone else is doing it’ won’t cut the mustard. It’s about looking at your business, your staff, and your clients and evolving and adapting to meet their new needs in this fast-paced, dynamic industry. 

And while we’re hard-wired to resist change, recognising the benefits that the change offers, and allowing yourself and your team grace as that change is implemented will enable you to future-proof your business. They say that change is a journey, not a destination, and those who embrace change will be well-positioned to thrive in this evolving landscape that is the modern conveyancing industry.

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