change6000 people in the UK still have a black and white TV licence. 6000! Why on earth is that the case in 2020? Do these people think a black and white TV is better? Surely not. Is it that they couldn’t afford a basic colour TV, or accept a second hand one? Probably not. Is it that we, as humans, don’t change unless forced to by something becoming so painful it’s almost unbearable any longer? I think that is the most likely reason.

In life, we find ways to get by with “less than ideal“, cope with “ok“, and only change when something gets so bad we literally have to. The same often applies in managing law firms, and any business for that matter. We plaster over small, seemingly insignificant problems to make do, even though we know they will reappear. Think about a problematic or underperforming member of staff. Do you bite the bullet and replace them with the right person, or “have a word” and hope things will improve (even though they haven’t in the past, after numerous similar conversations)?

What about in your cash room/accounts department? Are your staff and/or systems operating in the most efficient ways, ensuring the accurate recording of data without any unnecessary duplication of effort? Are they acting in accordance with generally accepted industry best practice? Are they giving you the information you need to run your business? And are they operating in a way that is secure against fraud and cyber crime?

Do you put up with members of staff being resistant to change and efficiency improvements, or just being downright blockers to anything different from “the way we’ve always done it“? Businesses put up with these situations, even though they know fine well that it isn’t good for driving the business forward. I read a quote last week that is apt for this type of scenario (although I can’t now remember who said it!). It was as follows… “if it’s the way you’ve always done it, it’s probably wrong“. Things change changeover time, as do regulations, best practice, and more efficient ways of working, and you must keep changing and adapting gradually over time too.

Have a think about how you manage the different areas of your business, and whether you could be a little more bold in making change happen for the benefit of the business, even before that change is forced upon you. It may be to do with systems or technology, it may be to do with people, it may be to do with the work you take on, the way work is carried out, or the way it is delivered to clients. Whatever it is, be brave and make a change for the better!

Gregor Angus, Senior Business Development Manager

The Cashroom Ltd