Conveyancing firm, ONP solicitors, has reduced the number of cases that each case manager deals with by 30% in order to provide a better service to customers and intermediaries, and to speed up turnaround times.

The firm has taken a major step by reducing the size of its working pipeline by revamping its workload management.

It said its strategic decision comes from its commitment to prioritise the well-being and mental health of its case managers, as well as dedication to improve the level of service both for customers and intermediaries.

This reduced workload has been trialled over the past quarter and as a result, both its customer satisfaction levels and its Net Promoter Score have increased by 25% with a corresponding 56% reduction in complaints.

In addition, ONP has digitised some core back-end processing, streamlined operations and enabled case managers to provide a higher level of efficiency, speed, and accuracy in handling conveyancing cases.

ONP has also reduced the number of trainees in the business, focusing on experienced case managers. It also means that each trainee receives more dedicated training. This has boosted performance, sped up transaction times and increased levels of customer service.

These improvements have had a positive effect on the well-being of ONP’s case managers, who have reported reduced stress levels, heightened productivity and an increased ability to manage their workloads effectively.

Craig Underwood (pictured), group chief operating officer at ONP Group, said: “Following the impact of the stamp duty holidays and the Liz Truss budget, we reviewed how we did business and began a purpose-led journey by challenging ourselves to ensure we were doing all we could to differentiate ourselves on service. We have actively sought feedback from clients, introducers and internal colleagues, and then implemented changes based on that feedback.

“The result of this, is a strategy that brings our case managers closer to clients from the outset, starting with every client receiving a personal call from a case manager within 24 hours of a case being submitted to us.

“We have intentionally set our average caseloads at 65, substantially below the levels of our competitors. The levels are lower again for trainees and those relatively new to the job.

“This ensures that each case manager has the necessary capacity to deliver unparalleled attention to detail, maintain prompt communication with clients and intermediaries, and provide comprehensive support throughout the entire conveyancing process.

“We believe that establishing strong relationships with our clients from the very beginning is crucial. By transferring certain tasks, such as initial client calls and onboarding interactions, back to our case managers, we ensure a seamless and personalised experience for each client.”