Updated on: 8/14/2018
There are a few core things about our office culture that we especially tried to cultivate. This morning I received an email that is proof to me that we are succeeding. The court reporter who sent the email is literally an expert on law office environments and front desk personnel---she’s been in hundreds of law offices. A compliment from her is very, very meaningful.
Here is the email:
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2018 8:33 AM
To: Mischelle Davis
Subject: compliment
Hi Mischelle
I'm a court reporter...and had a deposition at your office last week. In my job for the last 40 years, I've gone to a new office nearly every day and have dealt with literally thousands of front desk personnel, so when someone does a really exemplary job in a sort of everyday position like that, it really grabs my attention.
When I first came in your office, your front desk gal, Liz, greeted me warmly with a handshake, introducing herself and really treating me like I was someone special. She was so gracious and personable, it felt like I'd known her my whole life. She helped get me situated in the conference room for the deposition, and then was answering some phone calls from potential clients, which I could hear as I was setting up. She was even more wonderful on the phone.
I'd had a really hard week myself, and just hearing how respectfully and kindly she got information so she could set the caller up with an accident investigator, I found myself relaxing and feeling taken care of, even though I wasn't even the one on the phone, it was really quite remarkable!
I wanted to take this opportunity to give kudos to Liz, because I feel like it's easy to overlook people in support jobs behind the scenes and to forget what great assets they are.
NOTE: Confidential and/or personal information has been removed from the email.
Why Our Office Culture Is Important
Eleven years ago when I started working with my husband at this firm I wanted to bring Southern hospitality to the office (I grew up in Kentucky). I wanted to make sure that everyone who visits us felt as warmly welcome as they would if they were a visitor in our home. Frankly, we spend more time at the office then we do at our house----so the office is just as much “home” as our house is.
I even deliberately decorated the lobby with furniture that mimics our living room. People should not feel intimidated or uncomfortable when they visit a law office. And our 'Seahawk Conference Room' is decorated from floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall with Seahawks memorabilia. We designed it to help people relax and feel like they are a member of a winning, supportive team.
Working with and supporting people who are injured (be in physical or emotional) is what we do every day. We can never forget that. We must show them compassion and respect. Even if we are not able to take their case----especially if we are not able to take their case.
Again, I can’t tell you how happy I was to receive this email this morning. I read it to Liz as soon as I arrived in the office. I printed it out and framed it for her.
I sincerely hope that Davis Law Group can continue to live up to the standard that Liz has displayed.
Mischelle Davis
Director of Operations
Davis Law Group, P.S.