# 3.4 Responding to Enquiries (Email & Phones)

Many of the organizations you may work/volunteer for in a charity sector as well as providing substantive legal advice also provide a service for general enquiries , your organisation might be able to help with that enquiry or you might need to refer the matter on whatever the situation that arises you must always:

#### **Be positive, patient and empathetic:**

Remember most of the clients that you will be dealing with might be distraught and they see you or the organisation you work for as their place of sanctuary. 

#### **Have useful information to hand and be ready to deal with common questions:**

Clients often do not have the means to contact organisations repeatedly and to give them a sense of HOPE it is advisable to keep a list of organisations, refugee, solicitors, police to signpost and refer if need be. 

#### **Keep good records of new enquiries:**

This is to enable the organisation to keep a track of the enquiries received but also to assist if a dispute arose as to what was said and how the client was treated.

#### **Keep detailed casenotes of phone calls and e-mails with existing clients:**

This an essential component of good casework (see below) - you do not want to be in a position where important information was given over the phone and then not recorded.

#### **Follow up any messages quickly:** 

It’s best not to keep clients waiting on any advice, action or decisions.

#### **Live up to your promises:**

Do not promise clients something that you are unable or unwilling to deliver. If you have promised a client an action make sure you deliver the action in the agreed timescales. 

#### **Maintain confidentiality:**

Other individuals may ring you or answer the phone when you ring the client - in these circumstances be always conscious of your duty to maintain confidentiality which places an obligation on you to always communicate directly with the client.

#### **Obtain client authorisation when you communicate with another person:**

You should confirm this in writing to the client. 

#### **Check if clients are happy with the people present:**

If a client attends a meeting with others, you must check each and every time that the client is happy for the other person to be present. 

#### **Avoid leaving a message on the client landline:**

You can never be sure who will hear the message.