'Just give it to Sarah, she's good with leaseholds'
New instructions come in. The team leader allocates them quickly: leaseholds to the case handler who is best at them, the estate agent's files to the person that agent likes, the rest by rotation. It works until it does not. The leasehold specialist has twice as many active files as anyone else, several at the busiest stage, and her calls are going unanswered.
Meanwhile another case handler has a quieter caseload, mostly waiting on searches, and could take more.
Why simple allocation goes wrong
File counts do not show workload. A caseload of files waiting on searches is lighter than the same number heading for exchange. Leasehold, new build and unregistered files take more effort than freehold remortgages. Rotation and habit ignore all of that.
The information needed to allocate well is in the case management system: each file's type, stage and recent activity. But it is not presented in a way a team leader can use quickly when allocating five new files at nine in the morning.
| Allocation method | What it misses |
|---|---|
| Rotation | Different file types and stages |
| Specialism | Overloads the specialist |
| Introducer preference | Workload of the preferred person |
| File count | How busy each file is right now |
What uneven caseloads cost
Overloaded case handlers become slower, make more mistakes and eventually leave, which is expensive in a market where experienced conveyancers are hard to find. Clients on their files wait longer and complain more. Files on lighter caseloads move well, so service quality depends on luck.
Team leaders spend time firefighting instead of supervising.
Estate agents feel it as well. The agent whose files all go to one overloaded case handler hears from their clients that nothing is happening, and draws conclusions about the whole firm. The introducer relationship suffers because of an allocation habit nobody chose deliberately.
Holidays expose the problem most clearly. When the busiest case handler is away for a fortnight, the gaps in their caseload become everyone's problem at once, usually around the files heading for exchange.
How we build caseload allocation
- Weighted caseload: each live file is given a weight based on its type (freehold, leasehold, new build, remortgage, unregistered) and current stage, using weightings your team leaders agree.
- Live view: team leaders see each case handler's weighted caseload, files at busy stages, and files with no activity for a while, updated from your case management system.
- Allocation suggestion: for each new file, the tool suggests a case handler based on weighted load, skills and any introducer arrangements, and shows why.
- Team leader decides: the team leader accepts or overrides the suggestion, and the file is allocated in your system.
- Pressure alerts: when a case handler's weighted load passes a level you set, or several of their files reach exchange at once, the team leader is alerted.
- Absence cover: when someone is off, their files needing action are listed for temporary cover.
What team leaders get
A clear picture of who is busy and who has room, based on the files themselves. Allocation that takes workload into account without taking longer. Early warning before someone becomes overloaded. And a fairer spread of work, which people notice.
Clients get more consistent service, whichever case handler they are allocated.
Signs your allocation needs help
- Some case handlers have far more active work than others.
- Files are allocated by rotation or habit.
- Specialists are consistently overloaded.
- Team leaders cannot quickly see who has capacity.
- Holiday cover is arranged file by file.