Shropshire law firm uses FaceTime to help client
It may sound like the latest teenage fad but a multi-media Facebook tool has helped a Shropshire firm negotiate a deal at a crucial stage for a client travelling thousands of miles away.
FaceTime, used to make video calls, came to the rescue for Bennett’s Legal in Shrewsbury at a key stage in discussions with a client travelling in the depths of Asia.
Other methods of communication failed to help as they raced to close the deal on the last day of business before Christmas.
Those involved had tried mobile calls and Skype but neither had given a consistent enough signal to carry out the meeting.
Founder of the company Paul Bennett suggested FaceTime as he had his iPhone available and the client, a senior executive with a global company, was travelling with his iPad.
It allowed all interested parties to be involved in the meeting for the deal to be done without any unnecessary delays.
While Facebook and its associated apps and tools are more associated with social activities more and more businesses are recognising they have strong commercial potential and can aid businesses to work more efficiently.
American President Barack Obama also showed he was a big fan of FaceTime recently taking part in an online question and answer session hosted by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Mr Bennett said FaceTime had turned out to be the perfect solution for a meeting which really needed to take place at that time and they would certainly use it again in the future.
"We were asked to represent a senior executive with a global company who was negotiating a pay-off from the business,” he added.
“It was the week before Christmas and he was travelling in rural China. We had tried and failed to pin everyone down via a mobile connection and had similar issues with Skype cutting in and out.
“Eventually I suggested FaceTime as the executive had an iPad with him and I had my iPhone. It was seamless and had it not been for FaceTime we would not have been able to have the meeting. Just as importantly, the deal was finally agreed on the last business day before Christmas.
"It was a bit of a 'pinch yourself' moment because this was a European company with worldwide interests, a British executive travelling in the depths of Asia and it was all facilitated by a Shropshire-based company on a rural business park in Shrewsbury."
