Good bad and indifferent

Like all things, trains are great when they work.  Being stuck on a stationary train is frustrating.  Looking at TFLs website which shows a good service whilst stuck in said stationary train is downright insulting!

The moral of this story is that "good" means different things to different people?
 
Questions of interpretation, or rather disputes over what certain things mean, are a central part of what we do.  The contentious side of the business is often the more exciting aspect of our work, but it can also be worrying for the client.  No matter how good I am at what I do, no matter how well I prepare and how experienced my barrister is, if the Judge reaches a different interpretation of the wording, we may not get the result we deserve.
 
The moral of that story is that, as far as possible, make your wording as clear as possible at the outset.  If "good" to you means delays of no more than 15 minutes, then say so.  That way, if there is a 10 minute delay, you are still providing a good service.  If time is of the essence to you, then say in your contract that if the delivery is any more than one day late, you have the right to cancel the service.
 
It’s not just the wording of your contract that can help you.  An SLA (service level agreement) can clearly set out what’s expected of each side and, more importantly, what the consequences are if one side doesn’t meet the other’s expectations.  If everyone knows what they have to work to, and it’s clear, disputes are far less likely.
 
If you need help with drafting a clearly worded contract, or interpreting a contract that’s been sent to you, then drop me a line at stephanie@kleymansolicitors.com.  We’ll find a time to meet up for a coffee and a chat, and I’ll do my best to be on time but you know what the trains can be like.  If I’m more than 10 minutes late, the coffee is on me!
 
Kleyman & Co Solicitors.  The full service law firm.  More reliable than TFL.