The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent health and safety restrictions dramatically transformed the process service industry—especially in circumstances where in-person service might normally be preferred or even required, but was no longer possible.
With many businesses closed for in-person work or meetings, options for a successful workplace delivery decreased. Additionally, confirmation of said delivery became more difficult, since remote work options kept most employees out of the office for undetermined amounts of time.
Even home deliveries were more difficult, since the pandemic displaced many individuals from their homes, either by choice or due to difficulties paying their rent or mortgage. And even when a correct address was discovered, in-person delivery was still considered a significant health risk for both the process server and the recipient.
In order to navigate these circumstances, process service has seen some adjustments, and DGR has made the following adaptations:
- We offer courier services to pick up original documents from the homes of law firm staff—this has been an increasingly popular service during the pandemic
- We keep track of new ordinances and restrictions regarding gatherings, in-person work, and essential service in order to ensure that documents always head to the correct location
With the arrival of a vaccine and a slow transition back to standard operations, process servers must once again adapt their practices. Fortunately, some of the modifications made during the pandemic will still be useful in the future, such as the increased capacity to work with remote clients. Additionally, we can prepare for a post-pandemic future in the following ways:
- Continuing to use technology and automate when possible. We use software that sends automatic updates to clients while keeping the internal office operations and the out-in-the field process servers all in sync. This helps keep clients and process servers in the loop, even if one or both parties are still working remotely.
- As communities and cities begin to resume normal functioning, anticipate an increase in requests for services. Since many cities and courts were operating with partial or limited capacity for the past few months, a large increase in new court filings and proceedings is soon expected. Be prepared with established routines and streamlined procedures.
- Be even better than before. Yes, the pandemic changed the way nearly every business operates, but some of these changes are worth keeping in the future. We’re always seeking to improve and the “return to normal” includes maintaining the skills learned while navigating the unusual conditions of the past few months.
At DGR Legal our process servers have continued to make successful deliveries, even under these unique circumstances. With decades of experience in all types of process service—from international and out-of-state deliveries to alternative forms of service through social media and email—we’re the reliable choice for fast and efficient process service.
