Digital completion in practice: Guest Walker’s first transaction through PEXA

Onboarding to new technology can feel daunting, especially when firms are focused on avoiding disruption to busy day-to-day operations. Guest Walker described onboarding as straightforward, with support on hand whenever questions came up. 

“Onboarding was actually pretty easy really, we knew what to expect and had all the items we needed prepared, helping the team move forward without a prolonged internal change process. The actual user setup was quick, and it only took about 30 seconds. With the level of support being really good – if we had a question, it was answered in within a day.”   

Helping ensure that the path to becoming a PEXA enabled law firm feels as smooth as possible.

First transaction: minimal disruption, clear communication 

A common assumption is that completing digitally requires firms to overhaul their established workflows. For Guest Walker, the first transaction required minimal process change, as part of their managed and controlled approach to introducing PEXA. 

“For our first transaction we didn’t have to amend lots of processes – it was mainly just getting our client’s approval and informing the other side.” 

They also found the client’s response to be immediate and straightforward.

“Our client signed off to use PEXA straight away, with no additional questions.” 

And the moment of completion itself was clear and simple. 

“8:45 logged on, marked as complete.” 

For firms considering adoption, these are important reassurances. The earliest transactions are often less about reinventing the way you practise, and more about building confidence in a clearer, more controlled way to complete.

Completion day: reducing pressure and uncertainty 

Completion day is often defined by back-and-forth coordination, with fee earners and accounts teams working under tight time constraints, particularly when there is a chain involved. Guest Walker described a smoother completion experience, including being able to prepare in advance. 

“Completion felt quicker and with less hassle on the day…the day before completion we could just walk away and come in on the Friday morning to see that it’s all been done…It’s a lot of pressure off on a Friday.” 

 

They also see a broader market benefit as adoption grows. 

“The more people use PEXA, we will see it reducing the stress on completion day… All that back and forth on completion day that involves not just the conveyancing team but the accounts team, we see that it could streamline this and make actual completion day less stressful.” 

For clients, predictability matters too. Having more clarity and control around timing can help reduce uncertainty at the point they care about most: getting the keys. 

“Advantage for our clients will be being able to choose their completion times – reducing that level of uncertainty for the client.”

Post-completion: less “faffing around”, fewer handoffs 

While completion day gets most of the attention, many firms know the real time drain often sits after completion. Post-completion work can involve multiple people, multiple systems, and repeated checking, all while teams are managing live transactions with ongoing client queries and pressures.

Guest Walker highlighted post-completion as one of the most practical benefits.

“It’s taken away a large chunk of the post-completion admin. Normally there’s so much faffing around to do and it can involve three or four different people. But with PEXA, there is just one button to press ‘submit to HMLR’ that just makes it easy doesn’t it!” 

 

This is where digital completions can deliver a meaningful operational win: fewer handoffs, fewer steps, and a more direct route from completion to title lodgement.

Capacity and productivity: benefits beyond the fee earner 

Operational improvements matter most when they release time across the whole firm, not just within the legal team. Guest Walker highlighted the impact of automation and reduced checking on accounts teams, and the potential for more capacity across the property department. 

“Because it’s more automated than constantly checking the bank, it takes the pressure off the accounts team and for our residential department they would have more capacity to do due diligence and get more transactions on the systems along with the reduction of phone calls from people chasing what’s going on, everyone will be given more time back.”

Practical reassurance for peers: start controlled, then scale 

Guest Walker’s experience reinforces a message many firms will recognise: the safest way to adopt new infrastructure is to do it in a controlled, phased way, embedding it properly before scaling. 

That kind of gradual rollout is not about going slowly, it’s about reducing operational risk. It gives teams the chance to get familiar with the workflow, confirm responsibilities and approvals, and build confidence and trust through controlled usage. That way, when a firm needs to scale up transaction volumes, it can do so smoothly, without the pressure of implementing quickly under pressure. 

And if another firm is considering taking the first step, Guest Walker’s recommendation is clear. 

“Based on the use of the system and the support you get I would highly recommend.”