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Voice of the Client: Are You Listening?

By Silvia Coulter
July 30, 2012

“I can talk all I want but I often wonder who is listening?” Interesting words from a GC of a global energy company, who was invited to present on a panel to a law firm conference audience of managing partners. When asked why the response, he added, “Clients have been telling lawyers for years how to make the relationships work; what we are looking for and how to win business. Are they listening? Most of us don't think so.”

Some clients might disagree, but how many can truly relate to this comment? Perhaps quite a few. The world of client opportunities is shrinking, based primarily on the fact that, with the exception of budding startups, any client worth grabbing has plenty of law firms with whom they work. To win new business means grabbing client share from another firm. That's fair, but why let it happen to your firm? Focus first on client retention, then client growth and then new business development. Why? The firm stands to gain the most opportunity from its existing clients by growing share of wallet or building advocacy into those relationships which in turn, may provide opportunities for clients to refer the firm to others.

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