Service As a Strategy, Not a Buzzword

The critical point I want to make is that every touch point a client has with a firm can contribute meaningfully to client satisfaction ' or dissatisfaction. This is not just about getting a smile and a warm greeting from the receptionists, or about being treated politely by a lawyer's assistant. Those things are expected. This is about going to the next level for the receptionist and assistant; and it is about having everyone recognize that what they do matters a lot ' from the switchboard operator and IT team to the mail service and finance folks.

Client Satisfaction

Not surprisingly, firms score highest in satisfaction when I hear in client interviews that everyone in the organization seems passionate about client satisfaction, and everyone has a positive helpful attitude. Making sure that clients get to the person they need quickly, that they get the answers they need about technology connections and that they are treated well when they interact with the finance team, not only helps the brand, but also the bottom line. Simply stated: Clients who are delighted by the overall experience of working with a firm are much more loyal to the firm.

Yes, all of this applies equally to the lawyers, not just the staff. It is impossible to keep and grow clients if the lawyers are not responsive and accessible, with a clear understanding of the client's business. Every lawyer, as well as everyone else in the firm, needs to know that their job is to make clients look good, make money, save money and sleep better. Fortunately for the lawyers who just do good legal work with little more, staff can sometimes bail them out.

It is not unusual to hear a client say the lawyers at a firm are solid, but nothing special, while an assistant, a paralegal or even the office manager (in smaller firms) knows her well and helps her navigate the system so effectively that she loves the firm.

Support Staff

If the finance people who deal with clients on billing issues are good listeners, show some empathy and humanize the process, it helps the firm brand immeasurably; if the people delivering important documents or packages (often with the firm logo displayed on their shirts) engage the recipient personally and help move heavy boxes to the right place, then the firm's brand is enhanced; when a client is escorted to a conference room that is clean, organized and stocked with appropriate supplies, it makes a great impression.

When I show up to speak at a law firm, I almost always make a judgment about the firm in the first 10 minutes upon arrival. It is often early in the morning, before the regular staff are all in. If the IT person who is there to help me set up acts like he is glad to have me there and to have the opportunity to help me ' rather than acting like his morning routine has been rudely interrupted ' I conclude before meeting any lawyers that it is a good firm.

Why is this so important? For most firms the only meaningful way to differentiate themselves from other firms is through client service ' the total client experience. Do the clients feel important when dealing with the firm? Are they a name, and not just a number?

The answers to these questions are critical, because one rude employee can offset most of the value that may have been derived from thousands of dollars and myriad hours spent on the firm's marketing program. Truly satisfied clients are the firm's lifeblood, as they keep giving the firm repeat work; they are more inclined to give the firm new work; they will refer the firm unequivocally to their colleagues; and they will pay bills faster and with less discounting.

So, it may not be the first thing you think of as a marketing strategy, but is critical to let everyone in the organization know how much they can contribute to the firm's success. Train all of the lawyers and staff to understand how important exceptional service is to clients, and what it looks and feels like to a client. Ask for suggestions from everyone about what the firm can do to improve its service to clients.

Conclusion

Every law firm on the planet says it provides excellent client service, but if you talk to clients, few do it exceptionally. I tell lawyers all the time that it is not a compliment for a client to describe them as “a good lawyer and nice person”; it is a compliment when they say he or she “is one of the best lawyers with whom I have ever worked.” Ditto for the firm. Make service a true priority and a cornerstone of your strategy, and it will improve morale, enhance your brand, increase profitability, help with recruiting, and much, much more.'

Jim Durham is a consultant who provides clients service training to lawyers and staff. Contact him at [email protected].

Several years ago, I was asked to speak in Hawaii (of all places) on the subject of how everyone in a law firm can contribute to the firm's' marketing efforts. While the title of the program was “Getting Everyone in the Firm Involved in Marketing,” the real message was focused on the profound impact each person in the organization has on client satisfaction, in a way that ultimately enhances the firm's brand.

The 'Third Rail'

It should go without saying that client satisfaction is the single most important piece of data a firm can look at, but for many firms, getting client feedback is still viewed as the “third rail.” (That is the part of the train track that you don't want to touch, for those of you who do not live around a subway system.) There is a common belief that a client will let you know if he is unhappy with the firm's service, and that things are fine if the client is not complaining. Having interviewed over 150 clients of law firms, however, I can say with authority that nothing is further from the truth ' but I digress.

The critical point I want to make is that every touch point a client has with a firm can contribute meaningfully to client satisfaction ' or dissatisfaction. This is not just about getting a smile and a warm greeting from the receptionists, or about being treated politely by a lawyer's assistant. Those things are expected. This is about going to the next level for the receptionist and assistant; and it is about having everyone recognize that what they do matters a lot ' from the switchboard operator and IT team to the mail service and finance folks.

Client Satisfaction

Not surprisingly, firms score highest in satisfaction when I hear in client interviews that everyone in the organization seems passionate about client satisfaction, and everyone has a positive helpful attitude. Making sure that clients get to the person they need quickly, that they get the answers they need about technology connections and that they are treated well when they interact with the finance team, not only helps the brand, but also the bottom line. Simply stated: Clients who are delighted by the overall experience of working with a firm are much more loyal to the firm.

Yes, all of this applies equally to the lawyers, not just the staff. It is impossible to keep and grow clients if the lawyers are not responsive and accessible, with a clear understanding of the client's business. Every lawyer, as well as everyone else in the firm, needs to know that their job is to make clients look good, make money, save money and sleep better. Fortunately for the lawyers who just do good legal work with little more, staff can sometimes bail them out.

It is not unusual to hear a client say the lawyers at a firm are solid, but nothing special, while an assistant, a paralegal or even the office manager (in smaller firms) knows her well and helps her navigate the system so effectively that she loves the firm.

Support Staff

If the finance people who deal with clients on billing issues are good listeners, show some empathy and humanize the process, it helps the firm brand immeasurably; if the people delivering important documents or packages (often with the firm logo displayed on their shirts) engage the recipient personally and help move heavy boxes to the right place, then the firm's brand is enhanced; when a client is escorted to a conference room that is clean, organized and stocked with appropriate supplies, it makes a great impression.

When I show up to speak at a law firm, I almost always make a judgment about the firm in the first 10 minutes upon arrival. It is often early in the morning, before the regular staff are all in. If the IT person who is there to help me set up acts like he is glad to have me there and to have the opportunity to help me ' rather than acting like his morning routine has been rudely interrupted ' I conclude before meeting any lawyers that it is a good firm.

Why is this so important? For most firms the only meaningful way to differentiate themselves from other firms is through client service ' the total client experience. Do the clients feel important when dealing with the firm? Are they a name, and not just a number?

The answers to these questions are critical, because one rude employee can offset most of the value that may have been derived from thousands of dollars and myriad hours spent on the firm's marketing program. Truly satisfied clients are the firm's lifeblood, as they keep giving the firm repeat work; they are more inclined to give the firm new work; they will refer the firm unequivocally to their colleagues; and they will pay bills faster and with less discounting.

So, it may not be the first thing you think of as a marketing strategy, but is critical to let everyone in the organization know how much they can contribute to the firm's success. Train all of the lawyers and staff to understand how important exceptional service is to clients, and what it looks and feels like to a client. Ask for suggestions from everyone about what the firm can do to improve its service to clients.

Conclusion

Every law firm on the planet says it provides excellent client service, but if you talk to clients, few do it exceptionally. I tell lawyers all the time that it is not a compliment for a client to describe them as “a good lawyer and nice person”; it is a compliment when they say he or she “is one of the best lawyers with whom I have ever worked.” Ditto for the firm. Make service a true priority and a cornerstone of your strategy, and it will improve morale, enhance your brand, increase profitability, help with recruiting, and much, much more.'

Jim Durham is a consultant who provides clients service training to lawyers and staff. Contact him at [email protected].