Great client service = client retention and word-of-mouth referrals.
I doubt many lawyers pay much attention to client service, or have any policies in place about client service. This is a big mistake. Happy clients are will keep coming back and tell other people about you and your firm.
The following are some basic client service techniques that are sure to help client retention at your firm.
- Live telephone reception. I’ve been tempted to get automated answering, but I have to say I sure appreciate a live-person when I call somewhere. I know you and your clients do as well.
- Meet your clients when and where it suits them as much as possible. I’m not saying give up every weekend (there are limits), but it’s not much of an imposition to meet clients outside your office and on occasion outside your office hours.
- Pleasant and prompt greeting at the door. Ask your clients about their experience. Your reception will be nice to you, but are they nice to clients? This also requires that you have a receptionist or someone working at the door.
- Fast e-mail and voicemail response time (i.e. within 24 – 48 hours). I set out in my initial client letter that we try to do this. I don’t always succeed in responding within 48 hours. When I don’t, I apologize.
- Don’t make clients wait if at all possible. If they’re early and you’re available, see them early. Otherwise, meet them at the appointed time. If you’re running late, try to contact them. It’s easy with cell phones these days.
- Have a decent magazine selection in your reception area. I’ve heard about lawyers only setting out their marketing materials. That’s too self-promoting for my taste.
- Coffee, tea, water, soft drink service.
- Freebies: pens, mugs, folders, thumb drives, etc. (with your firm logo and contact information of course).
- Client feedback (short surveys, anonymous client feedback on your Web site using uservoice.com, e-mail your clients, give them a form to fill out, talk to them, etc.). Feedback is a great way for you to improve your client service firm-wide.
- If you hire staff, don’t permit bad talk about your clients. You don’t want a negative client service environment because clients sense it.
- Delight your clients – over-deliver your service every time. Yes, sometimes cases go sideways. That’s the way it is in law. However, diminish the bad experience for your clients with exceptional client service in every way you can control. A decent analogy is restaurant service. Sometimes the kitchen screws up. I don’t mind if my server apologizes and makes up for it with a token offer such as dessert or comps the bill. I also like an explanation. When this happens, the bad situation is mitigated. I’m likely willing to return.
- When you don’t over-deliver, apologize and offer a gift, fee reduction, or some way to make up for it.
- Don’t take your clients for granted.
- Give personal service as much as you can – get to know your clients a little and at the very least call them by name. Show that you’re actually interested in them. That said, if you sense your client isn’t interested in divulging, then don’t. I enjoy getting to know more about my clients; most seem to appreciate that I show an interest.
- If you spend some time chit-chatting in an effort to get to know your clients, don’t bill them for it. This loss of time is leakage which is inevitable. Increase your hourly fee to make up for it. Clients prefer to spend an extra $20 per hour than see a bill and know you charged them for time talking about the recent birth of their child. That said, you don’t want to burn up 30 minutes chit-chatting. A few minutes is good, but you have to make a living.
- Get client feedback in some way – so you can improve your services.
- Strive to say yes as much as possible – be flexible.
- Treat your employees well – your clients will notice. There’s nothing so distasteful from a client’s perspective as unpleasant employers. Remember, most of your clients are employees too.
There is no substitute for classy, convenient, and outstanding client service. There is no better way to maintain and build revenues than repeat clients and word-of-mouth referrals.
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