Do You Approach Your Clients As Friends Or Just Sources Of Revenue?
That is really the question that David Maister's article "Do You Really Want Relationships?" is asking, at least that's my take. I ran across the link to his article on Gerry Riskin's Amazing Firms, Amazing Practices blog. The article is well worth reading in its entirety as David is always engaging in his writings and seminars.
Gerry highlights one aspect of the question in his post "Do you want romance or a one night stand?" He lists five of Maister's examples of "client as enemy" behaviors, such as:
*Focusing on selling the client rather than starting a dialogue,
*Avoiding talking with the client since you may lose control or have to treat the client like a person,
*Failing to contact the client to just chat or share non-matter related information,
*Trying to sell more work, rather than serve the client, and
*Formalizing agreements and decisions, rather than trusting each other.
I am not sure all of the above qualify as "enemy" focused behavior, but clearly they do support the argument that the relationship is not one between friends. And, as I have stated before, if your legal marketing approach is focused on developing long term client relationships based on mutual respect and trust, then you should be trying to develop relationships that are also based on friendship.
Great post. You've expressed David Maister's view succinctly and in a way which everyone must be able to understand. Thanks for the contribution.
Great post. I have been a very firm believer in treating your client as a person and someone you care about as a person over and above revenue source/slot machine. Try this on in a firm with partners that you have to answer to. I had one very bad example of this. Client owed money for work done. Partner wanted to cut off client right before trial date. Client had property that would have easily secured the money owing. Talk about building relationships. Right when they need you most you threaten to leave them hang dry because they are behind on payment. I had to fight like hell to let that partner allow me to take the matter to trial. I did and the client pais albeit late. Point is they are still a client and appreciate the effort I took to represent them.
