If your firm has ever lost a client (yeah, I know), I hope you know why. Not think you know, BUT really know the reason(s). My guess is that it was due to poor client relations and/or failure to produce value, or a combination of both. An article by Aric Press, editor-in-chief of The American… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: client satisfaction
Why Clients Will Pay You More
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsBecause they like you. They like you because you provide great value. You provide great value because you care about your clients, about being efficient and reducing costs, helping them achieve their personal and business goals, and you give them freebies (i.e. free advice occasionally, CLE, and more). The result: raving fans! Raving fans are willing to… Continue Reading
Top 2012 Goal: Client Retention
Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing TipsAs 2011 winds down (this year seems to have particularly flown by), it is time to start setting goals for next year. Since approximately 80% of law firm work comes from existing clients (in the form of new work or referrals) or other referral sources, client satisfaction and retention (except for criminal defense, PI and… Continue Reading
Do Client Experiences Drive Your Firm?
Posted in Marketing TipsNo. 76 in Ric Willmot’s weekly wisdom series “Customer Experiences Drive Your Business” hit a core nerve with me. He starts by stating “(c)ustomer service shouldn’t be a poor man’s cousin to growing your business.” He is right, of course. It should be the center of any business’ thinking in terms of creating raving fans that… Continue Reading
Marketing Tip: Avoid Malpractice Claims
Posted in Marketing TipsNow there is a brilliant title, right? Obviously, any client who sues for malpractice (or even files a grievance with the state bar), is probably not going to hire you again. Not to mention how many people they will bad mouth you to. Okay, so that is pretty darn obvious. But stay with me a… Continue Reading
Client Feedback Pointers
Posted in Marketing TipsSeeking client feedback is not only important for every law firm, but it needs to be done right. Following a recent post of mine on the topic, my friend Stacy West Clark raised some issues that got me to thinking about the Who, What, When, Why’s and How’s of getting client feedback: Who should conduct… Continue Reading
Is Seeking Client Feedback in Your 2011 Budget? It Should Be
Posted in Marketing TipsThe budget process for 2011 marketing efforts should be well underway in your firm; and clearly finding out how loyal your clients are is vital to your firm’s economic future, not only for the coming year but beyond. Joyce Smiley in a recent item on her web site refers to a classic Harvard Business Review article… Continue Reading
How To Improve Your Client Service
Posted in Marketing TipsMost law firms would say, if asked, that they provide excellent client service, or at least very good service. Unfortunately, this self-assessment is not based on fact in most cases. As my friend Stacy West Clark reports, when clients were asked how their law firms were doing "most gave their firms a ‘C’ grade." Her… Continue Reading
Top 10 Marketing Tips: No. 3 – Seek Client Feedback Often
Posted in Marketing TipsDue to my office and family moving back to my beloved North Carolina, my posts over the next couple of weeks will feature five of my Top Ten Marketing Tips, especially for those who may not have been reading this blog back in 2005: April 27, 2005 Top 10 Marketing Tips: No. 3 –… Continue Reading
Client Interviews: Why They Really Are Necessary
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsIn this economy, client satisfaction surveys are more important than ever. In covering this topic many times, I have emphasized the value of improving relationships with current clients and referrals sources. The value is obvious, more business in the form of new matters and additional referrals. There are two main reasons why you should currently… Continue Reading
Why Some Client Feedback Programs Don’t Work
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsThe good news is that some firms are doing client feedback programs; the bad news is that they aren’t really getting the feedback they need. That is, the feedback questions are superficial, and don’t really offer the kinds of return that will actually benefit the firm in retaining the client over the long haul. An… Continue Reading
Don’t Fuss About The ACC’s Value Index: Get With The Program
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsPaul Lippe of Legal OnRamp has an excellent piece in yesterday’s The AmLaw Daily which supports what I wrote about last week on the subject (I love it when really smart people confirm one of my viewpoints – notice I only said “one”). Paul points out that ratings will happen whether law firms like it or… Continue Reading
ACC Value Index: what’s all the fuss about?
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsAs reported in today’s The AmLaw Daily some "Law Firms Cautious About ACC Ranking System." You may recall that the Association of Corporate Counsel announced their Value Index at last month’s annual meeting in Boston; and that it involves ranking outside law firms "based on evaluations from in-house lawyers." Apparently a number of firms aren’t… Continue Reading
How Does Your Firm Stack Up Against The ACC Value Index?
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsThe Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)’s Value Index was announced and shared with members at last month’s annual meeting in Boston. As reported in my earlier post, the criteria for measuring outside law firm’s performance is based on a grading system from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) relating to the following service areas: Understands Objectives/Expectations… Continue Reading
Are Your Clients Satisfied With Your Services?
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsDo you know the real answer or are you just guessing? Those of us who provide client feedback services, and have reported how favorable clients react to satisfaction surveys, have an obvious bias. But that makes it no less important to ask your clients how you are doing. I have written a number of times… Continue Reading
In-House Counsel Want Their Law Firms To Seek Feedback
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsMore and more it seems that in-house counsel are expecting their law firms to ask for their feedback. Even though “most general counsel and consultants say those law firms (seeking client feedback) are still in the minority and there isn’t nearly enough of this type of dialogue going on” according to an article on Law.com’s… Continue Reading
Understanding Your Clients Experience with Your Firm
Posted in Marketing TipsIn my last post, I talked about some simple, smart ideas from Reid Trautz that were pretty easy to implement. One of them involved lawyers “experiencing” what clients experience upon entering the firm’s office. Building on that idea, I came across an interview of Gerry Riskin of Amazing Firms, Amazing Practices by Arnie Herz of… Continue Reading
Client Feedback Is More Important Than Ever, But Be Careful
Posted in Marketing TipsNot only is client feedback important, but in past posts I have sung the praises for in-house client feedback programs that demonstrate to clients the firm’s management is sincere in determining whether the client is satisfied with the law firm’s services. An article in last month’s Strategies, the journal of the Legal Marketing Association by… Continue Reading
In-Person Client Satisfaction Interviews DO WORK
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsI’ve been doing client interviews since 1990, and I know they do two things well. One, they can save clients before they leave the law firm for another (I really have a dynamite story on that point, but it will take too long to relate it here, so call me if you want to hear it). Second,… Continue Reading
Seeking Feedback: Before, During and After A Matter
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsThere is no wrong time to seek client feedback about your firm’s performance. Not only should law firms ask how they are doing on current matters, but how they have done in the past, and how they can provide better service in the future. Although nobody likes to get bad news, it is better to learn if… Continue Reading
Seek Client Feedback For The Right Reasons
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsAlthough I believe that law firms will gain more work from clients because they seek feedback on how they are doing, that cannot be the reason for undertaking such a program. The honest reason for seeking client feedback must be based on caring for the client and the relationship. All else will take care of itself…. Continue Reading
Who is in Charge of Client Satisfaction at Your Firm?
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing TipsNaturally, one might think every lawyer is responsible, or maybe the managing partner if it has to be brought down to a single individual. My initial reaction was the former, but after reading the article “The Power of One” by Marcie Borgal in The Complete Lawyer, I’ve come up with a different take on the issue. Marcie is… Continue Reading
Client Satisfaction Surveys for Law Firms
Posted in Marketing TipsSeeking client feedback is probably the most underutilized technique for developing and enhancing client relationships. It is astonishing how few firms fail to inquire of their clients as to just how well they are doing as a legal services provider. A number of surveys over the last several years have highlighted the need for law firms… Continue Reading