In a post by Suzanne Rose at riskybiz blog, we learn all the wrong ways of [not] communicating with clients. She reports on a lawyer-client of hers that does not:
*return client calls in a timely manner,
*have a procedure to deal with unhappy clients,
*welcome client calls, but rather considers most of them a nuisance,
*review files and update clients regularly,
*consistently send clients copies of correspondence and documents, nor
*explain the legal process involved at the beginning of the engagement.
Suzanne is much too generous in referring to those who fail to build client relationships by such actions as wrongly motivated rather than ignorant. My take is that it’s the antithesis of good legal marketing.
In a real sense this lawyer is communicating with her clients, but in the worst possible ways. They certainly will not sing her praises. And if word-of-mouth is one of the best ways for lawyers to get new clients (and it is), this lawyer is committing professional suicide.
Further, it is not only dumb, but it is a risky way to run a law firm – if not in a pure malpractice sense, it could certainly lead to the filing of bar grievances by unhappy clients. Overall, not a happy scenario.