Clients Keep the Lights On! — Create a Customer Service Road Map.

Clients Keep the Lights On!

Law firms spend big money on marketing tools – from hiring personnel who are dedicated to finding opportunities to gain recognition on social platforms and within the general community, to hiring expensive consultant companies that process analytics to let firms know how they are performing. However, how much time and money do firms spend on making sure the clients they do bring in through these efforts feel satisfied with the process?

So often, too often, firms do not recognize the importance of spending time analyzing how happy their clients are with the services they provide. It does not matter how much time or money you spend on marketing, if a firm does not focus on customer satisfaction, it is like throwing money into the wind.

One step firms can take to bring into focus this must-do for success is create a customer service ‘road map’. We suggest the following:

Potential Clients:

• What happens with the initial call?  Does the call go straight to voicemail?
• How much time passes before the potential client receives a call back?
• How much time passes before the potential client speaks with an attorney?
• How much time passes before the potential client receives an Engagement Letter to set them up as a client?
• How does the firm keep the client up to date on the status of the case?

Current Clients:

• What happens when a client calls the office?  Does the call go straight to voicemail?
• How much time passes before the client receives a call back, or email is answered?
• How much time passes before any communication occurs even when the case is not highly active?

It has been said over and again clients want to feel they are a firm’s only client.  In this crazy, busy environment we all know it is difficult to reach these expectations, but by putting a road map in place and making it a point to set realistic response times will help put customer service at the forefront of everyone at the firm.

If your firm has a marketing budget, then adding a client retention line item is a must. There are many ways a firm can improve client satisfaction; however, no matter what you put into place, make sure you have something to boost client contact and response time.

We think of it this way, PUT CLIENTS FIRST.  After all, they keep the lights on.