MCB COMMUNICATIONS CLIENT ADVISORY

CLIENT SATISFACTION INTERVIEWS
Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask.


We all know that clients who are extremely satisfied with their lawyers bring repeat business to the law firm. Extremely satisfied clients are open to cross marketing that brings new and different matters to the firm as well. And finally, extremely satisfied clients are the best referral sources.

It is not surprising, then, that law firms can be greatly rewarded when they check in with their most important clients to make sure the relationship is going well. When a law firm understands what a client wants in terms of service, a satisfied client can quickly become an extremely satisfied client.

All client satisfaction interviews contribute to strengthening the client relationship. Many interviews result in new work opportunities. And a handful of interviews offer an opportunity to save a client relationship the law firm didn’t even know was slowing slipping away.

Your most important clients are obviously satisfied with your law firm. But in a competitive legal market, the future of that client relationship will depend on those clients becoming extremely satisfied.

What is a client satisfaction interview?

Every client defines “excellent service” differently. Unless the client is asked, lawyers can only guess if they are delivering what a specific client wants and expects.

A client satisfaction interview is an opportunity for the client to provide feedback to the law firm regarding his experience with the firm and its lawyers. While many clients can not evaluate the quality of a lawyer’s work product - - the brief, the estate planning documents or the purchase agreement - - clients do know when they are receiving excellent service.

A partner may think that it is reasonable to ask an associate to respond to a client phone call or email. A particular client may disagree. A lawyer may think that his client is quiet and thoughtful during their conversations. The client may think that his very talented lawyer could improve his listening skills.

Why do clients appreciate these interviews?

A client satisfaction interview conveys that the firm values the client and is not taking the client relationship for granted. Clients are impressed with law firms that take the time to ask for their feedback.

Clients understand that a satisfaction interview provides a rare opportunity for them to voice any issue they may be reluctant to raise with a lawyer whom they value. For example, a client who is extremely satisfied with his primary lawyer, may not have had a good experience with another lawyer at the firm and thereafter is cold to cross-marketing introductions. Understanding that issue may allow the primary lawyer to address the problem and pave the way to grow the long term client relationship.

What do law firms gain from these interviews?

Answers from client interviews provide law firms with tremendous insights about the specific client and valuable knowledge about how that client views the firm and its lawyers.

Interviews often reveal unknown client personality traits and quirks. There is the client who prefers phone calls to email. The client who prefers that closings actually take place around a conference table. The client who does not like talking to associates. The client who wants to receive hard copies of client advisories instead of in email format. The client who does not want to receive any client advisories.

Interviews reveal how the client defines excellent service and if the firm’s lawyers are meeting those expectations. We have heard about the phone calls that are routinely returned “late.” The client who wants more frequent progress reports. The bill that lacks sufficient detail. The thorough memo that provides pages of detailed legal analysis when all the busy client wants is the bottom-line answer in less than a page. The associate who fails to keep the partner adequately informed before taking certain actions. The lawyer who talks too much. The client concerned that the firm may not have adequate bench strength for upcoming transactions.

Often we ask clients if they use other law firms and why. Many clients will respond candidly to this question, and even offer to name these firms. They may compare law firm experiences, providing insight into best practices.

Clients also evaluate associates who have worked on their matters, providing important input to a younger lawyer's development.

Client satisfaction interviews are also an opportunity for the interviewer to discuss the strengths of the firm or convey information that a client many not know about the firm. "Did you know that Mr. Smith’s firm has just the lawyer who can handle that licensing matter, and in fact he recently wrote an article on that very issue.”

We ask about current and future legal needs of the client, or client organization. In this way client interviews present an important opportunity to cross market in a subtle, low-key way. Often this question results in new business development opportunities for the law firm.

We ask if the client is interested in attending law firm seminars or receiving law firm advisories or newsletters.

Why DO LAWYERS GET NERVOUS ABOUT THESE INTERVIEWS?

It is only natural that a lawyer may be nervous at the idea that his client will be asked to comment on their working relationship. So we ask these lawyers to consider what would happen if they lost this client? What might it mean to their practice?

If the client were to change law firms, would this represent a significant loss for the lawyer? If the answer is yes, than the client is important enough that the lawyer needs to hear if there are any sticky points in the relationship. If the relationship is working well, but for a few minor issues, the lawyer will benefit from the new information. If the relationship has been a tentative one, what the lawyer learns from the interview may help him to strengthen his connection to the client or repair a relationship that can be saved.

WHY IS FOLLOW-UP SO IMPORTANT?

If a client reveals an issue, no matter how minor it may sound, the firm must take immediate steps to address the issue. Otherwise the client will feel the firm has chosen to ignore him or trivialize his concern. By failing to act quickly, the firm risks losing the goodwill of this client.

By responding quickly and appropriately to any concern, the law firm will demonstrate its commitment to the client relationship. When approached for a referral, clients may use the fact of the client interview to illustrate that this firm stands behind its promise to deliver the best in legal services.

WHERE DO WE CONDUCT A CLIENT INTERVIEW?

We conduct client satisfaction interviews either in person at the client’s office, or on the telephone. Sitting down with a client allows us to develop an effective rapport with the client much faster. A phone call is sometimes necessary when the client is out of town, but we advise against this when the client is reasonably close.

CAN I CONDUCT MY OWN INTERVIEW?

Lawyers can certainly discuss their working relationship with their own clients. And in fact we encourage lawyers to meet with clients to talk off the clock. But clients will not be entirely candid when talking to their own lawyer about the way he conducts his practice. There may be other topics a client may not want to talk about at all with their lawyer, such as why they use other law firms for certain matters.

A lawyer may avoid asking some questions the law firm considers important. The firm can better control the interview process when using a third party.

Clients tend to be more honest, candid and revealing when talking to a third party, rather than risk hurting the feelings of the lawyer sitting across from them.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

If law firm leadership decides to move forward with a program of client satisfaction interviews, the next step is to get buy-in from the partnership. We recommend that the firm starts slowly. Identify two or three of the firm’s most important clients in terms of current revenue or potential growth.

When the partners recognize the importance of these interviews and what has been accomplished from them, interest will likely grow. This is the time to solicit one or two client names from each interested partner.


MCB COMMUNICATIONS CLIENT ADVISORY

We frequently encounter lawyers who tell us they are too busy to market. After all, they say, I can barely keep up with client demands now. They have all the business they can handle today. “So why do I need to market?” these lawyers ask.

In today’s rapidly changing and uncertain business environment, even successful lawyers can’t afford to stop marketing. Tomorrow they could lose an important client through a merger or acquisition. The widget industry may collapse, leaving another client unable to pay their bills. And if the economy goes into a recession, the business landscape may change rapidly, leaving even the best lawyers suddenly hungry for new clients.

Lawyers who neglect certain fundamental marketing activities when they are busy can find themselves struggling to play catch-up when times have changed. These lawyers may find it tough to get the name recognition that they want when their work flow - - or the economy in general - - starts to slow down. With today’s uncertain economic forecasts, an on-again-off-again approach to marketing is risky business.

This is especially so because the sales cycle for lawyers can be unpredictable. Even in a strong economy, there can be a significant lag before your marketing and sales efforts begin to produce new clients. When the economy softens, that lag time can become downright painful. Those lawyers who continue to keep their names in front of clients and prospects, however, will weather the stormy economy better and enjoy a faster recovery than competitors whose marketing efforts had stalled.

Never too busy for these marketing activities.

No matter how busy they are today, every lawyer needs to invest time in a few basic but critical marketing activities. These activities focus on two fundamental strategies: (1) keeping your existing clients extremely satisfied, and (2) broadcasting your knowledge and skills.

Ask for client feedback. While many clients can not evaluate the quality of their lawyer’s work product - - the persuasive brief, the complex estate planning documents or the detailed purchase agreement - - clients do know when they are receiving excellent service.

In a buyer’s market for legal talent, delivering the expected work product is not enough today. Lawyers must deliver excellent client service as well. As long as your work product is top notch, providing superb client service is the most important factor in retaining clients, cross-selling new services, and turning clients into your most effective referral sources.

When clients who work with more than one law firm suddenly have less legal work to distribute, these clients will become more selective. If fees are not a factor, the client will choose the lawyer or firm that not only delivers the expected work product, but also the better client service.

Unfortunately, every client defines “excellent service” differently. Unless the client is asked, lawyers can only guess if they are delivering what a specific client wants and expects in terms of service. This is why savvy firms conduct client satisfaction interviews of their most important clients.

Interviews should be structured to reveal how the client defines excellent service and if the firm’s lawyers are meeting those expectations. While many clients give their lawyers high marks, we have heard about the phone calls clients feel should be returned by the partner, not the associate. The client who wants more frequent progress reports. The associate who fails to keep the partner adequately informed before taking certain actions. The client who thinks that his very talented lawyer could improve his listening skills. The client concerned that the firm may not have adequate bench strength for certain upcoming transactions.

These client satisfaction interviews contribute to strengthening the client relationship when the firm responds quickly to specific client concerns. Many interviews ultimately result in new work opportunities. And a handful of interviews offer an opportunity to save a client relationship the firm didn’t even know was slowing slipping away.

Meet yearly with key clients. Every lawyer should visit each of his key clients at their place of business every year - - and do so off the clock. No one is too busy to meet a valuable client in the early morning, take a tour of the plant, walk the property, meet with the CEO and/or general counsel. This visit provides an invaluable opportunity for the lawyer to gain a better understanding of the client’s business operations and challenges. The visit also conveys that the lawyer is committed to providing the best legal services to the client.

It may be quite enjoyable to sit with your client at Fenway Park and discuss the latest antics of Manny being Manny. But if time is truly an issue, instead you could be sitting in the client’s office hearing about a much needed new round of financing, or a disgruntled minority shareholder threatening to sue, or concerns that a former employee may be using the client’s trade secrets.

Communicate your expertise. Don’t assume that your own clients or the firm’s clients know the range and depth of your talents. Every lawyer periodically needs to step back and evaluate how he can best communicate his expertise.

Writing client advisories or publishing byline articles in targeted legal, trade or business publications can be an effective way to convey your knowledge, your ability to solve or prevent specific problems, or your expertise with new opportunities that may be advantageous to clients and prospects.

While writing client advisories is an excellent opportunity to educate existing clients, byline articles reach a vastly wider audience of readers. Moreover, a byline article conveys additional credibility when a well regarded publication chooses to print your piece.

Think about the future. Lawyers should never be too busy to think about their professional future. Busy lawyers in particular should never assume their practice is immune from unhappy clients, invisible market forces, or the competition that never sleeps. Lawyers who enjoy long term success across all market cycles are the ones who consistently pay close attention to their clients’ needs and broadcast their expertise effectively and often.

 
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