Lawyers! Get Your Phones to Ring More in 2021: Part One
How Lawyers Cant Connect with Their Current Clients
Connect with the clients at your law firm and they will become your biggest fans.
Connect with Your Current Clients
At our personal injury law firm, Case Barnett Law, we’re obsessed with customer satisfaction. Think that you, as an attorney, don’t need to worry about this? Think again. Not only is serving your client the right thing to do, it’s an absolute must if you want to grow your law firm.
Lawyers often think of themselves as experts, negotiators, storytellers, researchers, writers, public speakers and advocates. Truly, they are all of these things. However, it’s imperative that they begin to view themselves as being of service to their clients, first and foremost.
Most attorneys don’t see themselves as working in a “service industry” but, in fact, there is no truer definition of service than what a lawyer does for their client. According to Dictionary.com , the word service means “to supply with aid, information, or other incidental services.” This is what we are providing for our clients, no matter what area of law you practice.
Your law firm is competing with successful companies like Amazon and Instacart; even if you don’t realize it.
Clients Compare Your Service to Other Businesses
In this technology-based ultra-connected world, you must remember that your clients are potentially “doing business” with dozens of companies each day. You may think that your business operates within a different set of standards than say, Amazon, but this simply isn’t true.
In order to have happy clients you must match, or better yet; outperform, all of the businesses they engage with on a daily basis. Think of the innovation and customer service consumers experience when they interact with companies like Instacart, Doordash and Amazon.
The pandemic has made us all even more reliant on technology and this can be a great thing for your law firm. If you don’t embrace technology, your business will quickly feel antiquated to your clients. They’re used to instant access, constant updates, and the freedom and flexibility that technology has brought into their lives. Your clients need to know that you aren’t living in the dark ages.
Never before have unhappy or neglected clients had so many places to voice their frustration with your service and you can’t ignore this. Websites like Yelp and Google reviews aren’t going away.
What Does This Have to Do with Getting the Phone to Ring More?
Great question. It’s simple really. When you have happy clients, you’ll get more business. All lawyers know that the best cases and the best clients come from word-of-mouth referrals.
This is because referred clients come to you with some level of built-in trust. Their friend, co-worker or family member has endorsed you and that means more to them than any fancy ad campaign or slick website could ever provide.
In addition to the trust factor there is a huge advantage to cases that are referred to you. If you are running your firm right and marketing in a way that is true to you and your passions, chances are, that you are attracting your ideal client. When an ideal (aka “dream” client) refers someone to you, it’s probably safe to say that this person is also the type of client you would want to work with. We all know the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together,” right? This saying is more than 470 years old and it was in use as far back as the mid-16th century. There’s a reason this phrase is still used today; it’s true.
When you refuse to acknowledge the importance of client happiness, you’re throwing away hundreds of potential new clients. You are an amazing business owner who is true to yourself and you work with only your ideal client. You pursue work that you’re fulfilled by. Because of this, you care deeply about how you run your firm and how you treat your clients. When this is the case, there is no other outcome than to have happy clients. Remember this, write it above your workstation if you need to: “Happy existing clients= more potential clients”. Happy clients refer potential clients your way. It really is that simple yet this is a concept that seems to be overlooked by many lawyers.
How to Form Deep Connections with Your Law Firm’s Clients
We make it a priority to really get to know our clients during intake and file opening. We conduct a client questionnaire interview that sometimes lasts 2-3 hours. It helps us build the foundation of the case, but it also helps us get to know our client on a very deep level.
Make life easier for your clients by offering flexible options for both in-person or virtual meetings. Some people may have very busy schedules and trying to accommodate them should be a priority. Also offer different ways to communicate with your firm such as phone calls, emails or text messaging.
Show appreciation for your clients by hosting fun community building days. You can invite them to lunch with your team or host a picnic or park day. This will depend on what type of law you practice but it’s a fun way to show your clients that you care. We like to single out a few clients each month to receive a special surprise delivery at their home. We’ve sent flowers, meal delivery and groceries. We listen to our client’s struggles and we like to swoop in and help wherever we can.
How Law Firms Can Improve Customer Service
Impress your clients by being innovative and using cutting-edge technology at your law firm. Offer them multiple ways to connect with you and receive updates on their legal matter. Email, phone, text messaging, video chat, client portals… offer them all and let your clients determine what they like best.
Instead of going weeks or months without updating clients, build policies and procedures that ensure each client never goes longer than a week without an update from you. Figure out how to automate this process so that it becomes a built-in and automatic part of your workflow.
Instead of only speaking to your client when there is something major (good or bad news), reach out to check in and just say hello. Your client will feel like you actually care about them, because you do. Send birthday and holiday cards. When a client is having a rough week, send them a little gift. Be there to support them in all ways at all times. They have trusted you with a very important part of their life. Respect that and make them feel safe and comfortable.
Run and manage your firm so well that your business is a well-oiled machine. Ensure client happiness and exceptional customer service. Turn clients into raving fans by treating them right and they will reward you by referring other people to your law firm.
Don’t work with clients who don’t align with who you are or what type of firm you run. It can be terrifying to turn away a good case but it never ends well when you take on a client who isn’t right for you. There is the right lawyer for every person. If that person isn’t you, help the potential client out by referring them to someone you know who may be a better fit. Better yet, make sure you have a relationship with that attorney so that you could potentially receive a referral fee for sending a client their way. We talk all about this in our blog How Any Lawyer in California Can Add a Passive Stream of Income to Their Existing Law Firm. Working with the wrong clients can backfire. This is how you end up with unhappy clients and that’s the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish.
Deal with issues directly and in an open and honest way
When Issues Arise
You won’t have happy clients 100% of the time. It’s impossible. Please, when an issue comes up, face it head on and respond to your client’s concerns. There is nothing worse than ignoring an unhappy client. It can be uncomfortable, but it should never be ignored.
You would be surprised at how little it takes to smooth things over with a client. Be honest, own up to a mistake if you made one, and show them that you understand and care about their concern. Often times a client just needs to be heard and they will greatly appreciate your professionalism if you deal with things directly in an open and honest way. If you have treated them well along the way, they will cut you some slack if, and when, you need it. That’s the thing about taking care of people; they are much more likely to trust that you always have their best interests at heart, even when you make a mistake.
Conclusion
When we say “connect” with your current clients we don’t mean pick up the phone and check-in with them. We mean “connect” on a deep human level. Think about their needs and give them what they want. We love doing exit interviews with our clients. We ask them to be brutally honest about our service and ask them a series of questions that helps us determine our areas of strength and weakness. This in an extremely valuable tool to help you see what really matters to your clients. After all, that is the main thing that you should be focusing on. There are hundreds of talented lawyers for their lawsuit. The good news, for you, is that most of those attorneys neglect their clients’ needs and only focus on the law. This is where you stand out by truly caring about those you serve.
Other Blog Posts in This Series
Lawyers! Get Your Phones to Ring More in 2021: Part 3: Connect With Other Lawyers
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