The Sunday Mail
“Don’t try to tell the customer what he wants. If you want to be smart, be smart in the shower. Then get out, go to work and serve the customer”. Gene Buckley- Anna Segova
Customers like it when they are wowed by their service providers but in more cases than one, they always get raw deals from these firms. Law firms are not an exception, they need to understand the principle of customer service and why it is good for them to practice it in their day to day running of the firms. The few that have been lucky to know a bit about customer service are firm, confident and professional when executing their duties but they also have a softer side where they are compassionate and understanding. They are real and true to their word when giving legal counsel to their clients.
There always must be a match of customer service beliefs between the lawyers and their clients and if there is a mismatch the relationship between the two will be history. Allegations of lawyers misusing their client’s trust funds have always put a dent on the lawyer’s reputation and making some people skeptical of engaging lawyers in matters that involves funds. Quite recently, there has been a message doing rounds on social media of some rogue lawyers who omit pages that contain sensitive and dangerous clauses on documents or agreements that must be signed by their clients and will only insert the missing pages on their copies after the client has signed the incomplete document. They will then hide the document with the correct signatures and only produce it in court if there is a lawsuit much to the detriment of the client. Such tricks however, go against the good customer service that must be a critical success aspect for any law firm operating profitably. Instead they do this in order to defraud an unsuspecting client but on the other hand they will be severely hurting a law firm reputation. Although, the Law Society bar lawyers accused of misconduct in their different fields, this is not enough they must incorporate customer service training to lawyers.
Many lawyers ignorantly believe that all that they need to know is the law and close case for their clients. As a result of this belief, they fail to give their clients what they are looking for. Their clients are looking for firm that is able to provide them with enough care, guidance and security. Thus, their actions towards existing and potential customers must be able to build a reputational brand and this is can only be possible if they are able to see the power of customer service at every interaction or touch point with their clients.
It is evident that since Law Firms are selling a service that cannot be touched but can be experienced, they must excel in their customer service in order to build and maintain a healthy client-attorney relationship and have a competitive advantage over their competition. Here is how they can increase their skill in serving their clients better:
- Marketing
Law firms must be able to identify their point of differentiation, create a strong positioning in their target market and this depends on where the firm is a major in, for instance it could be in labour cases or company or corporate cases, divorce cases, criminal cases or civil cases among others. Key messages can be developed. Although lawyers are not really allowed to advertise, they can do activities that will propel their credentials such as a well-done website with rich content, have excellent media relations and present thought leadership materials.
Selling
Lawyers should be able to give solutions to their client’s legal problems but unfortunately most lawyers are unable to provide that. Instead of identifying their clients’ needs they tend to sell unwanted services which is a poor sign of customer service. They therefore must identify the client’s problem and how they can solve it. Most often when a superior service value is delivered, clients will always contact you for help indefinitely. So, once you offer a solution there is a greater chance that extra opportunities will arise in other areas.
Be realistic in your legal guidance
The reason why clients look for your service is because they are seeking a solution to their legal woes and the most noble thing to do is to be realistic as always. Customer service in legal circles means lawyers must be able to hold tough conversations with their clients no matter the subject. It is never an intelligent skill not to tell the truth even if the client seems not to agree. Although in some cultures telling a client the truth is viewed as a serious breach of protocol. Handling such tough conversations is always easy for lawyers who are trained in customer service because they know how to handle the tough conversations. They are able to break the ice with excellent compassion and professionalism. As a lawyer you must be empathetic but strong enough to be firm in your expertise while making sure that you are keeping the client’s best interest and confidentiality.
Business Development
Although business development is all about one-to-one persuasion, lawyers can also give free advice to their clients. By sharing their knowledge, they are able to pick their client’s problems, explain the consequences and offer solutions to those problems. This is one way where individual lawyers can create, foster and leverage partnerships and strategic relationships with new and existing clients. It helps them to generate business while using referrals to open doors for new prospects, new contacts and enter into new business relationships
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer service. For comments, suggestions and training, she can be reached on [email protected] or on 0712 979 461
