Outstanding Client Service Can’t Be Delegated

Law firms that wish to create a client service culture must not attempt to foist the delivery of client service off on associates and staff. In fact, these resources have important client service responsibilities of their own without the added strain of watching out for the relationship attorney’s duties.

The role of the relationship attorney is crucial to the client’s perception of the depth of client service commitment. This professional man or woman has to be the first line of contact and communication with the client. They must seek and portray the client intimacy that is the hallmark of well-executed client service improvement programs. They may not conduct the detailed survey, but they need to be aware of its information and alert to the opportunities to satisfy the valid identified client needs.

In the drive for brand differentiation among law firms, this intentional focus on intimately knowing the client and their expectations is routinely set aside in favor of more visible strategic ventures such as public and community relations, marketing communications, advertising and firm identity programs, rainmaking and globalization. The reality may be that, without the necessary client intimacy and its expression through client service, most of the other investments to exploit differences in marketplace perception are ineffective.

Optimum client service arises from a relationship where a law firm’s interests are perfectly aligned with its clients’ interests.

Retaining clients requires more than just great legal work. In reality, effective legal work is routinely expected from every engagement by every client. Regardless of the niche or marketplace in which a firm operates, it still must deal with the fact that acquiring a new client and matter costs seven to eight times as much as getting a matter from an existing client. Sales cost, at most lawyers’ billable rates, are huge and neither advertising nor networking is getting any cheaper. But what good, beyond the obvious economics, is client retention?