Client Service
A referral is much less expensive than any kind of media you can buy, and you don’t have to go through all of the nurturing because somebody has already done that for you. Others will refer a client to you because they know you provide a good service. Referral cases are also normally better cases because people who like you won’t refer a bad case to you. You need to have systems built to generate referrals from your happy clients. These can be surveys, emails, events, or one of my favorites—send clients a signed copy of my book with two or three extras for them to hand out. Doing this immediately after you win their case is the ideal time since that’s when they are going to be talking about you and how great you are.
It’s easy for them to hand a copy of my book to someone as they say, “This is the guy who won my case. He’s the best!” This is how you teach your clients and friends to refer you cases. It takes the heavy lifting off of them. Then their friend reads my book, gets to know, like, and trust me and we’re on the road to another client.
Create Raving Fans
You want to create raving fans, and just giving great client service is not enough anymore. You must give exceptional service and WOW! people. As Walt Disney said, you want to give them something to talk about. You want to create such an atmosphere that they can’t help but talk about you.
To do that, you must offer things that no other firm offers. Every firm ought to have a mission statement that explains its core values and vision. You want to attract employees who share your core values, who understand that if not for the clients, there would be no paycheck. The clients are the easiest mini-marketers you can get. These people have problems, or they wouldn’t be there. And if not for the grace of God, you could be in their shoes, whether it be a DWI, a divorce, a car wreck, a will contest or a land condemnation. Everyone has a problem. Our job is to care for them as we help them find a solution. To do that consistently, we have created, as part of our marketing sales machine, a client service manual. This manual has developed over time. It lists our mission statement, core values, corporate responsibilities, and client expectations. It is a living document that continues to evolve. It’s also one that every new employee reads and adheres to. It’s a must if we are going to provide exceptional customer service.
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Client Loyalty Mentality The Doctrine of Preeminence The best way to create client loyalty is to adhere to what Jay Abraham calls the Doctrine of Preeminence: Everything you do is for the betterment of your clients. You put them first, from opening the file to closing the file and everything in between. You want to become their trusted legal advisor. It’s all about trust.
Now that our machine has created the trust, we want to create client loyalty and raving fans. The benefit, of course, is referrals and repeat business.
Some lawyers say, “I only do one kind of law, and I don’t want people asking me questions about other stuff.”
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They’re missing the boat. I want prospects calling me every time they’ve got a problem, because I don’t want them just to guess whether or not I handle a particular kind of case. I don’t want another Joe walking into a courtroom with a cast on his leg with a lawyer other than me handling his case. Even if I wasn’t handling personal injury, if I was his trusted legal advisor, he would have called me and I would have referred him to someone that I trust. I would have gotten a referral fee, and Joe would get a great lawyer.
If a case doesn’t pay a referral fee, then we go to the Doctrine of Reciprocity. When I refer a prospect to a lawyer, I send him a note saying, “I referred you John Doe. I hope you’ll take care of him.” When you alert a lawyer that you have done this, he will send cases back to you. Most lawyers want to reciprocate.
The Grandma Test Another way to create client loyalty is the Grandma Test, which I stole from Jeffrey Gitomer, a sales and marketing consultant guru. I tell members of my staff to talk to a client as if they were talking to their grandma. When you’re on the phone with a client, put Grandma at the end of a sentence. Would you say to your Grandma, “I’m going to put you on hold for a couple of minutes, Grandma?” No, you wouldn’t. Use the Grandma Test to improve your client relations on the phone, and in person.
Another thing we do is Celebrate a Client. If we learn that something good has happened to a client—their child got an award or a baby was recently christened—we send a card. My receptionist writes the card, and I sign it. It’s handwritten.
It’s going that extra step, creating that relationship and trust and that bond so that when they leave you, and you close out the case, even if the case didn’t come out the way they wanted it to, they remember you and like you. They will refer people to you. Why? Because people refer to lawyers they know, like, and trust.
One way I personalize myself is to say folksy things a client will remember. I am sort of folksy, and so when I say these things, it is authentic. In North Carolina, when we didn’t have legalized gambling, I told everybody that we actually did have legalized gambling – It’s called the jury system, because there’s two things in the world you never know: What a little boy’s got in his pocket and what a jury’s going to do. Sometimes a case goes bad even when you have done your best.
You just never know. If they are confident you are doing the best you can, if you treat them with respect and you care about them, and you’re their trusted legal advisor, they are going to refer people to you. Even if you lose the case.
Client Loyalty Secrets A little while ago, I wrote an article titled “10 Secrets to Developing Client Loyalty.” Since this section of the book is about client loyalty, I thought I would reproduce the article here in its entirety. These ten simple yet powerful tips will turn anyone who implements them into a client loyalty pro!
10 Secrets to Developing Client Loyalty Potential clients are bombarded by over 3,000 messages a day meant to persuade their spending habits. Whether it’s the billboard they drive past every day to work, the label on the bottle of Pepsi they’re drinking, or the Cadillac emblem on the car they’re stuck behind in traffic, these visual messages are meant to create top-of-mind-awareness and persuade the consumer the next time they’re in the market to buy a certain product or service. With the huge number of messages that reach them every day, it’s no wonder that consumer habits can change at the drop of a hat.
Client loyalty is of the utmost importance. Simplistic messages that create top-of-mind-awareness cannot sway the loyal client. While the competition is spending dollars upon dollars on ways to increase client volume, many of them are forgetting the importance of their existing clients. Forgetting this will almost certainly lead to a number of unsatisfied clients, which will likely never become loyal clients.
A loyal client and a satisfied client are not to be confused. While client satisfaction is an element of loyalty, a client could be satisfied and still feel no connection to you or your firm. A loyal client will have these five characteristics:
- The overall satisfaction of doing business with your law firm.1.
- The willingness to build a relationship with you and your company.
- The willingness to be a repeat client.
- The willingness to recommend you to others.
- The reluctance to switch to another law firm.
In order for you to achieve those five things with your clients, there are 10 rules that you and your employees should follow every day:
1. Greet Clients Promptly
A survey clocked the number of seconds people had to wait to be greeted in several businesses. Researchers then asked clients how long they had been waiting. In every case, the client’s estimate of the time elapsed was much longer than the actual time. A client waiting 30 or 40 seconds often feels like it’s been 3 or 4 minutes. Time drags when people are waiting. Thus, one of the things we can do to greet clients properly is not to put them on hold and to answer the phone on its first ring when being paged by the receptionist.
This is a good time to tell you that one of your best investments is a good receptionist. This person can make or break your firm depending on how well they deal with people. Give this person great latitude to get the call answered, and if the rest of the firm doesn’t fall in line, afford this person an open door policy. I have found time and time again that the receptionist knows if you are meeting client satisfaction goals.
2. Apply Good Conversation Skills
It is always nice to talk to people like they are in your living room. People, in general, are intimated by lawyers in law offices. It should be your job to make them feel comfortable, as they have already been through a traumatic event. Something to break the ice would be the weather; for example, “Isn’t the sunshine just beautiful?” or “The snowfall’s great, isn’t it?” Look for clues about the client’s interest. Also, you must understand that interaction means that both parties must have an opportunity to participate. If one party monopolizes the conversation, both sides lose.
Some preferred topics are what we refer to as small talk. Americans prefer to talk about weather, sports, jobs, mutual acquaintances, and past experiences, especially ones they have in common with their conversation partners. Most Americans are taught to avoid discussing politics or religion, especially with people they do not know well. Sex, bodily functions, and emotional problems, considered very personal topics, are likely to be discussed only with close friends or professionals trained to help
3. Build a Rapport with the Client Remember that you are building a relationship with your clients. They must know that their case is the top priority, and that you are there for them.
1. Be a good listener
2. Relate to what they are going through
3. Invite feedback
4. Be Sincere and Show Empathy to the Other Person
I have preached for years that There, but for the grace of God, go I. You should understand that these people are hurting and coming to us for assistance.
5. Use Good Phone Techniques
A key to successful phone use is simply to remember that your client cannot see you. Your challenge is to use your voice to make up for all the lost nonverbal communication. The best ways to use the phone effectively are:
1. Give the caller your name. Let the caller know who you are just as you would in a face-to-face situation.
2. Smile into the phone. Somehow people can hear us smile over the phone! Some telephone pros place a mirror in front of them while they are on the phone.
3. Keep your caller informed. If you need to look up information, tell the client what you are doing. Don’t leave them holding a dead phone with no clue as to whether you are still with them.
4. Invite the caller to get to the point. Use questions such as “How can I assist you today?” or “What can I do for you?”.
5. Commit to the requests of the caller; tell the caller specifically what you will do and when you will get back to them.
6. Thank the caller. This lets the caller know when the conservation is over.
7. Let your voice fluctuate in tone, rate, and volume. You hold people’s attention by putting a little life into your voice. Express honest reactions in expressive ways. Let your voice tone be natural and friendly.
8. Use hold carefully. People hate to be put on hold. It is necessary to explain why and break in periodically to assure them they haven’t been forgotten. If what you are doing will take longer than a few minutes, ask the caller if you can call them back. Write down your commitment to call them back and do not miss it.
9. Use friendly, common, tactful words. Never accuse the client of anything, and never convey that the request is an imposition.
6. Enjoy People and Their Diversity
Every person is different; each has a unique personality. People who tend to bug us the most are the ones who are not like us. Recognize this, then accept this diversity and learn to enjoy it. Know that people’s needs are basically the same; similarly, when we treat them like guests, with dignity and courtesy, it will create good will most of the time.
7. Call People By Their Names
People love to hear their names. Think about the times when someone unexpectedly addressed you by your name. Didn’t you like that? Didn’t you feel less like a number and more like someone who is valued?
People appreciate it when you make the effort to learn their name and use it. Here are some ways to make the most of names:
1. When appropriate, introduce yourself to the client and ask his or her name.
2. Avoid being overly familiar too quickly. It’s normally safe to address people as Mr. Smith or Mrs. Jones. It could be seen as rude if you call someone by her first name too quickly.
3. If you aren’t sure how to pronounce the name, ask the client.
4. If a person has an unusual or interesting name, comment on it in a positive way.
5. If a person shares a name with someone in your family or with a friend, comment on that.
People are usually proud of their names and will feel honored when you acknowledge it. Take time to learn and use your clients’ name.
8. Wear Your Smile When a Client Comes Into the Office
Always put on your smile when somebody comes into the office. Be complimentary. Complimenting takes only a second and can build enormous goodwill. If you don’t do this very often, get into the habit of saying something complimentary to each of your clients. Safe grounds for sincere compliments include:
1. An article of their clothing
2. Their children
3. Their behavior
4. Something they own
5. Their helpfulness; for example, “Thank you for filling out the forms so carefully, that will help.”
9. Fish for Negative Feedback
What? Fish for negative feedback? Exactly. Negative feed-back is the kind that helps you improve. In client service, there is no neutral gear; we either move forward or we slip backward. The best way to get feedback is to let clients know that you really want their honest opinion—good or bad news—and provide ways for them to tell you.
A good way to do this is to use open-ended questions when people express their ideas. An open-ended question cannot be answered with a simple yes, no, or a one-word response. Below are common questions you hear every day in businesses that can be easily changed to open-ended:
Instead of Saying: “How was everything?” Say: “What else can I do for you?”
Instead of Saying: “Can I get you something else?” Say: “What else can I get for you?”
Instead of Saying: “Will that be all?” Say: “What else can I do for you?”
Instead of Saying: “Was everything satisfactory?” Say: “What else could we do better to serve you?”
Instead of Saying: “Did we meet your needs?” Say: “How else can we be of help?”
10. Live by the Golden Rule
I have preached this ever since I started practicing law. Simply put, Treat people the way you would want to be treated.
The Final Caveat
These rules are so simple; it constantly amazes me that other law firms do not put them into play. I have come to realize that it’s the leadership’s responsibility to set the standards. These rules, as the basis of a client loyalty program, have to be non-negotiable. You absolutely, 100 percent must be willing to terminate your highest income producer or your best non-lawyer, if he doesn’t believe in client loyalty. I have done it and never regretted it.
Client Loyalty Practical Tips
There are a few more very practical strategies that you can implement in order to increase your clients’ loyalty.
Handwritten Thank-You Notes
When somebody refers a client to our firm, the lawyer who takes the case must send a handwritten thank-you note to the person who made the referral. We found that if you do that, people will keep sending you cases. If you don’t, they think you don’t care and don’t appreciate it, and they aren’t going to send you anymore.
I know this from personal experience. I once sent several cases to a doctor. He never acknowledged my referrals. After about three cases, I quit sending people to him, even though he was a good doctor.
It’s the Golden Rule. It’s so simple yet so hard, especially for lawyers for some reason.
Mail Stickers
Another strategy in our system is the “We Appreciate Referrals” stickers we put on every piece of mail that leaves our office. We insert little notes that fit into envelopes. In every piece of mail we send out, we include something letting the recipient know that we love referrals. That’s a marketing system.
It’s these little things, and you don’t do it all overnight. You just put one in at a time, get it rolling and add another one. If you put one simple system in place, then add one system to it each month, at the end of one year you’ll have a marketing sales machine with 12 integrated systems working for you. It’s not difficult, but it does take some thinking and time.
Use Your Book
One of my all time favorite systems happens at the end of each case. When I close a case, and my client asks what they can do for me, I say, “Well, here are three books that I’ve written. When you are talking with people about your case and how everything turned out, would you just hand them a copy of one of my books? Just say, ‘These are the lawyers I trusted to represent me.’ Thank you!” That will increase referrals.
There is a rule of thumb that 20 percent of your clients will refer someone no matter what you do; 20 percent will never refer someone to you no matter what you do; and 60 percent would refer someone but they don’t know how to or don’t know that you would like referrals. I’m doing all of the above to ensure they know that I want referrals, that I appreciate them.
My books do my talking for me. They sell me without me having to sell. One of the features in my book is, “The 8 Questions to Ask a Lawyer Before You Hire Them.” Every answer points back to me. Ask a lawyer, for instance, whether they have ever had a bar complaint. I’ve never had a bar complaint. Ask them whether they have tried more than a thousand Social Security cases. Well, I have. You get the point—lead them to where you want them to go. It’s a system.
I use questions that will point out the good things about me and set me apart from other lawyers. So I hand a client a book and say, “All you’ve got to do is give this book to a friend or family member who needs Social Security representation and tell them this is my lawyer.” That takes care of that 60 percent who would refer their friends if they knew how to do it.
This goes back to my whole education-based marketing belief. These books are part of my sales machine. We give them a couple of books when they first become a client. We know they’ll be talking with others about their case so that’s a great time for them to hand out our books.
What better way to attract new clients than for one of your clients to hand out a book and say, “Here’s who we’re going with and why. He wrote the book on this.” Now you’ve expanded your sphere of influence and for very little expense. Having your own book is one of the best ways to attract new leads and generate a flood of referrals. And the best part is you have total control of the message, and it’s a system that you can implement for pennies a day.
