Delivering the Ultimate Law Firm
Client Service Experience
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Exceptional client service
involves everyone at the
firm: partners, associates,
secretaries, paralegals,
department leaders— the
entire staff.
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Today’s Agenda
• Develop and implement your firm’s
client service model
• Discover how to ethically and subtly
solicit reviews from happy customers
• Turn your biggest fans into your
most effective business development
strategy
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Define Your Vision For
Client Service
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
What is your firm’s mission?
Every encounter
you have must
have your firm’s
mission in mind.
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Exercise:
Defining your A/ B/ C
clients
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Client service begins with
your very first interaction
and continues beyond the
conclusion of the matter.
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Start with Setting
Expectations
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
At Your Initial Meeting:
• How the legal process will work
• How long the legal process will take
• What the range of likely results will be
• How updates will be communicated
• The overall cost of legal services
• How services are billed
• When payment is expected
• What will happen when fees are not paid when they are due
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Clients like attorneys that let them
speak, ask questions, and truly
listen to their responses.
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
It’s better to under-promise and over-
deliver than to make guarantees and
not follow through.
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Great!
You’ve taken on
a new client!
Now how do you
keep them happy?
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
BONUS POINTS: Send Your
New Clients a Welcome Kit
• Letter memorializing expectations
• Information about your firm that reinforces your
client’s decision
• Some cool swag
• Make sure the language is friendly and
welcoming!
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Stay Consistent and Reinforce
Expectations
• Communicate often and in the manner your
client prefers
• Make sure that you deliver things on time,
including regular invoices
• Follow up on late payments or non-payments
before they become issues
• Never fall behind on a matter
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Give Clients Your Full Attention
• Make your client feel like they’re the only one
who matters when they’re on the clock
• Avoid answering your phone, checking your
email, and engaging in side banter
• Do your best to really listen to your client’s
concerns
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Have a Procedure for Escalating
and Resolving Client Issues
• Often, your first line of communication will be a receptionist
or a paralegal
• If any interaction is contentious, make sure it’s well-
documented
• Make sure your or senior staff members are the ones to
deliver bad news
• If another staff member cannot resolve a client issue, you
must be the one to step in to smooth things over
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Avoid Procrastination!
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Build Client Loyalty
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Loyal clients are less price-
sensitive, more willing to forgive,
and will lead to referrals!
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Make it Personal
• Realize that each client is unique and needs to be
treated that way
• Use the note section in your CRM to document any
unique interactions or important details for other
staff members to know, even if it’s irrelevant to your
representation
• Create meaningful interactions by building upon the
information you already know
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Faster Service Wins the Day
• Modern customers expect speedier service
• Use technology to develop efficient processes
• Practice management can help cut back on admin time
• Client portal helps with sharing appointments, important
documents, and invoices that detail the work you’ve done
• Make sure to proactively communicate any anticipated
delays
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Use Technology to Delight Clients
• Give your clients the ability to pay online
• Allow for AFA’s (payment plans, etc.)
• Client Portal
• Online Forms
• Electronic Signature
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Unique Service Delivery Ideas
• Hire and assign project mangers for large matters
• Create a C-Level Client Service Officer
• Develop benchmark recurring cycles to improve and refine
processes
• Start a program for business clients where members of the
firm work at their facilities
• Conduct client satisfaction surveys - during the engagement.
Don’t wait until the end to find out they weren’t happy with
your work
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Solicit Positive Reviews
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
After Services are Completed:
• Send a communication concluding the matter
• If the client is satisfied, encourage them to leave you a
review
• The person in the firm with the best relationship with the
client should be the one to make the ask
• Direct clients to the appropriate forum to leave feedback
• Respond to every review you receive
• Follow up
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Keep Rules of Professional Conduct
in Mind!
• There should never be payment or other compensation
exchanged for reviews
• Be careful with asking family and friends for reviews
• When responding, be careful with client confidentiality
• Never disparage your competition or anyone involved in
your case
• If reviews are negative, keep your cool
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
They gave you an
awesome review!
Now what?…
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Turn Your Positive Reviews into Your
most Powerful Marketing Tool
• Add testimonials to your website (always ask
permission beforehand!)
• Share your reviews on your social media pages and
email marketing campaigns
• Make sure you’ve claimed any profiles where reviews
are written
• Continue to follow up with past clients through
newsletters, holiday cards, swag, etc
888-432-1529 www.rocketmatter.com
Resources
bit.ly/rmhappyclients http://bit.ly/rmpodclients
Thank You!Nefra MacDonald | [email protected]
Lisa Pansini | [email protected]