From the desk of Brian Hammer, founder

Client Satisfaction

This edition of our newsletter explores the issue of client satisfaction. In the current economic climate, no one can afford to lose clients. But you could say the same thing about any economic climate, because losing clients is symptomatic of a larger problem—the failure to connect

I've found that client satisfaction ultimately depends on simple things: good communication, active listening, and an attitude of willingness. Focusing on these fundamentals will help you from the beginning of your work together—understanding the issues and establishing realistic expectations—to resolution and thoughtful follow-up. The result? A satisfied client.

by Brian Hammer, M.A., J.D.

Needy Clients

My entire day is planned out. As long as no surprises come up, I can finish everything I have to get done and make it to my daughter's soccer game. (phone rings…) Time is precious, time is limited, there isn't enough time, I do not have enough time for me…

Ever felt this way? You are not alone. The speed of communication has increased exponentially over the past 20 years. And with this increase in speed comes a corresponding expectation for faster and faster response. With no break. Read More

A Practice Tip

5 Communication Secrets to Client Satisfaction

Yes, yes, I know: "win their case, get them a good deal, resolve the matter in their favor, and the client will be satisfied." Maybe so, maybe not. These secrets address the non-substantive elements of client satisfaction, which may be as important as achieving a great result. An attorney who recently attended one of our classes reported (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) that he had been losing matters for the same clients for 30 years and yet they keep coming back! Read More

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by Chris Layton, J.D.

Who's in Charge Here?

Is it you, your clients, or a panicked sense of time slipping away that's managing your day? Sometimes it can be difficult to tell. All too often interactions with our clients become driven by deadlines and delivery of work product. We get caught up in a frantic pace, and suddenly are not taking any time for reflection or the forward-looking counseling attitude that generally results in stronger client relationships. Read More

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Needy Clients

Most of us make phone calls and exchange emails and instant messages not only at the office, but also in restaurants, during our commute, at home…everywhere! And some people take advantage of this. In fact, some clients are so needy that we have to be on call 24/7 and they never give us a break.

Needy clients! The label "needy" deserves some investigation, because these needy ones diminish our lives and rob us of precious moments that we could be accomplishing what we need to get done, and enjoying life!

What exactly is a needy client? Needy is not a factual description, it is a label, or a caricature. But of what? A person who has needs? A person who has too many needs? A person who never seems to get their needs met? I think this is an important inquiry because it is best to put our clients into the proper category. We need to treat each type differently, and many of us (especially those of us who are not getting our own needs met) might lump all three types into the needy category and treat them all the same (as nuisances, instead of what they are, people with needs).

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I would say that most "needy clients" are simply clients who are not getting their needs met. It may or may not be our job to meet some of these needs (attention, for example), yet we might choose to because by doing so we get two benefits. One benefit is the likely reciprocity in getting our own needs met; and another is that communication generally takes less time with people whose needs are met.

Wow, could this second proposal be true? For 90% of the people out there, YES. Take this example. A long-winded client called his lawyer, interrupting his flow just as he was trying to finish everything and make it to his daughter's soccer game. So as not to be rude, so he gave the client just enough of his attention to properly interact, but multi-tasked to keep from wasting time. The client droned on and on. He wanted to cut his client off and suggest he get support for his neediness (perhaps send him to "onandonanonomous"). But he didn't, because that would be rude. When he just couldn't take it anymore, he took control of the conversation, interrupted, told his client what he needed to do, and ended the call abruptly.

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But was the client needy, or was he just not getting his needs met? We all have the need for attention. We get that need met by getting 100% attention from those we interact with. If we don't get that need met, some will withdraw, some become upset, some talk on and on.

And if we're to take responsibility, we have to ask ourselves if we were honest with them. Did we tell them what our needs were? For example, what happens if we start the call by telling them that we have to finish up three things by 5pm, and can give them 100% of our attention for 10 minutes, and if they need more time than that, could we schedule a meeting for the next morning? The majority of clients will respect, this and if they receive 100% attention for those 10 minutes they are likely to be the one to wrap up the call after ten minutes. Why? Because they got most of what they needed: (1) they got your undivided attention; (2) they likely got their question answered; and (3) they were able to give you what you wanted.

So why do lawyers tend to over-label clients as needy? The answer is because we are not adequately meeting our own needs. In the next issue we will talk about simple strategies for better meeting our own needs. This is IMPERATIVE, if we are going to sustain meeting other's needs. And the more we meet their needs, the more they care about ours. This is a positive feedback loop that is worth investing in.

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5 Communication Secrets to Client Satisfaction

Many lawyers who do great work are inconsistent with their bedside manner and lose clients to more likeable lawyers. And the overwhelming reasons for grievances filed by clients against their lawyer has nothing to do with the substance of the representation. So, we present for your consideration five communication tips to help maintain the highest degree of client satisfaction, get repeat and referral business, and get paid on time. These five demonstrate reflect "care," and the perception of care is the key ingredient to client satisfaction:

• Regular and timely communication Recognizing that lawyers are busy and are struggling to maintain a healthy balance, we should recognize that (intentionally or unintentionally), we are communicating all the time. And it is the client who determines that "meaning" of the communication. When we fail to return a phone call for three days, the client is likely "hearing" that we do not care; when they do not hear from us for a month, they "hear" that we are letting their matter slip through the cracks. A short status update or even a call to schedule a mutually-convenient time to talk will go a long way to make sure your clients know that you care.

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• Ask more questions (and listen to their answer) Many lawyers love to talk and demonstrate superior knowledge, sometimes interrupting in order to demonstrate their smarts. Care is best demonstrated through asking questions and listening to the answers. Ask appropriate follow-up questions. If you are worried that the conversation will take longer than the time you have, clearly articulate up front the amount of time you have for the talk.
• Give 100% of Your Attention When you are talking with your client, give them 100% of your attention. Do not multitask, whether on the phone or in person. They can tell. Giving your undivided attention is the biggest gift you can give, and nothing says "I care" more clearly.
• Choose the Right Communication Medium While we might get instant gratification and scratch something off the "to do list" by sending an email instead of calling them or visiting face to face, this choice tends to leave our words open to misinterpretation and we miss an opportunity to re-engage with this individual for long-term satisfaction on both ends. General rule: if the idea of calling or seeing this individual makes you feel uneasy, that's when it's most needed. The hardest calls to make are the most important.
• Take the Time to Establish Rapport Professionals love to talk about getting in rapport. We believe we do this by discussing politics or sports before diving into substance. Instead, try expressing true curiosity about the client, personally and substantively. Ask open-ended questions; really take the time to care. You'll be surprised at the energetic and satisfying response and how this builds long-term satisfaction in your attorney-client relationships.

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Who's in Charge Here?

Great lawyers not only take responsibility for substantive competence, but also for client competence. Their ability to assist their clients in understanding the options and clearly articulating their objectives can, and often does, set these lawyers apart from the rest.

Like any good counselor, a lawyer's ability to best advise first depends on being a great listener. This not only allows the lawyer to fully understand the client's situation and needs, but also allows the lawyer to accurately reflect this understanding back to the client. This puts the client at ease and can allow them to go deeper into their own understanding of their needs and objectives. Moreover, when you have listened to your client and confirmed out loud what is important to them, a relationship is built in the moment.

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Another effective tool in building great relationships with your clients involves empathy. Do this before each interaction with your clients: Take a few moments to ask yourself what life is like for your client. Place yourself in their shoes. This will take preparation for your meetings to a whole new level, and make your clients generally a lot easier to deal with. Try it out (try it with your staff, spouse and kids too, it works!). And watch what happens in return. These clients will begin to associate their lawyer with someone who cares, and addresses their needs and concerns.

These important counseling skills (listening, reflecting and empathy), of course, only establish the relationship. Now it is time to demonstrate professional competence and set reasonable expectations. Because you have already established yourself as someone who is truly a counselor at law, your clients will be far more receptive to your role as leader, and will become far easier to deal with, and more willing to adjust their expectations to align with yours.

Tip to begin this process: Take the time today to reach out to a client who is not expecting to hear from you. Update them quickly on your progress since you last spoke, and then inquire how things are on their end. Give them 100% of your attention while they are speaking, reflect back and empathize. You may discover that objectives or circumstances have changed for them. Perhaps not. Either way, you are building professional relationships that will pay dividends with not only this client, but also with potential clients who they may refer to you because you are that rare lawyer who cares!

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