In the last few years, legal services have evolved drastically. As client expectations continue to grow, it has shifted from sellers to buyer’s markets. That means the conventional tactics for maintaining client relationships don’t work anymore. Every law firm must invest in customer relationships; otherwise, there will only be one-time clients. But how to exceed client expectations and build a healthy relationship with them?
Firstly, you must understand that there is more to building a business than buying ads online to attract clients. Instead, you have to spend time building relationships while retaining existing customers. You have to respond promptly and keep the communication lines open. Clients feel at ease when they know their lawyer is accessible and reachable. Likewise, you have to show gratitude and offer a breadth of service.
If you want to learn more about this, keep reading. Here we have highlighted five tips for lawyers to boost their client relationships.
1. Demonstrate Your Value
Clients reach out to lawyers because of a tragedy or stressful event in their life. Someone struggling with child custody or a car accident will want to hire a trustworthy attorney. Similarly, a person suffering from a life-threatening illness will look for an attorney specializing in that domain. For instance, someone battling mesothelioma will prefer a mesothelioma attorney instead of a standard lawyer. And the only practical way to make this work is by proving your value.
To develop the client’s trust, you have to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter. Talk about the sensitivities related to client tragedy and show you understand what the client is feeling. Clients are more likely to trust lawyers that can resonate with them.
2. Communicate Openly
One of the most common grievances that people have is attorneys don’t pick up calls. Clients don’t appreciate unreciprocated calls and one-sided emails. It doesn’t matter how many calls you get every day; you have to respond promptly to your clients. You have to keep them up to date on the progress of their case, and there are different ways to accomplish this goal.
- Instead of answering calls and replying to emails all day, designate a time for this task. You can do this first thing when you reach the office or during the day. Having a set time will help you organize messages, allowing you to cater to the clients.
- Train your support staff to assist the customers. They should be able to answer standard questions regarding fees, appointments, and other administrative issues.
- Lastly, be transparent to your clients. If you cannot meet clients’ expectations, be straightforward instead of keeping them in the dark.
3. Show Gratitude
The clients who have been with your firm through rough and tough times deserve a little appreciation. Hence, consider sending them gifts during crucial moments. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant gift, but something thoughtful. Perhaps, it could be a handwritten note with your promotional merchandise. Gifts with a personal touch boost retention while making the customer feel valued. Also, this token of appreciation will reaffirm your value to clients.
However, you can consider donating to charity in their name if the client is hesitant to accept gifts. It would reflect your social commitment and involvement in the community. Believe it or not, clients want to work with socially-active people.
4. Engage Online
Today, word of mouth has the power to make or break a business. When a friend recommends a restaurant, we trust their opinion and try it. The same rule applies when someone is looking for legal services. People would prefer going to a lawyer who has an incredible online reputation. So, how do you build that? Fortunately, online engagement can help law firms prove commitment through meaningful communication. Therefore, join groups on social media and start interacting with people to build a strong presence.
Moreover, develop a user-friendly webpage highlighting the services you offer. You can also upload positive reviews, testimonials, and customer feedback. Whenever potential clients visit the website and go through these reviews, they will feel more confident about the firm. Besides this, you can also claim your Google My Business (GMB) page. Any reviews left by clients on your GMB listing will improve your webpage’s ranking on Google, increasing visibility.
5. Don’t Exploit Your Clients
Lawyers’ financial status depends on the number of hours they work on cases. As a result, they start thinking of customers as paychecks instead of humans. Unfortunately, this is the worst mistake any attorney can make. It takes attention away from the customer service, making your firm all about money. This mindset can also turn potential clients away.
You always have to remember that clients come to you amid their most perplexing times. Some might be stressed over a business deal, whereas others might be trying to stay out of jail. Therefore, your clients should feel that you are concerned about their cases.
Lastly, make a few adjustments to your billing strategy. You might charge a standard fee from corporate clients but give relaxation to people who can’t afford legal services. It will develop confidence amongst people that your firm is more than making money.
Final Thoughts
Every law firm’s success is directly related to client satisfaction. The happier your customers, the more business they will direct towards your firm. Therefore, take customer experience to the next level and build healthy relationships with clients. You have to open communication lines, be transparent, engage online, and build trust. Likewise, show empathy and treat your clients as humans to build a solid long-term relationship with them.
