Expectations and communication – managing client relationships
Osprey Approach’s marketing manager, Amy Bruce, reflects on episode two of the company’s ‘Build Better Habits’ webinar series – with a focus on the right approach to client relationships.
For the second episode of Osprey Approach’s Build Better Habits webinar series, we were joined by Aftab Bose, editor of LPM, Sarah Charlton, CEO of law firm Eaton Evans Morris, and Gab Santos, national sales manager at InfoTrack. Our expert panel shared their knowledge and insight to provide practical tips and advice on how SME law firms can manage client relationships effectively with the right approach and mindset.
How do firms implement a client-focused mindset?
We began by asking our panel what a client-focused mindset means for modern law firms and the collective response was to ensure that clients are at the heart of all business decisions. Santos commented: “decisions are often made from an operational perspective first… but they’re not thinking from the client’s perspective.
“Everything [should] start with empathy. Unless you’re putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, it’s hard to be client focused.”
Bose agreed, pointing out that the quality of customer service delivery is one of the few things firms can control, and that: “Law firms have a unique model, especially in certain practice areas, that they’re not always able to guarantee an outcome. This means that your competitive advantage then shifts to the quality of service you deliver.”
What role can legal software play?
Bose referred to data from the 2022 LPM Frontiers report, which found that “the top item on the tech investment agenda for most SME law firms this year is customer relationship management technology – so client-focused tools are very much in focs.
“What’s important is to make sure when firms do invest in tech, that it’s integrated across their systems – to optimise the technology properly.”
Charlton agreed and said that integrating digital tools, and relying on Osprey Approach, helps them to aim towards an Amazon-like client experience. “We don’t have deep pockets like Amazon, but we use Osprey combined with other products, to replicate some service elements and it’s not that expensive.”
Legal software can provide flexibility to better manage workloads, avoid burnout, and reduce costly manual administration. Santos pointed out: “Legal technology allows lawyers to complete admin tasks and save on billable time, which allows them to communicate with clients with a human element. However, technology is not a substitute for a human interaction. It’s okay for firms to do 80% of the communication through automated milestones, emails, and reminders, though the human element is what’s going to make the difference.”
Eight habits law firms should adopt
The panel agreed that modern law firms should focus on eight key habits when implementing a client-focused strategy:
- Define a service level agreement (SLA)
To ensure accountability across the firm, expectations need to be clear, and creating an agreement that states how you’re going to communicate with clients is key, as Santos explained: “I don’t see it in firms often, but when I do it’s very successful, and that is setting up and abiding by an agreement of how you plan to service your clients.” Bose agreed and added: “What’s worked well for firms is having a separate team – perhaps a customer success role – checking in independently with the client at different points along their journey.”
- Choose your value proposition
Firms need to consider why clients would choose them over competitors. Charlton suggested considering wider business goals and purpose, including sustainability and environmental impact, offering apprenticeships, and helping the local community, or becoming a B-Corp firm to show commitment.
- Accountability
It’s important that firms communicate their goals and SLAs to the wider team and ensure they’re reminded regularly of what’s expected to ensure accountability. Santos believes that leadership needs to empower employees to provide a higher level of service and “that will only happen once you set expectations and consistently communicate those to your staff.”
- Reward staff
To reinforce the behaviour firms expect, it’s important to reward staff for achieving goals and improving performance. Charlton said that at her firm, the staff who receive good reviews are rewarded, which helps to instil a client-focused culture across the firm.
- Align values with success measures
To help reward employees and incentivise change, it’s important to measure the firm’s success towards the goal. Bose warned that current measures of success don’t always align to a client-focused strategy and pointed out: “Billable hours tend to be the measure of success, but if you pivot away from that and look at reviews and service delivery, you’ll gradually move towards a client-focused team.”
- Keep data hygienic
When using technology to enhance the client service, it’s important to ensure the data you input is cleansed and accurate. Bose explained how quality data can be used to inform creative ways of using your technology but added: “The opposite is true if the data isn’t hygienic; pretty much everything else will be a mess and take extra time. If you have clean data, then the potential is limitless.”
- Hire people from different sectors
For appropriate roles, Charlton advised that firms could look to hire individuals who have a client-focused – rather than a legal sector – background and said that her firm “targets people who have worked in hospitality because first impressions count.”
- Incentivise word of mouth
Santos pointed out that a recommendation from a client is the best way to build credibility and highlight the quality of service and suggested: “Put your solicitors’ reviews on your website, and learn from the feedback to understand what is and isn’t working for you.”
Who is responsible for ensuring client-focused habits stick?
The panel had differing views on this point, but a common theme is that the mindset needs to be a priority for it to be successful.
Santos said that a culture shift can only work if it comes from the top down and suggested that firms should “identify who at the top of your organisation has the client-focused traits you’re looking for and can effectively communicate and lead by example. It’s important to have a clear strategy and then make sure people are held accountable.”
Charlton agreed that top down is ideal but added: “You can spread the mindset from the middle. It’s all about what’s acceptable and what isn’t. Even if you don’t have buy-in from senior partners from the get-go, if the rest of the firm prioritise the client, then the business can become successful because everyone has been client-focused.”
Implement client-focused business habits for long-term success
To implement a client-centric culture across SME law firms, it’s important to have a clear strategy, a defined agreement on what’s expected, measurable performance metrics, and the right digital tools to provide support for the team so they can deliver an empathetic but profitable service.
Having a client-focused culture is one of four habits that we’ve outlined that which modern law firms should adopt for long-term success. We’ve covered all four habits in our Build Better Habits webinar series, which is now available to watch on-demand.
Osprey Approach provides an all-in-one, practice, and case management software solution to high-street and multi-branch law firms. With over 30 years’ experience in the legal software sector, its software solution and dedicated partnership helps make running a law firm easier.
