After that, it`s important to set expectations and keep communication open throughout the process, while engaging the customer every step of the way. Through these communication techniques, even the most hesitant customers are likely to create a strong sense of trust and start relying on your business for support and guidance, strengthening that bond. At the end of their legal ordeal and with the best legal marketing firm, they are likely to become regular clients or make glowing recommendations. Selfridge`s observation is intended to serve as a warning to lawyers: “The client is always right.” There are types of clients who are more interested in negotiating than how their case unfolds. We all know that lawyers are expensive and that cutting costs for clients is good business. But a client who spends more time complaining about fees than talking about legal issues, lawyers should try to avoid it unless they want to fight over unpaid bills. Value is, of course, one of the cornerstones of most businesses, but its application is new – and largely unwelcome – for lawyers. So new that a considerable debate has erupted about what “value” means in the context of the provision of legal services. Tellingly, lawyers, such a skillful — and well-paid — group at analyzing words, would struggle with proper meaning — not to mention the “value” assumption. The same goes for “efficiency,” a word that still stands up to many lawyers. What for? For many lawyers, this undermines the supposedly tailored services they offer. I`m not sure this is a question in marketing circles, but there is a noticeable difference between “customer” and “customer”.
A “customer” is someone who makes a purchase out of habit, a series of transactions – while a “customer” (derived from “clientem”) suggests a “follower” of another, a relationship of dependency and a relationship in which the service provided is tailored to needs. “This White Paper sets out the Government`s proposals to reform the legal framework for legal services in England and Wales. The purpose of the changes is to put the consumer first. The Government has set up a consumer body to advise it on further reform. The changes mean the end of the current regulatory maze. The aim is to create a new regulatory framework that better meets the needs of consumers and is fully accountable. It`s time for lawyers to take the initiative and focus on clients` “needs, goals and expectations.” These customers are always willing to do anything to achieve the desired result and do not worry about how to get there. They only care that the result meets their expectations. These customers cannot be retained. They are difficult to manage because they prefer, even illegally, to do everything possible to achieve results. A lawyer must ensure that the way to resolve the case is legal and correct. What about these paid reference services? Their luck may vary, but I and others I have worked with have not: all of the referrals we received from these services were low-value cases requiring free or near-free legal aid. My friend Jeff Carr, former general counsel at FMC, recently told me, “For many law firms and lawyers, `client centricity` means focusing on the client as a source of revenue, rather than focusing on meeting the client`s needs, goals and expectations.” (3) Avoiders – These people deny and are afraid to hire a lawyer.
They realize that they probably need legal help, but they prefer to bury their heads in the sand rather than face their situation. A century ago, Harry Selfridge, the London-based retailer, said: “The customer is always right. (1) Quick action participants – they realize they have a legal problem and will hire almost any lawyer as soon as possible so they can have some peace of mind. A customer is anyone who buys for resale directly from the seller or his agent or broker. In addition, a “Customer” is any purchaser of the Seller`s Resale Product who purchases from or through a wholesaler or other intermediary. The word “customer” used in paragraph 2(d) of the Act includes the term “purchaser” used in paragraph 2(e). By focusing on these types of legal clients, Speakeasy Authority Marketing has developed a proven method to help your business succeed. Building an attorney-client relationship is one of the most valuable things you can focus on as a lawyer, but first you need to find clients to start a relationship. While it`s not always easy, using legal marketing for lawyers is the first step on your way to growing your business, and Speakeasy Authority Marketing is here to help. There are already signs that this is happening, as more and more work that was once described as “legal” is being done by both non-lawyers and lawyers outside the traditional law firm environment.
Not every customer who asks for your help can walk through your doors with the perfect image of the perfect customer, but that doesn`t mean they can`t become one.