An article from Forbes suggests that law firms could start becoming obsolete. While revenue remains high in the industry, there is a fundamental problem: client dissatisfaction.
“The technology and process deficiencies are particularly problematic because legal delivery is now the business of delivering legal services, not simply the practice of law.”
This is vastly different from traditional partnership models. Law firms are becoming more like businesses, and delivering quality services is what business is all about.
There is a lot that goes along with running a law firm like a business. According to the article, law firms are facing two systematic issues: delivery and structure.
We’ll break it down for you further and explain how to overcome client dissatisfaction.
Client Challenges
The article stated a handful of specific client challenges firms are facing. Here are three that stuck out the most:
- Client dissatisfaction and failure to address it
- Poor customer service
- Failure to deploy technology to streamline operations
Client Dissatisfaction and Failure to Address It
Failure to address any problem within your law firm is going to be problematic, especially with clients—the lifeblood of any business in any field.
Instead of just practicing law, your law firm must deliver quality services to your clients. Otherwise, there could be negative consequences.
The fact of the matter is your clients have more power than ever before. They have information—the ability to do a quick Google or Yelp search, the option to browse through your firm’s social media pages to aid in their decision-making processes and judgments.
Basically, there are many options for them to choose from. And they don’t have to choose you.
They also have the power to write reviews on just about any platform, reviews that new potential clients will (no doubt) refer to.
This is why it’s so important to address client dissatisfaction when it comes up. Without this client-centered approach, the future of your firm could potentially be compromised.
Poor Customer Service
Delivering outstanding service to your legal clients is one of the simplest ways to increase client satisfaction.
It all starts will good legal phone etiquette. All you have to do is respond and be receptive. The rest will follow.
Your clients want to know you are there for them, you will empathize with them, and you care.
Superb customer service should be embedded into every aspect of your law firm’s delivery and structure. This is just another way to keep your clients satisfied.
Failure to Deploy Technology to Streamline Operations
Technology has become a constant collaborator in the legal world. It is the future of law firms.
From another Forbes article on law and technology:
“[Technology] is not replacing lawyers but it is contributing to the demise of traditional legal culture, replacing it with a diverse, competitive, customer-aligned, accessible, and cost-effective one where ‘legal professionals’ deploy technology and process to solve business challenges.”
Despite the push towards technology, most lawyers have been slow or are reluctant to integrate it into their delivery model in order to streamline operations.
Just like ignoring client dissatisfaction, this can also be detrimental to the future of your law firm.
Don’t run from technology. Embrace it!
Once you’ve integrated it into your law firm’s overall structure and delivery, you will see the difference it can make when it comes to streamlining operations and maximizing ROI.
Alert Communications Can Help
At Alert Communications, we are masters at customer service and we put your client’s satisfaction at the top of our list, every time. And we fully take advantage of the technology available today to help us do so.
We can help you make sure your clients are always satisfied, starting with the very first call.
Don’t let your law firm become obsolete. For more information, visit https://www.alertcommunications.com or call 844-694-6825.
