The Lives of Lawyers: Actionable Tips for Law Firms to Increase Client Satisfaction

Client satisfaction not only affects client retention and a firm’s reputation but is considered as a key driver of growth. According to Harvard Business Review, referrals are still the most common way people find an attorney.

Understandably, clients that have a pleasant experience working with you are highly likely to send more business your way in the future. In an age when Big Law firms are spending roughly 2% of their budget on marketing and business development, it’s important to remember that satisfied clients are a firm’s most powerful marketing channel.

With the internet, clients have more options than ever when it comes to legal services. If you are able to retain happy clients, you’ll be able to give yourself a competitive advantage. Winning cases is just one way to keep clients happy. Luckily, there are many other steps you can take to build rapport with your clients and to keep them entrusting you with their legal needs.

How to keep your law firm clients satisfied?

Keeping clients satisfied comes down to reducing common friction points, like billing, mismatched communication patterns, and mismanaged expectations, relating to cornerstone aspects of legal work, such as deadlines and billing. Below are some of the best practices to ensure client satisfaction:

1- Be responsive and accessible

Although it may just be one case among many for your firm, for the client, it could feel like their entire life hangs in the balance. When clients reach out to you, it’s imperative that they feel like they have a good chance of getting through and being heard. That means giving timely callbacks if you missed one. Preferably, never let the client wait for more than 24 hours.

Consider using  Client Portal, it allows clients to collaborate and add comments in order to inform or share information such as attachments and more via the comments section inside the ticket.

2- Keep your clients updated

Share important information to clients about their case as well as pertinent information about your firm frequently. Communication is a two-way street and, although you should always be accessible, the client shouldn’t feel the onus is on them every time to make contact.

Following up with clients or making sure they are up to date on the details will make them feel appreciated. It will also foster a sense of transparency and reliability. In a practical sense, it allows clients to else prepare themselves in line with new developments.

3- Strike up a personal connection

If someone’s about to enter critical legal proceedings, there’s nothing they want more than to believe they have someone is by their side. Through trying to appear professional, it’s easy to come across as cold.

So, from the very beginning, it’s critical to treat your clients with respect, dignity, and a hint of compassion. Client service is something that should permeate every part of the client acquisition, interaction, and retention process. Don’t let clients go too long without receiving real human contact from your firm.

Take a polite interest in your client’s personal and business life. This will also give you a better understanding of where they’re coming from.

4- Modernize your practice

In this day and age, every established law firm should have a modern, attractive, and functioning website. People have more choices than ever, and a professional website will create that first impression you need to stand out.

There are also many tools that law firms can use to improve their client service and streamline their work processes. Tired of having your law firm buried in paperwork and manual work processes? Lexzur software can help you effortlessly draft professional documents and manage them digitally.

Discover the top 7 reasons a law firm should adopt technology.

5- Enhance your digital presence 

To maximize your client acquisition, you need to compete for attention online. Nowadays, most peoples research starts (and usually ends) at Google. For law firms, it’s especially important to optimize their search engine rankings locally, as this is still how most law business is done.

You don’t have to be a marketing expert. There are many marketing tips that can help you in learning legal marketing. It starts with optimizing your online presence, enhancing your website appearance, and creating your free online profiles. Here are the five tips you need to market your law firm.