Once your firm has signed with a client, keep in mind that they are good prospects for future legal needs. Keeping your clients coming back will not only increase your revenue, but it also will actually save your firm the cost of finding new customers.

According to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, it is six to seven times more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to retain an existing one. Creating a positive relationship with clients helps to ensure they return to your firm whenever a need arises and makes them a candidate to provide positive reviews that their connections and others are likely to view.

The best way to keep your clients coming back is by providing them with customer service that goes above and beyond what they anticipate.

The Value of Law Firm Customer Service

According to an American Express 2012 study:

Two thirds of consumers state that they are willing to spend more with a company they believe provides excellent customer service…. Greater than one in ten consumers “refuse to do business with a company that provides poor service” (16%) and feel that “excellent service is worth spending more” (18%).

Not only are clients willing to spend more money to attain the services that they feel exceed their standards, but 70% of buying experiences are based upon how the customer feels they are being treated (McKinsey). If you are not investing extra effort into making your prospects and clients feel important, you are missing out on a potential increase in cases.

How a Law Firm Can Personalize Its Services and Communication

One way to treat your clients well is to make sure each client feels appreciated and known as an individual, not as just another face coming through the office. Sometimes this can be as simple as telling them how important their case is to you. Remember, you are crafting perceptions.  Your service may be incredible, but if your clients do not see or understand the value of your services they will not feel well cared for. This is why client communication is key.

Your communication with clients should be planned, purposeful and proactive. Always start with a specific message you want to get across. Have a communication plan set out where you send them an email to touch base regularly, even when there are no major updates to their case. Use every opportunity to show clients that their case is moving forward and that you are working hard for them.

When promising anything to a client, make sure it is something that your firm will be able to deliver. A client will trust you more if your firm tries to “under-promise and over-deliver.” They will be far more pleased to receive more than expected rather than having to come to terms with receiving less than they were originally promised.

High standards of customer service don’t benefit just the client but the firm as well because, “Your customers won’t love you if you give bad service, your competitors will” (Kate Zabriskie). With the intense competition between law firms in the market today, it is essential to keep the clients of your firm happy with the service they are provided.

Utilizing Word of Mouth

Keep in mind the value of word of mouth. Whether a customer receives positive or negative service, they are very likely to discuss it with others. Multiple studies have shown that people tell more people about their negative experiences than their positive ones. A positive review is valuable, but it is even more important to be aware of negative reviews of your law firm.

Whenever possible, find the root cause of an unhappy client’s disappointment and find a solution. When you take the time to earn back a client’s approval and trust, it will create a stronger bond than before. However, not all customers are willing to give a firm the chance to make up for their negative experience. According to a RightNow Report, as much as 89% of consumers began doing business with a competitor following a poor customer service experience.

A proactive customer service plan will keep your clients happy and coming back for assistance. From the individual answering the emails and phones in your office to the thank you notes you send at the end of a trial, each interaction with your firm should leave your client with something positive to say about the experience.