Clients leaving your firm is an inevitable reality of practicing law. It’s possible they no longer require your services, or they’ve chosen to work with a competitor. The most common reason clients leave, however, is dissatisfaction in some capacity. Maybe they feel you’ve been indifferent, or they haven’t seen the results they were hoping for. Whatever the reason, clients will move on to a situation that better fits their needs. You can change that, however, by taking steps to change the culture of your firm.
To help prevent clients from leaving you, you must commit to client retention. Here are a few tips on how to achieve that.
Set Expectations
One of the biggest reasons clients leave is unmet expectations. From the outset of your relationship with a new client, be sure to discuss what you can and cannot do for them. Often, clients expect unrealistic outcomes, and many attorneys fail to inform them that their wishes are just not feasible. To avoid any confusion about what your services can achieve, you must outline what they can reasonably expect from you.
Take the Time to Listen
Generally, when someone requires an attorney, they’re going through a distressing situation. Even if you’ve heard similar issues a thousand times, take the time to listen to your client. Often, a client needs to vent. To build a trusting relationship with that client, you need to listen. If you’ve been in the game for a while, listening to the same issues on repeat can get tedious, but to your new clients, these problems are fresh. Take the time to show them you care, and they’re more likely to stay with you long-term.
Master Your Communication
Not maintaining consistent communication is another reason many clients seek out new counsel. You may be busy, but clients want regular status updates, and lack of communication sends a negative message about your commitment to success. When you do correspond, don’t make the mistake of using legal jargon your clients cannot understand. This only opens up the door for miscommunication, and that’s almost as bad as no communication. Make your correspondence easy to understand, and make sure you’re picking up the phone or sending out emails regularly.
Respond Promptly
Quick response times show your clients that you are committed to regular communication and you value their business. You should have a system in place for returning calls and emails — even if you are out of the office all day. Delegate this task to someone in your office, but leave the legal advice for your personal correspondence. When you have someone who can reply within an hour or two of receiving calls or emails, you communicate commitment. Your clients will be assured that you are aware of their needs and that you will get back to them as soon as possible.
Make Your Presence Known
Lastly, no matter how busy you are, make sure you take the time to check in with your clients. Even if you’ve delegated tasks to your associates, clients want to know that you genuinely care about their cases. Maintaining visibility helps to dispel any thoughts of indifference, and can help you keep more of your hard-earned clients.
Client retention is vital to the success of your law firm. Be sure to target ideal clients and maintain constant communication with them. If you need help with communication and client engagement, enlist the help of Marketing4Legal. We can help you increase your firm’s digital presence in multiple ways. Contact us to learn about how working with us can benefit your law firm.