The most common form of client feedback system over the years is a client’s willingness to pay our bills. Unfortunately, this limited event doesn’t really provide any real insight into how our clients see us or their likelihood of continuing to use us. Rarely does a client call us and fire us; they simply don’t call us again.
An effective client feedback program should provide several types of insights from the clients:
Client Loyalty: You should be able to measure the relative loyalty of a client. How likely is a client to rehire you for their next need? How do their see you when compared to your competition? Where are the best opportunities for you to expand your services into the clients business needs?
Your client feedback program should give you clear insights into these and many other questions while literally giving you a specific metric on each key contact which measure their loyalty. Then as you repeat the process you can see if your client is becoming more loyal to you or if your business relationship is in danger and why.
Best Practice / Service Improvement – Each time you complete a service to your client you have the opportunity for two great moments:
- Clients can identify areas that could have done more to the liking of your client; these are the kind of moments that clients refer to as being exactly when they started truly trusting you. For loyalty, clients say these moments are more important than results or even competency. Clients know there are other attorneys that can do the work.
- Specific areas or types of execution tactics that particularly thrill the client can be identified as a best practice. Then the rest of the practice professionals can take advantage by adopting these new best practices. These moments provide competitive leaps in the marketplace.