Best Practice: Setting standards for client service

Asked and Answered

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am the managing partner of a 14 attorney business law firm in Baltimore, Maryland. Our marketing committee has been discussing marketing initiatives and is planning on a client service initiative. Where do you suggest that we start?

A. You might want to start by putting in place some basic client service standards. For example:

• Phone calls will be returned within 2 hours.
• Be client friendly. Treat clients like you would like to be treated. Eliminate arrogance in manner and tone.
• Answer phone calls by the third ring.
• Provide status updates monthly.
• Send out billing statements monthly.
• Send clients copies of all documents created or received on his or her behalf.
• Ask clients how you are doing.
• Smile – whether on the phone or in person.
• Ask a client their name and always use it.
• Thank clients for their business.
• Go out of your way to make it easy for clients to do business with the firm.
• Do what you promise and when you promised.
• Don’t make promises you can’t keep.

Look for ways to become your client's trusted advisor rather that their hired gun that they only call on when they are in trouble.

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John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC,(www.olmsteadassoc.com) is a past chair and member of the ISBA Standing Committee on Law Office Management and Economics. For more information on law office management please direct questions to the ISBA listserver, which John and other committee members review, or view archived copies of The Bottom Line Newsletters. Contact John at jolmstead@olmsteadassoc.com.