Client experience is the number one factor that determines whether or not a client will work with you in the future and refer others to your law firm. Client experience can include everything from how well a client can engage with your website and social media presence to how satisfied they are with your legal work. Client support is incredibly important at Smokeball. We strive to ensure all our clients have an excellence experience when they sign up with us. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve the overall client experience.

Make Initial Interactions Pleasant

From the moment a new potential client learns about your law firm, their experience should be easy and pleasant.

• Website responsiveness. Your website should be easy to navigate on a computer or smartphone. Responsive websites change to fit the device so that the user can easily navigate and interact.
• Clear channels of communication. It should be clear to a potential client how they can contact you no matter where they find your information. Always include your phone number, email address, and social media handles on your website, blog, and advertisements.
• Use auto-reply. If you check your email infrequently, use auto-reply to let people know when you will respond.  For example, if you only check email on Fridays, say so on your auto-reply message. This will help reduce frustration when emails aren’t immediately answered.
• Update your voicemail.  If you know you only respond to voicemail once a day or a few times a week, your voicemail message should indicate that. For example, you might say: “I will be checking voicemail on Tuesdays and Fridays.” Or, if you go on vacation, inform callers that you will be unable to return calls until you return.
• Good intake. Make sure your intake process is professional and pleasant. Have forms and other documents organized so that clients can get everything they need and all their important questions answered. A good intake process always has a way to easily answer FAQs.

Conduct Client Workshops

While many of your new potential clients will contact you online, offline marketing efforts are still valuable. Use client workshops to find people who need your legal services. Workshops should be designed to help potential clients understand how the law pertains to them and their legal challenges and how a lawyer can help the resolve their issues. Even if you only do one or two workshops a year, they can be a great way to make the client experience a positive one.

Train Your Staff

If you have support staff such as a receptionist or administrative assistant, invest in a customer service training for them.  Your support staff is often the first contact potential clients have with your law firm. A negative experience with a receptionist or assistant can color the rest of their experience with you.  

Clearly Define Scope Of Work

One of the biggest disputes many lawyers have with new clients is about expectations. Some new clients have unrealistic expectations of their attorney. To avoid conflicts about expectations, clearly define the scope of work along with a work plan with the client right from the start. By setting clear expectations, you can improve the client’s over experience with your law firm.

Create a good client experience and your new clients will return again and refer others to your law firm.

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Jane Oxley is President of Smokeball, a productivity and case management software provider that increases efficiency and profitability for solo attorneys and small law firms. Jane’s worked in the legal field for her entire career, spending over 20 years engaged with small law firms. She has a strong affinity with small law firms and the crucial role they play in the communities they serve and is passionate about helping them work towards more productive and less stressful practices.