No one seeks out an attorney unless they truly have a need, and the most successful legal service providers are those who put their customers above all else.
The best lawyers, like those on www.drunkdrivingattorneys.com, respect the individuals who have retained them and work from a customer-focused framework. That’s what clients want and expect, and attorneys hungry to grow their client base and retain customers for the long haul know and understand this.
In a nutshell, clients are customers who, at the end of the relationship, want to walk away with the assurance that the person legally appointed to transact business on their behalf has effectively met their needs. A client-centric approach is the only model in this current day and age that will work for both seasoned and new attorneys seeking to build and retain clients.
According to an article in Law Practice Today, an e-publication of the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Division, successful attorneys “make themselves available and consistently communicate with their clients.” Attorneys who thrive also, among other things:
- Communicate professionally and pleasantly,
- Provide a safe space for clients to call with issues or concerns, and
- Follow-up with clients to ensure they are satisfied.
“The old adage ‘the client is always right’ may sound pedestrian; however, in this economy, it is paramount,” said Attorney Marni Becker-Avin, author of the Law Practice Today article.
Customers also have weighed in on the subject, and have strong opinions on what they want and don’t want from attorneys. Research shows that what clients want most from their attorneys is someone who will:
- Listen and provide regular communication
- Give them time to tell their story or address their issue
- Create an atmosphere of trust and perhaps even friendship
- Synthesize technical legal information so it is understandable
A survey involving more than 10,000 consumers conducted by the legal Q&A forum Avvo, Inc. revealed that responsiveness was the number one factor in choosing a lawyer.
Ninety-two percent of those surveyed said responsiveness was a “very important” factor in hiring a lawyer, Avvo said in its release of the survey. Clearly people want lawyers, like those on www.drunkdrivingattorneys.com, who are attentive to their needs.
Cost, too, is key. “The survey also revealed that consumers who have not previously hired an attorney are more concerned about cost (72% cite cost as ‘very important’) than those that have hired an attorney in the past 5 years (62%),” Avvo said. Clients have allocated hard-earned funds to ensure their works is done.
At the end of the day, client-customers simply want to be treated as priority number one, even over billable hours. Is your attorney hungry enough to make that happen?
If not, seek out one that will. Be discriminating in your search, asking questions and evaluating marketing materials for signs of a client-centric approach. The client is, in fact, always right, and the best attorneys who work under this mantra.
