Remember the last time you called a company about your order, your payment, or your account and what it took to get to the right department? Remember the joy of wading through a phalanx of options and when you didn’t find what you wanted, choosing any option, hitting “0” or shouting out “customer service” so you could talk to a human being?

God forbid you made a mistake and had to start over. 

Who decided this is the right way to treat customers? 

An accountant. Or committee thereof.

Bean counters counted the beans and realized that it was a lot cheaper to use automation than to hire humans to talk to people. No doubt that’s true. But what they didn’t “account” for is how frustrated customers might be battling the automated devil.

Or how much business they would lose when frustrated customers gave up and bought their wares somewhere else. 

They also didn’t think about the other side of the equation. They didn’t consider how much goodwill and loyalty they could engender, and how much additional profit they might derive, by eating the expense of providing some old-fashioned hospitality on the phone. 

I’m not saying automation is bad. Just that management should consider not just the savings, but the cost. 

How much is it worth to ensure that a customer returns to your store? How many new customers might find you when existing customers share their positive experience with you via reviews, social media, and word of mouth?

I’m not just talking about the phone. There are many areas of customer service where a company should consider spending more to make more. 

That goes for law firm, too.

I encourage you to consider spending more to make clients feel welcome and appreciated and giving them an exceptional experience with your firm. Look for “pain points” and areas of friction your clients and prospective clients might experience and put some money on the line to fix them. 

But don’t just fix them. Turn those pain points into your areas of strength.

It might give you a competitive advantage over other firms that listen too much to their bean counters and don’t listen enough to the people who pay them.

The Attorney Marketing Formula

Some lawyers do their best to get to know their clients on a personal level, not just during the pendency of the case or matter, but thereafter.

Some lawyers don’t.

The first group may be described as adopting a “relational” approach to building their practice. The latter group, those who do the work and move onto the next client, are said to take a “transactional” approach.

The advantage of a relational approach is that it tends to lead to long-term relationships, which are more likely to result in repeat business and referrals. The lawyer also may get to know the client’s personal and/or business contacts, leading to additional clients and opportunities.

The disadvantages are that it takes time to build relationships, as well as interpersonal skills and being comfortable with a higher degree of transparency.

The transactional approach avoids those disadvantages, but tends to miss out on some of the advantages.

Bottom line, the transactional approach looks at the short-term—the size of the case or the number of billable hours, while the relational approach focuses on the long-term and the lifetime value of the client.

Is one approach better for you than the other? Or should you consider a hybrid approach, as many lawyers do? Many lawyers adopt a transactional approach with most clients and build relationships with their best ones.

Because there are only so many hours in a day.

I recommend a slightly different approach.

I recommend building relationships with all of your clients, just not all in the same way.

Because there are only so many hours in a day, I recommend staying in touch with all of your clients via email, and investing personal time with your best clients.

You absolutely can build relationships with your clients (and others) via email.

You can and you should.

To learn how, get my course on email marketing for attorneys

It’s only logical. If people don’t trust you, they won’t hire you or return to you or refer you.

Or follow your advice.

We show them positive reviews, testimonials, awards, endorsements, and our other bona fides, and share stories about the clients we’ve helped. We write articles and give speeches, filled with proof that we know our stuff.

And it’s all good. But sometimes, it’s not enough.

Because other lawyers say a lot of the same things and because we all seem to tell people nothing but the good stuff. We make ourselves look almost perfect.

And people know we’re not.

If you want more people to trust you, the best thing you can do is admit it.

Tell people you’re not perfect. And then, prove it.

Tell them about one of your flaws, weaknesses, or mistakes.

Careful, though. Not all mistakes are created equal.

Tell them about the time you showed up late to a hearing and got yelled at by the Court. Don’t tell them about the case you lost because you sued the wrong party.

Let them see you do things you know you shouldn’t do. You don’t get enough exercise; you spend too much at the Apple store; you tell your grandkids stupid jokes.

You know, the stuff humans do.

People know you’re not perfect. When you admit it and show them a flaw or two, they’re more likely to trust you.

Probably also like you. Even if they don’t laugh at your stupid jokes.

Your client asks you for something extra. It’s small but you would be justified billing for it.

Don’t do it. If at all possible, give it to them, no charge. Because you are in a service business and that means keeping your clients happy.

At least that’s what Bob Farrell, founder of Farrell’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor, would tell you.

“Give ’em the pickle,” Bob would say.

The other day, I watched a video about Farrell’s, which I remember from my youth. They had a big menu and a huge selection of outlandish ice cream dishes, all served up with a big dose of fun.

The video told the story about a regular customer who always asked for and got an extra pickle with his hamburger. One day, he asked a new waitress for an extra pickle but she insisted on charging him for it. He left the restaurant and wrote a letter to Bob Farrell, complaining and vowing never to return.

Farrell wrote back, apologized, offered the customer a coupon and encouraged him to return, which he did.

Farrell began training his employees and corporate staff on the importance of going the extra mile to take care of customers. His “Give ’em the pickle” policy and training was a big success for Farrell’s and many other companies that adopted it.

It’s the little things we do for clients that make a difference. The little things are often the reason clients return to you with their next legal matter, and the reason they tell their friends about you.

So, when they ask for something extra, look for ways to give it to them. The cost to you is negligible compared to the lifetime value of the client (and his referrals).

But don’t wait to be asked. Client’s appreciate the extra touches–your handwritten thank you note, personally greeting them in your reception area, or calling to see how they feel after their latest medical procedure.

Whether or not a client asks for something extra, look for ways to give ’em the pickle.

Treating client’s right is the key to repeat business and referrals