The Client-Centric Selling Blog

Innovation in Client Service: Top 10 Things to Implement Now (Part 3)

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Innovation in service begins with adopting a client-centric approach to everything you do. This is the third in a four part series on the topic. Read them all and get ahead of the curve.

In this blog post, I offer practical 'how-to' instructions to implement strategies four to six in the Top 10 client service innovations I recommend.

When you truly and fully understand your clients and their business, their challenges, and their needs and service expectations, you’re more likely to consider the following strategies:

4. Consider innovative billing options. The current economy applies even greater pressure on your clients to cut costs and show more value for legal services than ever before. Here's how they described the scenario in a client panel discussion, hosted by the Legal Marketing Association - Toronto Chapter luncheon in October, 2009:

• You have now crossed an inflection point. You now have the attention of senior management. You’re on the radar in the budget process. And now it’s personal (those making decisions will see these fees eating into profits and bonuses). This is not where you want to be.
• It’s a big problem you will have to face. And you have to address it. You have to get into the conversation.
• This is bigger than “can I have a blended rate over here”.

Being client-centric and building value-based relationships is about offering your clients greater value. Armed with new data you have gathered by talking with your clients and getting feedback, you are more likely to identify areas where alternative billing can provide them with greater value and alleviate some of the pressure they’re working under.

Differentiation opportunity: Here are some suggestions discussed during another client panel discussion at the Legal Marketing Association - Toronto Chapter luncheon in May, 2010:

• Discounts are not alternative fee arrangements. And they don’t benefit the firm, so enter into dialogue about alternative fee arrangements that will benefit both the client and the firm.
• Consider developing a ‘Free Legal Advice” program. Ideal for quick one-offs so you don’t end up nickel and diming the client.
• Consider commoditizing repetitive and high volume work.  You need data to fuel this. Firms can help tremendously by mining their billing data by type of work.
• Consider an early resolution bonus formula (in litigation matters).
• Break down parts of a file and see what can be outsourced to reduce overall fees.

Find out what works best for your clients and remain flexible to adapt to meet their needs.

5. Re-think how you do what you do. Examine the ‘transaction’ from start to finish - from the client's perspective.Consider the service you provide and understand what happens before, during and after your role. Create a timeline of events, if you will, where you can identify your role, and those of other professionals or client team members.  When you do, you will identify other areas where you may be of help, and with whom you may want to establish alliances to help your client ‘manage’ all the moving parts of the deal.

The key message here is to take another look at what you do and see if you can enhance the ‘how’ to differentiate yourself.

Real Results: One of our clients looked at her role in this way and identified that 9 times out of 10, there was an accountant involved both prior to and after her work. She ended up learning that this accountant had a similar practice to her own. She developed a strategic relationship with that accountant. Now they have what we call ‘a play nice together’ approach. This makes it easier on their shared client to facilitate the transaction they each become involved in. 

6. Identify first-to-market services. By gaining a deeper understanding of your clients’ and/or prospects’ needs, you may be able to identify emerging practice areas that you or your firm could develop as first-to-market. This is about getting to the next curve before your competition does.

In the next blog post, I provide you with practical 'how-to' instructions to implement strategies seven to ten in the Top 10  client service innovations:

• Reorganize your talent.
• Extend your CLE programs to your clients.
• Give clients access to your internal resources (Knowledge Management, IT or HR).
• Establish a client advisory board.

Until next time...

Wishing you good business success.