The client journey refers to the path the client takes: from first contact with your law firm, to interest, to engagement, to hiring you, to you working their case, and finally, to closing their case.Ĭonsidering the complete client journey and how each stage flows to the next is key for creating a positive client experience that sets your law firm apart. Companies have entire roles, and even departments, dedicated to customer success (think “customer journey advocate”), and there are a number of terms that will be helpful as you move towards taking a client-centered approach for your firm. Since the benefits of a client-centered approach have been borne out extensively in other industries, being “client-centered” has become essential for modern businesses. Key client-centered terms you need to know Consider: Creating a well thought out onboarding experience-investing in the right tools, thinking through the right processes for your firm, and evolving that process when you see opportunities to improve-might require some investment, but it will lead to a faster onboarding process and fewer questions and confusion for the duration of your engagement, keeping overhead low and staff happier. Taking a client-centered approach is good for your internal operations too. A client-centered approach can help with this: Building trust with your clients can help make it easier to get the information you need, to build a good working relationship with your clients, and to leave them satisfied and willing to refer more clients to you once their case is closed. This goes beyond the legal deliverable you provide: Being client-centered means truly putting yourself in your client’s shoes and looking at the experience of hiring a lawyer and going through a legal matter from their point of view-and thinking through how you can provide a good client experience in a way that’s efficient for your firm.Īs a lawyer, your job is to help your client resolve their particular legal issue, in a timely-and hopefully affordable-fashion. Running a client-centered law firm means putting your clients at the center of your thinking. In an age when there are plenty of options for the alternative delivery of legal services, and when clients have come to expect the instant service and satisfaction they get from Amazon, Netflix, and Uber in every consumer interaction, law firms that are thoughtful, responsive, and engaged with their clients will set themselves apart. Hear more about what he has to say in this interview with Christopher Anderson on The Un-billable Hour. However, as Jack Newton emphasizes in his new book The Client-Centered Law Firm, it’s now more important than ever that law firms who want to stay competitive take a client-centered approach. Forward-thinking lawyers have been taking this approach for years. The idea that client-centered law firms are more successful is not a new one.

Client base meaning