Client service tips from Paul Alisauskas – Pace Law Firm: A lot of client service writing and advice deals with the sort of encounter that might be typical of a retail purchase, such as dealing with a billing problem, or getting a piece of information from your auto mechanic. These tend to be short, likely infrequent (or even ‘one-off’) encounters, and not “deep” with relationship elements.
When you’re thinking about your client with the law firm, you’re more likely to have the sort of relationship that account managers or bankers have with their clients – extended in time, likely with frequent interactions that involve the need for a very healthy dose of TRUST (at least if the relationship is to continue).
Remember that being friendly, helpful and building rapport “most of the time” is not going to be enough to sustain that relationship over the long haul.
So, when dealing with your client, remember that being friendly, helpful and building rapport “most of the time” is not going to be enough to sustain that relationship over the long haul. Your success ‘scorecard’ depends on sustained excellence. Think of the building blocks of the relationship as being the individual encounters with the client, and it’s more like a marathon than a sprint.
There is nothing “easy” about client service; if it was, everyone would be good at it, and we all know that’s not the case. It requires dedication, commitment and effort.
So think of each of your clients as an “account” that needs to be nurtured, maintained, and managed. Taking the long term view will help you maintain the right mindset for the sort of business you are in.