Are you always dealing with unhappy clients?

The satisfaction of clients forms the bedrock of a thriving law practice. Unhappy clients can strain relationships and dent professional reputation, but dealing with such situations is an inherent part of the legal profession. It’s about transforming challenges into opportunities for improvement and growth.

On average, a dissatisfied client tells nine to 15 people about their experience, according to a White House Office of Consumer Affairs study. In contrast, only one in 26 unhappy clients complain directly. These statistics underscore the importance of proactively managing displeased clients.

Grievances against lawyers

While dissatisfaction might root of various causes, the American Bar Association identifies communication as a common denominator in 46% of grievances against lawyers.

A simple breakdown in communication can have a client feeling unappreciated, leading to dissatisfaction. Practicing active listening and responding promptly to concerns, in clear, non-legal jargon can alleviate much of this distress.

Clients want to be assured that they are a priority. Timeliness and dedication make a massive difference in the attorney-client relationship.

A survey from Clio’s 2020 Legal Trends Report revealed that 66% of clients prefer a lawyer who responds quickly, even if they don’t have all the answers. Maintaining regular updates and informing clients about their case progress can help manage expectations and build trust.

Lawyers are not transparent

Transparency and honesty can also significantly affect client satisfaction. Studies from the Cornell Legal Information Institute show that 37% of clients feel their lawyers are not transparent about fees and expenses.

This perceived lack of transparency can generate mistrust. Providing clear, upfront information about billing procedures and anticipated costs can alleviate such concerns and prevent misunderstandings.

Lawyers often face the delicate task of managing expectations. A Clio survey showed that 52% of clients expect to win their case, but the reality is far more complex. To counter this, lawyers should set realistic expectations from the onset. Balancing optimism with realism helps in preparing clients for possible outcomes and preventing dissatisfaction.

Believe their lawyers lack empathy

At times, despite best efforts, clients might still be unhappy. In these scenarios, a touch of empathy goes a long way. According to a study published in the International Journal of the Legal Profession, 44% of clients believe their lawyers lack empathy. Acknowledging their feelings, demonstrating understanding, and showing sincere interest in resolving their issues can change the trajectory of the situation.

In some cases, conflict resolution skills are key. The ABA Journal indicates that 32% of lawyer-client disagreements result from differing perspectives on case handling. Lawyers should consider the clients’ views and explain the rationale behind decisions, thus fostering a collaborative relationship.

Building a feedback culture can also be pivotal. The Solicitors Regulation Authority found that only 1 in 10 dissatisfied clients provide feedback. By actively encouraging and seeking feedback, lawyers can gain invaluable insights into improving their services.

Turn unhappy clients into opportunities for growth

A minor shift in perspective can turn unhappy clients into opportunities for growth. By focusing on communication, transparency, expectation management, empathy, conflict resolution, and feedback, lawyers can create a more fulfilling experience for their clients.

With these strategies, lawyers can turn the tide, boosting client satisfaction and fostering stronger, more successful professional relationships.

For lawyers, managing unhappy clients can be a difficult aspect of the job. Unhappy clients may feel frustrated due to poor communication, negative case outcomes, or personal issues. These situations can have a significant impact on the lawyer’s reputation and practice, but there are ways to manage and address these situations effectively.

The first step in dealing with unhappy clients is active and empathetic listening. Clients need to feel heard, and lawyers should provide them with a safe space to express their concerns fully. By asking clarifying questions and acknowledging their feelings, lawyers can build trust and demonstrate that their client’s concerns are taken seriously.

Potential risks and benefits

Transparency and honesty are also essential in these situations. Lawyers should explain the reasons for case outcomes, the available legal options, and the potential risks and benefits of each option. Honest information can help manage expectations and prevent misunderstandings that could lead to further dissatisfaction.

Effective communication is key. Regular and proactive communication with clients can help alleviate anxiety and uncertainty. Lawyers should set clear expectations for communication and respond to inquiries promptly and professionally.

In some cases, third-party intervention may be necessary. Mediators or arbitrators can provide an objective and impartial perspective and facilitate a resolution that satisfies both parties. This option can be valuable in situations where communication or trust has broken down.

Continuous improvement and growth

Lastly, reflecting on the situation can help lawyers identify areas for improvement. By taking the time to evaluate the situation, lawyers can prevent similar issues from arising in the future and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and growth.

Dealing with unhappy clients can be challenging, but it is an essential part of a lawyer’s job.

By actively and empathetically listening, providing clear and honest information, communicating regularly and proactively, involving third parties when necessary, and reflecting on the situation, lawyers can manage and address these situations effectively, build stronger relationships with their clients, and improve their reputation and practice.

NPS is a measure of client satisfaction once the services or products have been delivered. Lawyers sometimes focus on unproductive tasks instead of doing client work.

Legal innovation is very important at ClearWayLaw, and we don’t see a lot of it in the industry. We are expecting young lawyers to change the legal industry by using technology. We have been in contact with organizations such as the Legal Innovation Zone, and we are up to date with what they are working on.

Unhappy Customers

The most popular companies are steaming media companies, computer makers, and supermarkets.

The new model of ClearWayLaw is going to require us to generate over 1000 leads per month. If we were operating only in a few cities, this would be very challenging. Therefore, we are rolling the plan out across Canada. Can we meet everyone in person? Absolutely not.

Dealing With Unhappy Clients

Enter legal technology companies such as Zoom.

The biggest challenge for law firms going 100% online is some of the statistics that came out of the 2018 Legal Trends Report.

The report said that 59% of clients want to book meetings on the phone, this works well with the online model.

46% of clients want to discuss questions on the phone and get updates on the progress of their matter (35%.)

Customer Complaints

Where clients who don’t want to discuss via email, phone, or Zoom are discussing the details of their case (70% of people) and signing documents (64%.) Companies like DocuSign have made signing documents easier. But asking clients to scan and send documents can be a challenge for a virtual law firm.

The key for any law firm using a Zoom model will be convincing clients to book consultations with lawyers exclusively via Zoom or the phone.

Dealing With Unhappy Clients

Right now, 37% of law firms don’t collect any feedback from their clients. Of course, clients can still leave feedback on Google and Facebook.

But from my research into Google Maps’ feedback, most of the feedback seems fake. From my own knowledge about what other law firms are doing, they are offering $5 off the legal fee if the client does a review for the law firm.

While that might help build the reputation of the law firm and the firm’s SEO, it doesn’t provide meaningful data for the firm.

I think the real reason why lawyers don’t ask their clients for feedback is that they are not open to feedback. It seems that every time I offer constructive criticism to a lawyer, they get very upset. If I post a question on a lawyer’s Linkedin feed, the comment often gets deleted.

Other Advantages of Being 100% Online

While providing better customer service and tracking client feedback is key, there is no doubt there is another major factor in client satisfaction.

Cost.

Online law firms don’t have to pay rent. They should take those savings and pass them on to clients.

Also, if a client lives in a remote area 3 hours outside a major city, it will be very difficult for them to get legal representation.

If they are lucky enough to have a family lawyer in their town, the quality and experience of the lawyer might be subpar. My experience is that small-town lawyers are often not very skilled and lack customer service sense. This of course is not always the case.

Lawyers Need To Be Like Customer Service Reps

The key to running the law firm of the future lies in transparent costs (flat fees) and helping clients understand the process of getting from their legal issue to their solution (infographics.)

There are some encouraging statistics for online law firms. The report said that 68% of clients want to meet with their lawyers outside of office hours. Online law firms can easily operate during long hours, as there could be lawyers on the East Coast of Canada and on the west coast of Canada.

This means that while keeping “9-5 pm” office hours, the law firm can operate an additional 4.5 hours because that is the number of time zones in Canada.

According to the legal trend report 59% of people that need a lawyer, want their law firm to be available outside of the normal 9-5 pm.

Dealing With Unhappy Clients

Buying able to buy legal templates online has been around for a while. What hasn’t been around was being able to work with a lawyer “face-to-face” while being online. Companies like Zoom are changing what is possible for law firms.

There is no shortage of money pouring into the legal technology sector. Clio (a practice management software) just raised $250M USD. There are organizing a massive lawyer conference in San Diego in October 2019. The event will include massive parties on the beach and guest stars.

Old-school lawyers are in trouble. Law is changing, and lawyers that ignore it should start getting their resumes ready for Tim Hortons.

Learn about the problems will old-school law below. If you are tired of dealing with unhappy clients, reach out to ClearWay Law. We can show you a better way to run your practice.

Author: Alistair Vigier is the CEO of ClearWay Law

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Managing Unhappy Clients: A Guide for Lawyers