Surveying clients through the matter lifecycle may seem like a crazy concept but it's happening. This means regularly gathering feedback from clients about their expectations and your firm's performance. Learn how firms gather this information, and how they use it to manage their successful businesses while rewarding attorneys and employees.
4. 4ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Why Client Data?
What: KPIs, metrics & Data Driven
decisions
When: Throughout the Matter
Where it’s worked – client experience –
net promoter score (NPS) but it is
more:
- Client needs: expert systems, like
Traklight for business; WeVorce for
divorce; and Neota Logic for others.
- Client referrals
Hint: Your firm must be open to
change in terms of process.
5. 5ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
WHY FOCUS on CLIENTS
Clients bring cash & repeat business;
Cash is King and critical to firm
survival
Clients are demanding more for less
and lawyers must pay attention to
their needs
Avvo’s “Sink or Swim: How to adapt to
the new Legal Consumer”*
• Informed, Connected (online), Picky
• 1 in 5 believe can figure out what
lawyers know
• Shop for legal like other purchases
(online)
• 95% use reviews
*http://go.avvo.com/new-legal-consumer-download
6. 6ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
WHAT
Key Performance Indicators are
metrics for measuring all
aspects of business of the law.
Law can borrow from other
professional services and
industries for KPIs & Technology.
Focus on outputs: client
experience rather than inputs
such as hours billed.
Look to value not price.
7. 7ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Thomson Reuters Small Law Firm KPI Survey
Participants:
• 690 surveys sent out to customer
panel June 2016
• 62 Firms Responded: 10 Solos &
50% under 10 Attorneys
• Only 3 measure Client Satisfaction
(less than 5%) yet the TR State of
Small Law says the number one
success measure is customer
satisfcation (88%).
8. 8ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Start with Clients
Lawyers are dependent on referrals
and our reputations.
Define your IDEAL client
Do not be afraid to end bad client
relationships
Monitor relationships throughout
the matter and beyond.
9. 9ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Focus on Clients: Happy Clients; Profitable Practice
What input do the clients have into
your practice?
What will you do with that input?
Borrow from outside of the legal
industry:
Value of delivery
Transparency
File Turnaround
Customer Satisfaction (NPS) and
complaints
Referrals
10. 10ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
CLIENT EXPERIENCE: Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Net Promoter Score (NPS) (%)
The percentage of total clients responding to the survey
question who are promoters less the percentage of total
clients responding who are detractors.
Q: On a scale of one to ten (with one being not at all likely and
ten being extremely likely), how likely are they are to
recommend your firm to their friends, family, and colleagues?
Why or Why Not?” as an optional question
Allow for feedback, good and bad.
Survey must be tracked, not anonymous.
Technology:
Google Documents or Survey Monkey, Excel for responses.
Follow-up emails or calls.
12. Benefits and Value
Easy to administer.
Update and upgrade law firms database
Help market new services
Provide a structure for face to face
communications
Ongoing evaluation of the firm's
quality/service/delivery
ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017 12
13. Survey Techniques | Methodologies
Written
Face to Face
Personal
Focus groups
Client panels
ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017 13
15. 15ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Make a Plan
• Pick your biggest pain point
• Design your survey or feedback - make it
easy for clients (WPLG ex)
• Test it on a small group (McCarthy Tetrault)
• Don’t be afraid to make changes (Modern
Law)
16. 16ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Final word on Data
Garbage In; Garbage Out.
Systems – from manual to
high tech, define your
workflow.
Link data sources and set
up as many automatic
downloads & links as
possible.
18. 18ABA TECHSHOW March 16, 2017
Small Law Firm KPIs:
How to Measure Your Way to Greater
Profits
Order your copy today or visit TR Booth at
1:15pm:
http://legalsolutions.com/Juetten
20Juetten
Practical Guide to implement KPI framework
as a Dashboard requiring only spreadsheets
@maryjuetten
mejuetten@traklight.com
Traklight.com
Evolvelawnow.com
Notas del editor
Slide 1:
Benefits and Value:
Easy to administer.
Update and upgrade law firms database
Help market new services
Provide a structure for face to face communications
Ongoing evaluation of the firm's quality/service/delivery
Slide 2:
Survey Techniques/Methodologies
Written
Face to Face
Personal
Focus groups
Client panels
Slide 3:
Getting the most out of your dollars:
Consistency
Implementation
Benchmarks
Slide 4:
Bottom-line: Getting things done
"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit" Conrad Hilton
Paramjit Mahli, Law Firm Business and Media Relations Consultant Tel: 646-763-1407 Email: pkmahli@gmail.com
Clients are online so you must be online – gathering their data includes data on their needs – forms like Traklight and other expert systems.
Twenty-one or 34% of the 62 reported using various time and billing software only and twenty-seven or 44% indicated use of a practice management system which in some cases includes time and billing capabilities
average small law firms collect cash anywhere from almost 90 to 150 days after recording the hour – GLSA and Evolve Law.
Depends what your policy is to pick target.
average small law firms collect cash anywhere from almost 90 to 150 days after recording the hour – GLSA and Evolve Law.
Depends what your policy is to pick target.
Credit cards are often utilized for large purchases. Retainers and flat fees are paid by credit card more and more. Forcing a client to pull a cash advance can lose the client if someone else offers the availability to pay by credit card.
Checks can be another form of payment. Invest in software/companies that will run the checks instead of waiting for deposit schedules, etc. Bounced checks can cost a firm much more than the fee itself.
Bartering can be useful if necessary. Exchanging a form of work (i.e. advertising) or other type of necessary expense for payment can assist with firm’s bottom dollar, obtain client’s not normally able to afford an attorney outright and decrease accounts receivable.
Email links, secure client portals or website links which allow payments to be made online are necessary in today’s technology. I pay all of my bills online. If payment must be called or mailed in – it is the last payment I make! Today’s consumers pay bills online through website portals or bill pay.
Often family members, friends or others will assist clients with large fees. Providing an easy to use link/portal that can be used by others will help your client get the bill paid.
Limited scope representation / unbundled services – check your state ethical rules - attorneys can contract for specific motion responses, hearings, drafting of documents, etc. for a limited fee and as long as filing requirements met – withdraw without court permission.
Credit cards are often utilized for large purchases. Retainers and flat fees are paid by credit card more and more. Forcing a client to pull a cash advance can lose the client if someone else offers the availability to pay by credit card.
Checks can be another form of payment. Invest in software/companies that will run the checks instead of waiting for deposit schedules, etc. Bounced checks can cost a firm much more than the fee itself.
Bartering can be useful if necessary. Exchanging a form of work (i.e. advertising) or other type of necessary expense for payment can assist with firm’s bottom dollar, obtain client’s not normally able to afford an attorney outright and decrease accounts receivable.
Email links, secure client portals or website links which allow payments to be made online are necessary in today’s technology. I pay all of my bills online. If payment must be called or mailed in – it is the last payment I make! Today’s consumers pay bills online through website portals or bill pay.
Often family members, friends or others will assist clients with large fees. Providing an easy to use link/portal that can be used by others will help your client get the bill paid.
Limited scope representation / unbundled services – check your state ethical rules - attorneys can contract for specific motion responses, hearings, drafting of documents, etc. for a limited fee and as long as filing requirements met – withdraw without court permission.
Consistency
Monthly bills a must – clients remain well informed and happier overall
Show expenses and time entries - be sure expenses are clear if you are fronting those cost
Be sure clients understand the bills, the time entries and what retainer or A/R there is
Retainers
When you tell a client to bring you a $5,000.00 retainer, they hear my case costs $5,000.00.
Showing the retainer decreasing as work is completed prepares the client for replenishment requests.
Sending a bill at the end of the case showing all work, retainer being used and requesting additional funds is often a huge complaint for clients – and a way to ensure write offs or reductions will happen
Non-refundable fees
Non-refundable fees must still be billed in a way that shows the fee was reasonable and earned
Bills should bill time as 0.00 but track actual time – adjustments may be required based on amount of time
Firing a client
Waiting until the case is over, or almost over is too late to recoup time and costs
Waiting until trial could mean motions to withdraw are denied
Clients who do not pay do not grow a business
Drains on time and resources from other paying clients
Typically are not satisfied clients – even if they received the service for free or large discount