Partner Article

Why clients shouldn’t be treated as commodities

Shefali Talukdar – managing partner of Clough & Willis - on why clients shouldn’t be treated as commodities…

The legal sector is changing, we all know that. The industry has become commoditised and firms can no longer simply rely on word of mouth (or their reputation) to survive; again – it’s a given. Networking – and therefore referrals - have become not just ‘nice to haves’ but essential elements of any business development strategy. On the face of it, all is well and good but I have a real concern when there’s an incentive involved as referrals should, in my view, be driven by trust, the strength of a relationship between two parties and, most importantly, the best interests of the client; not by a potential kickback – financial or otherwise.

As I’ve said, trust is key – along with loyalty - so it beggars the question whether either can even exist in a client’s mind if they know they’ve been ‘paid for’. In my view, you risk making them feel like a commodity.

I believe many law firms (and I’m sure this would apply to other sectors) need to go back to basics by putting the emphasis on delivering a good service, which is value for money (but not cheap), by really understanding every client’s needs and by becoming their long-term partner. That’s not some antiquated approach; it’s makes good business sense. Consumers are brand loyal and a large part of that is based on the service they receive: do good work for the right price and they’ll come back. That’s especially the case for legal services as we’re there during emotive and testing times so clients want the right person who they can trust (there’s that word again!). Paying for a referral is definitely a shortcut but it’s not really for us as we want to build relationships and become the chosen solicitors for all of our clients’ requirements. We offer the full spectrum of services so why wouldn’t we? Our experience shows that if a referral is made via a trusted contact and is not paid for then an element of belief exists right from the start – it’s a better status quo.

This is not the easy option, it’s a challenge but it’s one that should be met head on if you want to maintain credibility and long-term business security. You’ve got to have faith in your abilities to network and market yourself. If you’re good at what you do then you should be able to sell yourself.

Sure, new entrants have shaken things up but the real opportunity for more traditional firms will come if we treat clients as people and not simply cash cows. The market has changed but the core of what we do hasn’t.

www.clough-willis.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clough & Willis .