Back to brilliant basics

I am not a great fan of management speak but as with all forms of communication it is the essential message which is most important rather than the actual words used to convey them. The phrase 'brilliant basics' will be unknown to some even though the concept is very familiar; essentially the necessity to do the easiest parts of any transaction or interaction in the best possible way, rather than just concentrating on what the professional thinks is the most important.

I was reminded of this by the story that the sandwich chain Pret A Manger has been criticised for issuing guidelines entreating its staff to avoid annoying customers, wanting those serving to listen and be more friendly, anticipating their needs, caring about their happiness and always doing their best.

While I am sure that all solicitors intrinsically have those qualities and exhibit them all the time, are they absolutely sure that everybody else in their organisation does so? Have they observed or listened to the ways in which clients are treated, in the traditional ways of interacting, perhaps by visiting the office or now more usually electronically via direct email or via the website? We all know that first impressions are vital, too many may give the impression that the client should fight through a forest to seek them out or wait endlessly for return telephone calls or email. Perhaps some may reason that it trains the client not to expect too much.

Brand ambassadors

For many clients the quality of legal advice is a given. They don't buy legal services very often so it is hard to compare firm X with firm Y even though we know the standard may be vastly different. What will they judge this on? Quite simply those brilliant basics. If someone telephones, does your receptionist sound like they are smiling? Does your front door convey the essential professionalism and trustworthiness which you want your clients to expect? The front door to your practice is, of course, so much more than the entrance to your office. It may be virtual, for example your web presence. Thinking more laterally, do you consider that your former clients, the ones who are most satisfied with your service, are your brand ambassadors, the front door to the next new set of clients whom you want to attract?

Catering for client needs

What will make those clients say nice things about you? If you do conveyancing, they will have expected to buy or sell a house, probably even assumed that it would be stressful (we are not always blamed for that) but did they think or know that the solicitor was the one that held their hand and brought a sense of perspective? When they rang you how quickly did you return their call or answer their email? Did you cater for their needs or were they left with the feeling that they were catering to yours?

If you wrote down the things which the client should value most, excellent legal advice would probably be near the top. If the client wrote it down it would probably be "I was kept well informed and knew what was going on."

As purveyors of legal services we still need to do the hard things as well, to get the legal advice right and keep up-to-date with a plethora of change, but if you wonder why your competitors achieve more instructions it may be something as simple as them returning calls or answering emails more often than you. You can spend huge amounts of money on advertising, on marketing consultants, do all the glad handing, you may get a few new people through the door but if you forget those brilliant basics all the marketing in the world won't keep them there.
Pret A Manger understands that. Do you understand it too?