Law firm mystery shopping: Enquiry management

‘No one called me back to discuss my case, even after five days. As a result, I would not be encouraged to call the firm again.’ Sales people say that ‘the fortune is in the follow up’, but strong enquiry management is still rare in law firms.

Two years ago LawNet launched a customer service support package for its
members, which includes a mix
of independent mystery shopping and online surveying, to help firms understand what their clients really want.

One of the most important lessons to emerge was the need to improve enquiry management.

It made for tough reading – no client details were taken in more than 50 per cent of visits, and where these were recorded, only a third were followed up within
a week.

Perhaps not surprisingly for the legal sector, some niche firms responded that business tended to come to them and they saw no need to chase every opportunity; others simply hadn’t realised where the gaps were.

Acting on the findings, one
firm established a pilot exercise involving coaching for just one team within the firm. This resulted in a 30 per cent increase in business for that department.

The argument for effective enquiry management is compelling. It’s an opportunity
to develop relationships, uncover concerns, and, most importantly, move things on to the next stage. It can also influence how the client feels about the firm – are you professional, helpful, and interested, or do they feel like they’re an inconvenience to you?

You may need to overcome objections within your firm – asking for business can be difficult for some fee earners.
But for clients, a lack of proactivity may feel like disinterest. It’s about striking a balance between being helpful and pushy. Remember, the client needs you – that’s why they called.

The benefit of putting firms under the spotlight in this way
is that problem areas can be targeted through focused action and training. A helpful starting point is to think about your firm’s response to these questions.

Did the team member:

• Create empathy and build a relationship?
• Understand your enquiry?
• Give a clear explanation of the process?
• Explain costs and confidently overcome any related issues?
• Suggest making an appointment in a non-threatening way?
• Ask for your business? and
• Act appropriately when you told them you intended to buy the service elsewhere?

An effective follow-up process will guarantee positive responses to all these questions and could result in feedback like this: ‘I received an email at 14.55 which was immediately followed by a phone call, to check that it had been received and to emphasise that if I had any questions, I could call. The email contained all the information discussed in the meeting, plus a brochure and guidance document which explained the process.’

A big tick for the firm concerned, and a great example of how to follow through. SJ

Helen Hamilton-Shaw is director of services at LawNet

@LawNetUK