Properly Communicating with Your Clients

By Natalie R. Thornwell

As a new Georgia Bar Journal writer, I decided I would provide some practical tips on communicating with clients. After all, not returning client phone calls is one of the main complaints against attorneys. The Law Practice Management Program hopes to assist you in enhancing the way you communicate with your clients and improve the delivery of legal services.

Well, how can you better communicate with clients? The practice management answer: systems and procedures. By closely evaluating your communication systems and procedures and making some appropriate adjustments, you can tackle the problem of not returning calls and other client relations problems. (Don’t be surprised if these solutions improve interoffice communication and relations, too.)

Look first at all of the ways attorneys "communicate" with clients. They communicate:

  • Over the telephone
  • Via voice mail
  • Via facsimile
  • In person
  • Via mail
  • Via e-mail
  • Via billing statements
  • Via client newsletters, firm brochures, websites and other marketing materials
Examine your systems and procedures in each of these areas to make your communication with clients more effective. Ask, is the system adequate and up-to-date? Is this the most effective system for your firm’s needs? Are your firm’s written policies and procedures efficient when implemented? Do you need to change your systems and procedures?

Today’s Telephones

Telephone systems. Is your system antiquated? Begin to monitor call volume and quality. Check the need for additional lines and advanced features. Do you have a good support contract in place to handle problems quickly? Also, most of today’s case management software programs include a means of tracking telephone traffic and integrating this information with contact, file, calendar, and timesheet information. Don’t forget to check your mobile systems too. Cellular phones are a standard tool for mobile attorneys. Check cellular service plans for efficiency and cost savings. Check out www.point.com to evaluate and compare cellular telephones, service plans, and other wireless accessories. Contact our program for more detailed information on choosing an appropriate telephone system and related services for your firm.

Telephone Procedures. Do you know how to use your telephone system’s features? Can you place conference calls? Redirect or transfer calls? Try to have all staff trained on proper use of all equipment. Utilize a phone call policy. If possible, return calls at a certain times of the day as a general rule. Have your assistant or secretary handle calls for you on status reports and the like – remind clients your assistants will not give legal advice though. Don’t give out your cellular phone or pager number. Try to route all calls through your office instead. Minimizing interruptions will allow for more time to do legal work. For a sample phone call policy (and other policies and procedures), visit our program’s website at www.gabar.org/lpm.htm.

Effective Voice Mail

Voice Mail Systems. As with telephones, call us for assistance in evaluating your voice mail system needs. Can you get the details about a message easily from your system? Does your system allow for several voice mailboxes and a directory listing? Is it easy to setup for you and easy for caller to navigate through? Can you forward, save, and delete messages easily.

Voice Mail Procedures. Be sure you have recorded an appropriate voice mail message for callers. Record a message giving notice of when you next expect to be available and how to get more assistance when needed. Directions to the firm, firm hours, the firm’s fax number, and notice of holidays are often left on voice mail systems. Don’t forget to check your voice mail regularly.

Fax Machine Savvy

Fax Systems. As with telephone equipment, make sure you have an up-to-date fax system. Multifunctional machines provide many benefits by having one piece of equipment that can do more than one important thing well. If you are looking to purchase a new fax or multifunctional machine, give us a call for suggestions.

Fax Procedures. Know how to use your fax too. Can you send broadcast faxes – one fax to many people? Has your fax been programmed to record your firm name and fax number on outgoing faxes? Are you able to cancel transmissions, reload paper and toner? I applaud the Bar’s internal procedure of using colored paper for incoming faxes so they stand out from other correspondence. You may want to incorporate this into your procedures as well.

Improving your telephone, voice mail, and fax systems and procedures is only a start in enhancing your delivery of legal services and better communicating with clients. In the next Law Practice Management article we will explore the other areas of client communications as identified above and the appropriate systems and procedures for them.

Our focus now shifts to the areas of your law practice that do not always speak directly to the usage of common office equipment. Here we will examine some of the more subjective areas of client communications. For each form of communication, ask yourself how the systems (the equipment or means used by your firm) and procedures (how your firm uses the respective equipment or means) affect clients. The reactions of your clients will be your guide in determining whether or not you are communicating with them properly. How do your clients feel about your:
  • In-person meetings
  • Mail and other correspondence
  • E-mail
  • Billing statements
  • Client newsletters, firm brochures, websites, and other marketing materials

Face-to-Face Meetings

When meeting with clients face to face, first consider your surroundings. Take time to think about the physical layout of your firm. Is your conference room in an easily accessible area of the office? What about other private meeting space? Does the reception area say "we welcome your business and are ready to serve you"? Do you have comfortable chairs and magazines of interest to your clients? A play area and toys for children? Is coffee and water available? Are these beverages routinely offered? Do you have tissues at your desk and a restroom close by? The test that always intrigues me is to have attorneys come into their own offices as if they are clients. What would you see in the surroundings at your firm when looking through your clients’ eyes?

Monitor the length of your initial client interviews. Is the amount of time adequate to get the information you need? Will meeting for a particular length of time warrant a charge for the consultation? How are prospective clients reacting to a charge for the initial review of their matter? If you do not charge a fee for the initial consultation, do you make those seeking your help feel rushed in relaying their concerns? Are you reassuring and straightforward in your counseling role, providing a complete list of options to your clients, and explaining in terms they can understand what is likely to happen if they choose a particular option? Did you make your client feel protected and valued?

Clients, regardless of their situation, should always be treated respectfully and professionally. When you meet clients face to face, pay close attention to what they are trying to tell you both verbally and physically. Note the tone of their voice and the position of their body as they speak to you. Practice being an "active listener". Be sure to watch your own tone of voice and body position as well. Remember clients "hear" just like you do, and you want them to "hear" the right message when they are meeting with you face to face.

Include a section on professional conduct that is expected from your legal team in your written policies and procedures manual. Also, get a report card on how your firm performed by using a client satisfaction survey..

Snail Mail and Other Correspondence

Keep up with all of the mail, correspondence, and documents from, to, and for your client. Can your clients rest assured that their file documents are not lost or mishandled by your firm? Clients are often very protective of their file documents. Be sure to send them copies of all items within their matter files. To check out a review of some good document management systems, give us a call.

Make sure your clients understand you when you write to them. Often attorneys mistakenly assume that because a client seems extremely sophisticated that they understand what is being presented to them. Don’t you make this mistake. Communicate in an easy to understand style; use little or no legalese. Be sure to send clear instructions and explanations of events to your clients as well.

It is always interesting to note the reaction of people who might be in a stressful situation. The communication lines can become blurred to someone who can’t get their mind off of the fact that they are in a particular situation, and it is easy for this person to misunderstand or skip over important pieces of information. Take the initiative and send your client clear, descriptive file status reports often. Remember, no matter how sophisticated, everyone can relate to KISS – Keep It Simple S----.

E-mail Technology

Don’t miss the opportunity to further impress your clients by showing them that you are using the latest, most efficient technological means of staying in touch. E-mail has taken on at a phenomenal pace over the last few years. In fact I encourage the use of e-mail frequently to stay in touch with clients and to deal with some of your client’s less sensitive questions and concerns. If you practice in a firm with advanced technological systems, then by all means exploit this means of communication. Express to clients how e-mail will save them time, and consequently, money. You may even consider having your firm utilize a virtual private network or Intranet. In this way, the client is given limited access and control over some of the actual workings of his or her file.

When communicating via mail and other forms of correspondence, always evaluate what you are telling the client about the firm. Is your letterhead professional? Informational? Ethical? Can a client easily see where your office is located, in what practice areas you work, who is on your team, and the like. If you have any ethical concerns about your letterhead or any other area of your practice don’t forget to contact the Bar’s Ethics Hotline for assistance. They can be reached at 800-682-9806 or 404-527-8720.

Billing Statements Really "Talk"

Use billing statements with easy to read formats. Clients often want to get to the bottom line quickly. So make sure the statements you use indicate clearly what the client owes and when. Clients should be able to see not only the account balance, but also any accrued interest or other finance charges, and a complete listing of trust account activity. The statement or invoice format should be very descriptive. Don’t use generic descriptions like "legal services" as the complete description of work you performed. You must be ever mindful of the fact that legal work is often work unseen. So use your billing statements to convey the quantity and quality of your efforts on a client’s behalf.

When clients sign their fee agreements, give them a copy of a sample bill. Allow them to review this sample and ask you questions about it. This preview is especially recommended if you opt to use a more complex format for your billing statements. Also, let the client know when your office mails out their bill or when they should expect to receive their bill. Good time and billing software programs are flexible enough to accommodate multiple billing formats and arrangements. If you need help choosing an appropriate system, please give us a call.

Sexy Client Attraction Methods

If you think about all of the items covered thus far, you will probably notice that they can all fall in the category of marketing one way or another. What do clients think about the law firms that represent them? How did they become your client in the first place? What attracted them to your firm? What marketing techniques work for you?

File closing letter – letter requesting client to contact you again if other legal matters arise

Referrals – learned of you from former client, current staff member, or fellow attorney

Walk Ins – "our welcome mat always laid out"

Radio advertising – "… didn’t I hear about you on the radio"

Case/contact management generated reminders – see what our software can do

Firm Brochure – this just caught my eye

Newsletter – your firm sent me a good update on legal issues in my industry or community

Formal Lawyer Referral Service – check with the Bar for an approved list of these agencies

Internet Search – found your informative and up-to-date website

Court Appearances – saw you in action in court -- keep your best foot forward; you never know who’s watching

Media coverage – "… didn’t I see you on television"

Yellow Pages advertising – clients’ "fingers do the walking"

When it comes to marketing, be specific to the market you want to attract, and always be ethical. Checkout some of these materials from our resource library to learn even more in this expansive and vitally important area of client communications.

  • The Complete Guide to Marketing Your Law Practice
  • Marketing Success Stories: Personal Interviews with 66 Rainmakers
  • The Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet
  • The ABC’s of Marketing
  • The ABA Guide to Legal Marketing: A Collection of the Best Ideas, Approaches, and Success Stories
  • Marketing and Legal Ethics: The Boundaries of Promoting Legal Services
  • Through the Client’s Eyes: New Approaches to Get Clients to Hire You Again and Again
  • Yellow Pages Lawyer Advertising: An Analysis of Effective Elements
  • Marketing for Legal Support Staff: Jay Foonberg’s Proven Techniques
  • How to Build a Million Dollar Practice
  • How to Market Your Law Firm
  • Action Steps to Marketing Success
  • Marketing Your Law Firm on the Internet
  • Marketing the Law Firm: Business Development Techniques

Properly communicating with your clients in a way that they understand and want to hire you and keep hiring you is direct evidence of delivering "quality" legal services.

If you need more information or assistance on ways you can improve the operation of your practice by properly communicating with your clients, please contact the Law Practice Management Program at 404-527-8773 or me directly at 404-527-8770 or natalie@gabar.org. Comments and suggestions for future topics of interest are welcomed as well.

Natalie Thornwell is the Director of the Law Practice Management Program.