Law Technology Today From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
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This is final part of a series. Click to read Part I, Part II, and Part III.
In Navigating Group Legal Services with Technology Part III, we discussed the use of net promoter score (NPS) and the nuts and bolts of the how to calculate NPS. As a key performance indicator, it’s important to use NPS results for improvements, for example training, process change, or new technology, and then measure the impact on the NPS of these corrective actions. Although NPS was not created for the legal industry, diligent application can benefit lawyers and customers alike if the appropriate follow-up plan is created.
As I mentioned last time, calculating the score is just the first step. The data is valuable to analyze trends, plan corrective actions, and then measure again. At LegalShield we share our data with the law firms on a regular basis. We also report NPS data to our executive team. Consistent and frequent reporting is necessary to use NPS properly at any size firm or company. If you don’t review and share the data, it is impossible to make improvements or change directions when needed.
It’s critical to ensure that once the scores and any qualitative information are collected, that there is follow-up with both the customer and internally within the firm or company. Unless you are prepared to deal with customer feedback, negative or positive, do not even start a NPS program. The customer is always king, as Ben Farrow said in my last article. It is critical that you use the NPS to assist the customer regardless of the result. If you offer clients a mechanism to provide ratings and qualitative information, individual follow-up with the customer is important the feedback warrants a response.
At LegalShield, we have follow-up processes for using our NPS data that include the following:
- Detractors are contacted directly for more information and resolution.
- Neutral scores are assessed by representatives to address any complaints that may be in the comments of any customer survey.
- Any attorney that receives a detractor score will be given training in the relevant areas as determined by the member’s answers on the attribute questions.
One of our provider attorneys, Ben Farrow, of the The Anderson Law Firm, commented on the refresher training courses on focus and ownership:
“Sometimes you have to hear what you already knew, before you remember, that you knew that, and you should do a better job of implementing what you supposedly already knew. For example, I preach ownership—do whatever you can to solve the member’s problem that is what we do we solve problems. It was not until I watched that 15-minute refresher course that I realized exactly how important ownership of a problem is from the member/client’s perspective. I was saying the right things and telling my team what to do but I wasn’t stressing why it was important. The fresh perspective gave me a better approach to directing my team and hopefully making everyone a little bit better at what they do. The “focus” module made me realize that while a question was not new to me it was very fresh, raw and new to the member/client. I knew that but I needed to hear that to move it to the front of my mind. To make it daily practice again.”
At LegalShield we have classes to motivate the attorneys, and we address topics such as communication skills, diligence, compassion, and responsiveness. These are all skills that every lawyer should possess and constantly improve. At LegalShield, we use customer feedback to make sure the attorney is performing well and continuously improving.
NPS is a customer loyalty metric and satisfied customers will refer future business. However, be prepared to deal with personal and process changes that may be necessary based on the data from your customers. If you are interested in discussing NPS or some of the other technology outlined in my four-part series: I,II,III, please contact me on Twitter.
