Law Technology Today From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
Related Articles
Would your legal clients recommend your services? This is a hard question to answer, but by tracking your NPS, you can get a much better idea of where you stand.
A Net Promoter Score, or NPS, is a metric commonly used to rate customer satisfaction, calculated based on answers to the question, “On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend my service to a friend or colleague?” Each response is sorted into promoters (9 or 10) who would actively promote your service, neutrals (7 or 8) would be neutral, and detractors (0-6) who would actively be negative about your service. Calculate your law firm’s NPS by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. This will give you an NPS score ranging between -100 to +100.
Companies typically survey clients at various stages along the customer journey to get more detailed insights into different aspects of the customer experience. Businesses will also ask for opportunities to improve the client experience, thereby improving their NPS. Plenty of law firms calculate their NPS to help keep themselves on track to deliver an amazing client experience.
It’s important to see how your firm is serving clients, but it’s also important to see how you compare to the legal industry as a whole.
The 2018 Legal Trends Report includes an in-depth analysis of the modern legal consumer—what makes them want to hire a lawyer, what makes them recommend their lawyer’s services, and much more. As part of the creation of the report, Clio also conducted an NPS survey to get an idea of how the legal industry as a whole is doing in terms of client service.
The result? The legal industry currently has an NPS of 25, putting it in line with airlines, wireless carriers, and credit card companies. Meanwhile, companies known for excellent customer service and incredible business growth, such as Amazon, have NPS scores in the 60’s or higher.
There’s lots of room for improvement in the legal industry overall: In fact, most firms aren’t even currently collecting feedback from their clients. 42% of law firms surveyed for the report only collected feedback casually, and 37% said they didn’t collect feedback at all.
Once you are collecting feedback, what can you do to boost your NPS? Start with the basics of good customer service in any industry.
Communicate clearly, and often
From the first consult to having that final bill paid, you’re communicating with your clients—but communication doesn’t end there. The good news is that keeping your clients informed on updates to their cases (or even just checking in if there’s been no progress) and reaching back out after a case is complete doesn’t have to add to your to-do list. Keep it all manageable by using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to automate email communications and set reminders for follow-ups. Not only does this show your client you are invested in their case, but it will also set you apart when they consider referring your services to a friend or family member.
Make working with you easy
Do you have a scanner in your home? Neither do most of your clients. If you haven’t made the switch yet, e-signatures will make it a breeze for your clients (and you) to get the documents signed that you need—not to mention the trees you’ll save. Spending a lot of time on client intake? Online forms can make it easier for clients to dig out the details they need in the comfort of their home instead of in your office. Put yourself in their shoes and you’ll know which parts of working with you are difficult. Investing some time and energy into making those experiences painless will pay huge NPS dividends.
Today’s legal consumer expects a high standard of client service, similar to what they’d experience at companies like Amazon or Netflix. This is where taking a client-centered approach to running your law firm can make all the difference: When you put your clients first and focus on delivering the solid service and excellent experience they truly want, they’re more likely to refer you to friends, family, and colleagues, helping you build a thriving law firm.
It all starts with collecting feedback and calculating your NPS. This will give you a clear picture of where you stand, and help identify opportunities to provide better service, allowing you to get better reviews and grow your business.
Learn more about how to calculate your firm’s NPS, best practices, and the benefits of measuring NPS, in the full blog post, NPS For Law Firms.
