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The law firm-client relationship has changed considerably over the last few decades. Although basic principles such as trust and confidentiality have remained constant, other expectations of clients have shifted substantially. In order to understand client experiences it’s necessary to look at the broader context; a satisfactory experience 50 years ago may seem entirely unacceptable today, and vice-versa. In this blog we’ll take a look at some of the trends in client experience and how law firms can improve levels of satisfaction - but first let’s define client experience.

What is the client experience?

We previously compiled a research report about client experience, in which we stated that: “Client experience is emerging as the new frontier on which law firms are competing.” We identified two aspects as being at the heart of client experience: engagement and problem resolution. The former is essentially about communication and client contact, whereas the latter is about how a firm deals with any issues or challenges which arise.

Although client experience is providing an important differentiator between firms, we discovered in the same research that: “No general counsel explicitly mentioned client experience when choosing law firms. Rather, it is embedded in how clients choose law firms and continue working with them.” This can make it difficult to pinpoint exactly how clients define their experience - and how to gauge their level of satisfaction in this regard.

To complicate matters further, each client will have different expectations; some may appreciate having an account manager who regularly touches base, whereas others prefer to only have dealings with the firm when they require legal services. Client experience is therefore subjective, and it’s down to each firm to assess what is important for their own client base. Nevertheless, there are some general trends which are worth considering.

Trends in client experience

A couple of interesting trends have arisen over recent years, introducing new factors which need to be taken into account when it comes to ensuring optimal levels of customer experience:

Communication options

There are a plethora of communication methods which are used in the 21st century lawyer-client relationship, from traditional phone calls and emails to relatively modern videoconferencing and even instant messaging services such as WhatsApp. Different clients will have their particular preference, which will often depend on their age and disposition. Law firms which are flexible in terms of their modes of communication and happy to adapt to their clients, will have an advantage over firms which put up barriers to modern methods of staying in touch.

24/7 service

Modern clients have become accustomed to a 24/7 economy where many services are available day or night at the click of the button. Younger clients in particular, who have grown up with e-commerce, sometimes dubbed the “Amazon generation”, will often expect to be able to get things done outside the traditional 9-5 working week. Although it’s unfair to expect lawyers to respond to client demands when they are not at work, firms which offer a web portal with an account log-in for their clients will go some way to meeting the demand to be always available. Web portals will generally allow clients to view the progress of their matters, along with any relevant documents - and sometimes access to self-service tools.

Based on these trends, along with the rise of alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) who often provide a technology-led client experience, it’s likely that firms will increasingly roll out a range of online services to their clients. More routine legal functions such as contract and legal document review can often be done entirely via a web portal which is available 24/7. So the future of client experience may well lie in building user friendly interfaces which allow clients to interact with the firm at any time, backed up by excellent legal advice during working hours via preferred means of communication.

How can firms improve client experience?

Since the primary two aspects of client experience - engagement and problem resolution - require lawyers to dedicate more time to their clients, it is vital that efficiencies are maximised to free up the time of fee earners. Legal technology can be harnessed by firms to assist fee earners with routine tasks and streamline workflows. Products such as Lexis Create can speed up the document generation process, while research tools like Lexis+ reduce the time spent on preparing cases, allowing lawyers to help ensure a better client experience.

Finally, firms should consider periodically asking their clients for feedback. This may involve simply having an informal chat to find out how services can be improved, or via an online questionnaire. It’s vital that any feedback is analysed and acted upon, followed up by reviews to assess progress and monitor improvements.