surveying client satisfaction
I think that this article about using surveys and in-person interviews to monitor client satisfaction pairs well with this one on appreciative inquiry (AI). A number of firms are paying outside consultants big bucks to go out in the field and assess firm-client relationships. Apparently today’s firms are feeling pressured to remain in their clients’ good favor as “corporate law departments are using 25 percent to 30 percent fewer law firms than they did three years ago.” While I understand the need for this type of outreach, I think that firms looking to generate and keep business also must do a bit of introspection. That is, they need to survey their own lawyers and staff to see how they feel about client relations and about the law firm environment in general. A great way to accomplish this type of internal audit is via AI – a process of asking questions aimed at discerning what works so that people and businesses can do more of it. In sharp contrast to the typical “problem-centered approach to bringing about change,” AI asks people to “recall and tap into positive achievements and stories that strengthen and inspire.” The article provides sample AI questions concerning attorney/employee satisfaction. Here are some that, to me, are equally pertinent to fostering strong attorney-client and firm-client relationships:
What situations or circumstances created your loyalty to this firm?
How has your firm created a culture of mutual trust, loyalty, and respect?
Describe a situation in which you felt valued and respected by a client.
Describe a situation in which your commitment to family was supported by your organization.
Describe a situation in which your commitment to community was supported by your organization.
How do you stay energized and inspired?
Describe a shift in your thinking that gives you hope for yourself, firm, or community.
