I have mentioned the eponymous Tom Peters and his oft quoted expression:
“Hard is soft. Soft is Hard.”
If you read In Search of Excellence you will understand why this modus operandi is (and remains) so important.
Law firms are no different to the cohort of Big Business that formed the target group for the book.
They are obsessed with the numbers:
- The ratio of juniors to partners;
- Their place in Chambers;
- PEP;
- Chargeable hours;
- WIP; and
- Unpaid bills.
Just imagine if you took away the numbers?
- Everyone had an equal chance to share in the firm’s profit;
- Chambers ceased to exist;
- If there was a differential between the most senior/junior it was capped a ‘x’ times earnings of the lowest paid (£15,000 x 10 = £150,000?);
- You did the best possible humanly possible for your client;
- WIP was replaced by fixed fees;
- Clients were so WOWed that they paid within 24 hours of receiving the invoice.
Numbers distract from the sine qua non of the why you became a lawyer.
Don’t tell me you went into law to make “loads of money”? Of course you did, but I don’t see that on your website or marketing literature. Instead, I see messaging about how much you love pleasing your clients.
Just for once, stop talking about the numbers and instead focus on:
- Excellence in client service;
- Asking your clients to pay you what they think you are worth;
- Getting the client to complete a satisfaction survey by an independent source;
- Giving a money back guarantee.
You are in the service sector. Not the work in progress or PEP business.
If you are prepared to divert some attention to the Soft skills, I can guarantee that it will make a difference to the number of clients you retain, grow and win.
I can’t imagine for one moment you going into a new client presentation and talking about your impressive lock up figures!
~ JS ~