businessman happy.jpgI am frequently asked for strategies to get a potential client to leave a competitor firm. I often reply that you have to provide something the client is not getting from the competitor-extraordinary service. Then you have to wait for the potential client to learn about it from word of mouth.

Recently I found support for my argument. Are you familiar with the Customer Service Impact 2010 Report? I read about it in Gary Vaynerchuk’s new book The Thank You Economy. After reading I found a presentation on Slideshare. Here are the interesting results:

  • 85% of respondents said they would pay up to 25% more to ensure a superior customer experience
  • 55% cite great service, not the product or price, as their primary reason for recommending a company
  • 40% switched to a competitor because of its reputation for great customer service
  • 82% stopped doing business with a company because of poor customer service
  • 85% wanted to warn others about the pitfalls of doing business with the company

Even though your firm website at some point describes how your firm provides great service to clients:

  • When was the last time you asked a client what they believe is extraordinary service you could provide?
  • When was the last time client service was a primary topic of your law firm retreat or even a law firm meeting?
  • When was the last time you conducted training on client development with your lawyers and staff?