Stand out because of how you do what you do

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A client or customer’s experience (CX) starts when they first show interest in doing business with a company. It goes through the process of becoming a client/customer, to staying with the firm, potentially leaving and everything in between.
 

Firms that excel in CX consistently outperform their peers in client retention, loyalty and growth. CX is not a short-term strategy, it needs a long-term view for growth and will lead to…

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• differentiation for your firm to stand out from competitors

• happy, loyal clients who consistently buy more services and are willing to pay more

• clients who become advocates for your firm, promoting and selling on your behalf

• improved colleague motivation and engagement

• increased revenues and reduced costs leading to greater profitability.

An initial audit considers CX fundamentals:

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1. Is there a clear vision, commitment and support for client experience which is driven and communicated from the top of the organisation by the CEO and the leadership team?

2. Do all colleagues display a client-centric culture with a razor sharp focus on creating an excellent experience for the client at every interaction?

3. Does the firm making it clear to clients what type of experience they can expect to receive?

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Click here to undertake a free CX Maturity Audit

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Once you have gone through the free audit and have an idea of what you might need. I can support with:

 

• Creating your CX strategy

• • Define the vision of what success will look like

  • Create a shared understanding of what matters most to clients

  • Put the right structures in place to enable change

  • Agree key metrics to monitor success

  • Agree how to communicate this

• Creating your client-centric culture blueprint

• Creating a meaningful client promise

• Developing a framework that allows your firm to benchmark, plan, train and evaluate progress to CX Excellence

• Developing measures which ensure the right insights are gathered to monitor performance and drive change

• Assessing tech and data infrastructure to enable a seamless client experience

• Finding harmony across all channels and touch points to deliver the best experience possible for clients

• Client journey mapping which allows you to walk in your client’s shoes to understand exactly what it’s like for them to interact with your firm.

 

Frequently asked questions

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What is client/customer experience (CX)?

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Client experience is defined as how a client feels as a result of every interaction they have with a firm. It’s a subjective response to any interaction, so it’s all about emotions. It’s how the client actually feels after they have engaged with any touchpoint. Were they happy, frustrated or confused? Their emotional feelings make up their overall client experience.
 

This goes beyond their interactions with lawyers and it goes well beyond surveying clients annually to ask whether they would recommend your firm. The overall experience includes their wider perception of the firm, their experience interacting with digital touchpoints and their whole journey throughout the client lifecycle.
 

Investing in providing a great client experience is a sure fire way to improve client loyalty, increase revenue increase employee satisfaction and cut business running costs. 
 

Firms now have a huge opportunity to use client experience to differentiate themselves. To do this they need to develop a clear CX strategy which provides a structure which ensures the right behaviours and actions are consistently put in place, with clients at the heart of the firm.
 

Why does CX matter in professional services?

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The market is small. Similarities between what firms offer and what they cost means it’s tough to stand out. Exceptional client experiences can differentiate your firm.
 

Client expectations have never been higher. And their patience has never been shorter.
 

They want personal, seamless and lightning-fast experiences - across every interaction from onboarding to completion. They are prepared to pay more for a better experience and firms that provide it will grow their revenue faster.

But the gap between good and great is growing quickly.
 

Clients don’t compare their expectations of one firm against a competitor firm anymore. As customers they compare each experience with their most recent best experience, regardless of the company or industry. From marketing campaigns to matter completion, every interaction shapes satisfaction levels and long-term loyalty. Clients will reward the firms that get it right.
 

CX is always-on and it is business-critical. When you get it right, clients will stay longer, be willing to pay higher hourly rates and bring you new clients, because the experience earned it.
 

CX should not be supporting your firm. It should be steering it.
 

What is the difference between client experience and client service?

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• Client experience is emotional. It is about how the client feels after they have engaged with a firm.

• Client service is functional. It is what a client expects a firm to do as part of the standard process.
   

Client service, and client development, are often used interchangeably with CX. This is challenging because each of those are part of the client experience – CX goes well beyond these to practically every aspect of your firm.
 

Consistent client service and a focus on client development are vital to delivering a seamless client experience. But so is a smooth client onboarding process, a client centric culture, consideration of client journeys and analysing client feedback.

Firms that prioritise a great client experience report an increase in loyal clients, an increase in revenue, and cost savings.
 

Things to remember when thinking about CX

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1. Client experience isn’t a single team’s responsibility. It’s the connective tissue of the firm. Creating a sense of ownership and shared responsibility toward creating positive client experiences starts with ensuring colleagues feel valued and understand the goals.

2. CX strategy is business strategy. Firms that give it long term focus see stronger client relationships, lower churn and smarter growth.

3. Client experience isn’t just about making people happy, but making your firm smarter. Teams can stop wasting time on guesswork so they can focus on what matters and spend more time solving problems.

4. Clients are more likely to promote your firm after having good experiences. Satisfied clients are your best ambassadors and are likely to bring in new clients through word-of-mouth and by leaving recommendations.

5. Gaining CX insights helps to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Focus on things that are working which address client needs, and will ultimately drive revenue for your firm.

6. Just like good CX helps your firm, negative CX can hurt your firm. Prioritise identifying where things are going wrong and how to avoid these obstacles in future.

7. Great CX isn’t a goal - it’s a mindset. But without a clear definition of what good looks like, colleagues will default to reacting, not delighting. So, create a simple, memorable CX vision that sets the tone then embed it across your firm

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Click here to undertake a free CX Maturity Audit