those books that intimidate clients from
the shelves at the back of the learned
friend’s high swinging seat. It’s only
later that you will resign to understand
that those books are more of a statement
for the depth of the invoice. If you peer
carefully you’ll certainly see a layer of dust
gathering for days but the first cheque will
have already been drawn!
And so filing of whatever matter will be
done and since goods once sold cannot
be claimed, the chase begins. The hunter
becomes the hunted. The judiciary is
an accessory in matters poor customer
experience and advocates have mastered
the endless excuses programs. In one year
you’ll be lucky to get three mentions and
it will take one year before you are heard,
if lucky.
The client has to do his own statement and
woe unto you if you do not do it right or
revise the content therein. A friend once
told me that the easiest way to be jailed
is to leave a matter solely to an advocate.
The next phase becomes a rat and mouse
game. Suddenly his phone is busy or
not being picked at all. The advocate is
obviously a busy man who lives in the
courtroom so his word is law. To be honest
he operates like a Kenyan bank in the 80’s
where the bank dictated how many times
you could withdraw your hard earned
money.
The client matter is coming up but he is
still not available never mind these are
The judiciary is an
accessory in matters
poor customer
experience and
advocates have
mastered the endless
excuses programs.
In one year
you’ll be lucky to
get three mentions
and it will take one
year before you are
heard, if lucky.
It is an under estimated factor that law
schools have ignored the value of training
on client service while putting too
much effort on the legal content. This
should be a key topic as handling clients
effectively equates to better revenues as
a result of retention and referrals. Law is
a skill. Client service is the practice. Creating
great experiences will build your
reputation for a bigger brand.
farmers from Kanyakine and they need to
know if the matter is on the cause list. The
advocate has no motivation to attend to
the matter as the cash paid was too little
and has already paid off some bills. To be
honest, he does not even remember the
case well but he shall retrieve the file in
the morning and flip through.
On the material day the rain is a bit heavy
so he calls a colleague to hold brief for
him. This is the most abused term in the
courtroom next to its cousin ‘adjournment’.
I once attended court and this was like a
chorus for a whole hour.
Another challenge is that the ‘Big
Advocates’ literally intimidate everyone
in the court room with their ‘busy travel
schedules’ or they hog too many cases
so they cannot attend to their clients
effectively. So much time is wasted due
to incompetence and lack of commitment
from the legal fraternity which frustrates
the diligent advocates who are doing right
for their clients.
What do clients want from their advocate
and what are the good legal practitioners
practicing? It starts with the first contact.
What is the expectation? Understand and
manage the expectations. State the law and
its dictates without biases. Clients want to
be listened to. Be empathetic. They want
the advocate to demystify their complex
problem by offering hope and signs of
winning the case. They want simplicity
and confidentiality so that their court
clerks are not discussing their personal
matters in the middle of their tipple. They
want personalized service.
They want to trust that you are the best
person to handle their matter and you are
not just in it just for the money. They want
to know that they can trust you and that
you will keep the promises you make along
the way.
One of the major failures in the client
journey is communication. Keep the doors
open for queries e.g. email and update
them on simple matters like hearing dates
in good time. Active engagement builds
relationships for future business.
I often advise my clients that the product
is largely the same and to differentiate your
firm from others you need to create great
experiences. Have a client acquisition and
retention strategy with a view to giving the
best service for best remuneration.
Leverage on technology to capture client
details for reference. Most advocates fear
technology and this has literally made
record keeping and historical reporting
a nightmare. Ever wondered why
conveyancing is still being done manually
while land ministry is working towards
automation?
Clients want to feel valued and understood.
Train your employees on the value of
treating your clients with dignity and be
the lead. You cannot make an appointment
and keep clients who pay your bills at your
reception for two hours. It is not only
unprofessional but totally inconsiderate.
Their time is as valuable as much as yours
is. Create a brand that clients know that
even if they lose, they understand the firm
did their best.
Beyond the advocates’ jurisdiction,
more can be done to change the client
experience in the legal profession. Number
one, it is an under estimated factor that
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