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carriers (25), and credit card companies (23)—none of which are known for exceptional service.1
The deeper implications imply that poor client satisfaction is hindering growth in the average law
firm.
The Power of Satisfaction in Driving New Business
In speaking with countless lawyers and other legal professionals, one of the most common
sentiments they share is that managing a business is incredibly difficult. Most wish it were easier.
One of the most difficult challenges for lawyers is generating business for their firm. Many
see this as an uphill battle, where every step is a part of a grind that never gets easier. The problem
with this mind frame is it fixates on effort as a burden. But effort is only one side of the equation,
one that’s focused entirely on inputs. On the other side are your business outputs. Unlike inputs,
which are a limited resource, the work put into maximizing outputs can have exponential returns.
In other words, rather than putting more effort into your business, think about how to get more
returns from the effort you already put in.
The business researcher and consultant Jim Collins has written and spoken prolifically
about the concept of “the flywheel.” The idea behind the flywheel is that it takes a sustained and
constant effort to build momentum; but once that wheel starts to turn, it serves as an energy store,
and maintains much of its momentum even once force is no longer applied to it. The wheel wants
to turn of its own volition, and any ongoing effort only speeds it up. The effect is a perpetual
compounding of return-energy for every bit of continued effort.
The key to developing a flywheel effect for your business is to (1) understand what
components will build momentum and then (2) aligning your efforts in the right direction.
Which brings us back to NPS. Client satisfaction, reputation, referrals, and repeat business
are all components that build off each other to create momentum and drive law firm success. A
positive client experience will drive more repeat business and referrals, which in turn will bring
more clients to your firm, who in turn will drive more repeat business and referrals. Success begets
more success. This is the client experience-driven flywheel in motion, and it's one of the most
powerful growth levers law firms have at their disposal.
What contributes to positive client experiences? Our NPS research demonstrated a strong
connection between NPS and factors that were intrinsically related to the ease (or difficulty) of
working with a law firm: ease in understanding case expectations, bedside manner, and overall
responsiveness to communications. Since the growth prospects of any law firm rely so heavily on
client satisfaction (as measured by NPS), focusing on client experiences should be how lawyers
think about their future success.
Forecasting the Future of Success in the Legal Industry
The legal industry is transitioning in a way similar to any other during times of rapid
technological change. The key to weathering these changes — and prospering through these times
— is to recognize where problems lie and what efforts will have the most returns in solving them.
Today, technologies are unlocking new opportunities for lawyers to get more from their
efforts. With these opportunities, lawyers have more options for how they structure and deliver
legal services, and in how they design client experiences. Technology also has the potential to
1 Net Promoter Score Benchmark Study, TEMKIN GROUP (2017), https://temkingroup.com/product/net-promoter-score-benchmark-study-2017/.
134
The deeper implications imply that poor client satisfaction is hindering growth in the average law
firm.
The Power of Satisfaction in Driving New Business
In speaking with countless lawyers and other legal professionals, one of the most common
sentiments they share is that managing a business is incredibly difficult. Most wish it were easier.
One of the most difficult challenges for lawyers is generating business for their firm. Many
see this as an uphill battle, where every step is a part of a grind that never gets easier. The problem
with this mind frame is it fixates on effort as a burden. But effort is only one side of the equation,
one that’s focused entirely on inputs. On the other side are your business outputs. Unlike inputs,
which are a limited resource, the work put into maximizing outputs can have exponential returns.
In other words, rather than putting more effort into your business, think about how to get more
returns from the effort you already put in.
The business researcher and consultant Jim Collins has written and spoken prolifically
about the concept of “the flywheel.” The idea behind the flywheel is that it takes a sustained and
constant effort to build momentum; but once that wheel starts to turn, it serves as an energy store,
and maintains much of its momentum even once force is no longer applied to it. The wheel wants
to turn of its own volition, and any ongoing effort only speeds it up. The effect is a perpetual
compounding of return-energy for every bit of continued effort.
The key to developing a flywheel effect for your business is to (1) understand what
components will build momentum and then (2) aligning your efforts in the right direction.
Which brings us back to NPS. Client satisfaction, reputation, referrals, and repeat business
are all components that build off each other to create momentum and drive law firm success. A
positive client experience will drive more repeat business and referrals, which in turn will bring
more clients to your firm, who in turn will drive more repeat business and referrals. Success begets
more success. This is the client experience-driven flywheel in motion, and it's one of the most
powerful growth levers law firms have at their disposal.
What contributes to positive client experiences? Our NPS research demonstrated a strong
connection between NPS and factors that were intrinsically related to the ease (or difficulty) of
working with a law firm: ease in understanding case expectations, bedside manner, and overall
responsiveness to communications. Since the growth prospects of any law firm rely so heavily on
client satisfaction (as measured by NPS), focusing on client experiences should be how lawyers
think about their future success.
Forecasting the Future of Success in the Legal Industry
The legal industry is transitioning in a way similar to any other during times of rapid
technological change. The key to weathering these changes — and prospering through these times
— is to recognize where problems lie and what efforts will have the most returns in solving them.
Today, technologies are unlocking new opportunities for lawyers to get more from their
efforts. With these opportunities, lawyers have more options for how they structure and deliver
legal services, and in how they design client experiences. Technology also has the potential to
1 Net Promoter Score Benchmark Study, TEMKIN GROUP (2017), https://temkingroup.com/product/net-promoter-score-benchmark-study-2017/.
134
