Are you a nice guy? Do you deliver the 5 key components of exceptional LNC client care? In my podcast with Doug Sandler, he shared the components of the Nice Guy 30 Program. It struck me how basic these are, and yet not always followed.
Here is the science of this “Nice Guy 30 Program” and I encourage everybody to try to do this for a 30 day period of time because you can create new habits easily in the upcoming month. When you carry out the 5 key components of exceptional LNC client care, you will build a strong foundation for your business.
Step 1: Return all your phone calls
You need to return every phone call except for the one exception I give you is that you don’t have to return telemarketing calls.
If you don’t return the call, your clients will wonder if you got it. And return calls promptly. Some of the expert witnesses I worked with in my LNC business did not return my calls quickly. They lost the chance to work on the case. I moved on to someone else. When I saw a pattern of lack of responsiveness, I stopped giving them work. If they were not returning my calls, I wondered, were they returning my client’s calls?
Step 2: Return every email
Not only return every email, again with the exception of spam, answer all the questions within an email. For example if somebody asked you four questions and you respond to two of those four questions because they were important to you, you may get another email which will propagate more emails coming to you. Answer all the questions within the email. This can short cut a lot of back and forth and enhance your communication.
Step 3: Deliver on every promise
Don’t over promise and under deliver. Instead of doing that I would tell you to over deliver on the promises that you’re making. Don’t say, “I’ll call you back in five minutes” if you don’t have any plan to call back in five minutes. Literally tell your customers the truth every time. We have a family friend who is famous for telling us this. “I’ll call you back in 5 minutes”, he’d say. We knew we’d never hear from him in 5 minutes, or even that day.
You can over deliver care and carry out one of the 5 keys of exceptional LNC client care by turning in your work product or responding to the attorney before your work is due. This psychological strategy increases satisfaction with your services. When you turn that report in a few days early, you delight your client.
Step 4: Be on time every time
If somebody says I have an 11:00 appointment, by showing up at 11:15 although that is still considered I would think in the realm of not unreasonable, it is. You’re late and you’re not respectful for their time. You leave people wondering when you show up late, so be on time or early. This is a key part of exceptional LNC client care. Your time conscious clients will love you for this.
Attorneys who are very time conscious will fume if you are late. I recall one client who called the LNC who worked with me. She was supposed to be in his office at 10 AM and was in the parking lot at 10 AM walking towards the building when he called her to ask where she was. Not every attorney is that time conscious, but he sure was.
Step 5: Reach out personally
Sending out two text messages a day to people who you have not communicated with in the last 30 days. I have a colleague, Brian Bearden, who calls these “hi texts”. (He discusses this in my podcast, LNP 58.) People may not hear a voice mail or see an email, but they do see text messages.
All you’re doing by reaching out and talking on a personal level to people is continuing your relationship even when business is not happening between you and that relationship. (Check out Brian Bearden’s podcast, LNP 58 for more on sustaining relationships.)
Here’s a summary:
1. Return your calls
2. Return your emails
3. Deliver on every promise
4. Be on time every time
5. Communicate effectively and personally reach out twice a day
These five key components of exceptional LNC client care will put you on the map and so far exceed expectations because this level of service is unusual. Stand out from your LNC competitors by paying attention to these basic instructions. Learn more from Doug by listening to his podcast at this link.