Explore Legal.io

For Clients
Legal.io company logo
Hire Talent
Find the best fit for any legal role
For Members
Jobs
The best legal jobs, updated daily
Salaries
Benchmark compensation for any legal role
Learn
Learn and grow with our community
Events
Connect with peers at exclusive events
Apps
Tools to streamline legal work
Advertise on Legal.io
Post a job for free
Reach more qualified applicants quickly
Advertise with Us
Reach a targeted audience

For Clients

Hire Talent
Legal.io company logo
Solutions
Find the best fit for any legal role
New Hire
Get highly qualified candidates in days
Popular Roles
Data & Tools
Budget Calculator
Plan and manage your legal budget
Salary Insights
Compensation data for legal roles
Vendor Directory
The ultimate list of legal tech tools

Customer Service is Your Law Firm's Competitive Advantage

A case study on Zappos and how to set your firm out from the competition.

Customer Service is Your Law Firm's Competitive Advantage

United States companies lose $62 billion in revenue every year from terrible customer service.

Surprised? We weren’t.

After all, creating a truly delightful customer experience is hard. Really hard.

This is even more true in law.

Clients come to us with their their legal issues, sure. But they're also coming to us with their motivations, aspirations, insecurities, and fears.

A 2016 article in The Lawyerist highlights this with some intense statistics:

  • Fewer than 10% of clients who call a law firm will actually get to speak to a lawyer.
  • More than 40% of people who leave a voicemail or fill out a web form wait two or three days before they hear back.
  • 11% of callers hang up within 10 seconds of calling a law firm because they’re frustrated at not getting to speak with the person they ask for by name.

Now is the time for firms to nail customer service. The firms that don’t will continue to fall further behind.

Today clients not only want, but expect, exception service. They interact with brands like Apple, Amazon, Zappos, and UPS - they know what quality feels like, and they want it from everyone.

Firms that prioritize client service will be able to differentiate themselves.

Zappos

Consider the case of Zappos.

Zappos, founded in 1999, is now the World's largest online shoe retailer.

The company didn't gain traction because they provided a superior online shoe shopping experience. After all - plenty of online marketplaces tried (and failed) to capture this vertical.

Zappos' growth hack was their customer service.

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, describes this differentiator perfectly. Zappos is a “service company that happens to sell shoes.”

In order to make this vision a reality, Zappos invested heavily in their customer support team and processes. A 2012 Business Insider article reported that new Zappos customer success representatives receive seven weeks of training and are encouraged not to use scripts.

This strategy worked for Zappos, and almost 20 years later it is still working. In July 2009 it was acquired by Amazon for $1.2 billion.

Law Firms + Client Success

Zappos may have billions in the bank, but it was their values that drove their differentiation - and thus their success. This is something every firm can learn from.

Here are some of the top tips and tricks for providing superior client success:

Communication is key. Be clear about the best way for clients to contact you and set a standard response time with them (ex: you’ll respond within 24-hours during the week).

Create a Roadmap. Clients often have anxiety over what is left to be done on their matter and what forward-looking expectations they should have. Outlining the process from the start can ensure a more seamless relationship.

Invest in your staff + make good hires. Zappos customer success representatives go through 7 weeks of training. Additionally, at the end of training each employee is offered around $4,000 to quit. Yes, you read that right. This ensure that they’re hiring people who are truly committed to the role.

Legal.io Logo
Welcome to Legal.io

Connect with peers, level up skills, and find jobs at the world's best in-house legal departments

More from Legal.io

Bitcoin Rollercoaster: Spot ETF Hopes Surge BTC Despite Matrixport Rejection

Bitcoin takes a dive on Matrixport rejection, but institutional hopes keep price afloat.

Bitcoin Rollercoaster: Spot ETF Hopes Surge BTC Despite Matrixport Rejection
TechnologyBanking and FinanceGovernment
Prologis Announces Executive Leadership Transitions

Prologis, a global leader in logistics real estate, has announced the retirement of two key executives, with experienced in-house talent slated to take the helm.

CareerGeneral Counsel
Community Perspectives: Am I crazy to leave biglaw for a 50% pay cut?

Many attorneys end up accepting pay cuts when taking an in-house position. How do they look back on these decisions?

Community Perspectives: Am I crazy to leave biglaw for a 50% pay cut?
In-House CounselCompensationLaw Firms
California High Court Holds AI Vendors Liable for Biased Job Screening

AI vendors are directly accountable for violations under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

California High Court Holds AI Vendors Liable for Biased Job Screening
Law FirmsCareerLabor and Employment
EU Banking Watchdog Turns Scrutiny Up on Banks' Crypto Connections

The authority’s probe aims to assess the potential risks associated with banks' exposure to crypto entities.

EU Banking Watchdog Turns Scrutiny Up on Banks' Crypto Connections
TechnologyBanking and FinanceInternational
Twitter Faces Legal Battle Over $90 Million Fee in Elon Musk Acquisition

Twitter faces a legal showdown over a $90 million fee tied to Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition. The lawsuit, against law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, centers on claims of 'unjust enrichment' amidst a backdrop of high-stakes corporate disputes and high-profile acquisitions.

Twitter Faces Legal Battle Over $90 Million Fee in Elon Musk Acquisition
Law Firms
How To: Handle Your Job When Dealing With Emotional Distress

When life is getting us down, often the last thing we feel like doing is logging on to our computer and finishing that report that’s due for today. If we are dealing with difficult emotions from our personal life, concentration and motivation at work can be badly affected.  So how can we go about our work when these issues feel too much? There’s no simple remedy, but let’s consider a few things that might help.

How To: Handle Your Job When Dealing With Emotional Distress
CareerMental Health
Stanford Law School Appoints New Dean, Legal Scholar George Triantis

Stanford Law School appoints George Triantis, a renowned scholar in contracts and business law, as its new dean, succeeding Provost Jenny Martinez.

Stanford Law School Appoints New Dean, Legal Scholar George Triantis
Career
Legal.io Logo
Welcome to Legal.io

Connect with peers, level up your skills, and find jobs at the world's best in-house legal departments