Most small to mid-sized companies use on average three to five law firms. Larger companies use even more. So, each and every day you are being compared to your competitors. Knowing how you compare to them in terms of your service and client satisfaction is good to know. You can get this information in a variety of ways and use it to bring in even more business from the client. Chances are, just by taking the time to ask how you are doing will set you apart from your competition.

Client interviews
One way to get this feedback is through client interviews. The best way to get truly unbiased, no-holds-barred information from a client is to send in someone to interview the client other than the lawyer who works with the client or a managing partner from the firm. Using someone who is not involved in the relationship to do the interview will allow the client to be perfectly honest about the work and service being performed. It is much more comfortable for people to say what they think if they are not talking to the individual who is directly providing the service or ultimately responsible for the legal work and the relationship.

Getting this feedback can be uncomfortable for the lawyers and the law firm. It is like the dreaded performance review. A million things go through your mind about the good, the bad and the ugly that have occurred over the course of the relationship. But the great thing is once this dialogue is started, the ways you can not only improve with this client, but all clients will be identified. Generally, there will be a lot of positive feedback, which affirms that you are on the right track. Plus, clients love it. 

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