Client relationship management (CRM) is an important process for most companies, and the systems that support corporate CRM initiatives are mission-critical. This is true for large corporations and small groups of professionals in most industries. So where do law firms stand on this important issue? There seems to be little debate that orchestrated marketing efforts by a law firm and its members are in the best interest of everyone. As most organisations learned long ago, a team working towards a common goal is more likely to achieve it – with benefits accruing to the individual team members as well as the organisation as a whole. So, just where do law firms stand?
Law firms remain at the starting line. There may be a few exceptions, but especially in the US, most firms are stuck in the starting blocks. This is not the result of poor CRM software or lack of effort. During the last five to eight years a number of firms have made significant efforts to implement CRM, and many more firms have spent considerable amounts of money purchasing CRM systems. But even among the firms that have put forth an honest effort, the pay-back from CRM has been sporadic. While I cannot speak to CRM results in the UK, I do know that the lack of results in the US is rooted in culture and not down to inadequate technology.
