Where professionals focus on technical expertise or speed of execution, clients often value ‘bedside manner’ – how they are treated and the attitude of the professionals serving them – just as highly. Problems with the latter can cause clients to question the former. A US medical study demonstrates that interactions with doctors are more important to clients than technical competence in determining satisfaction. If that is true for invasive professional services like medical care, it is just as common with legal services.
So if suppliers do not respond to client need for good service, they will form unfavourable impressions of the whole firm, damaging revenues as a result. If this poor client care is the result of a senior figure or is representative of the firm’s approach, then the firm’s long-term survival might be threatened. By contrast, a firm with very good client service is likely to grow in both revenue and reputation.
