Get connected or get out of the kitchen
Wednesday 06 January 2010 by Alastair Moyes
This year will see a significant change in the supply of legal services to domestic and SME business. I’ll make a prediction here that I’ll review this time in 2011. There will emerge two types of solicitors firms by the end of the year: those that have fully adopted IT systems for service delivery and those that have not.
This is not a new idea – the precursors have been around for some years. What I’m saying is that 2010 will be the year that solicitors see the implementation of this approach in a way that changes how clients access legal services. There’s going to be a lot of time, effort and money put into a promotional surge in an attempt to gain a return on the investment from adopting this approach. So the profession will see the change first.
But there may be a problem on the demand side of the market equation (that old balance of supply and demand). Is the domestic and SME market ready to embrace new supply, really new ways of delivering legal services? The potential market for legal services is often pegged at approximately £10bn, but this market may be confused or reluctant to use or trust a new approach to accessing legal services.
I’m now thinking specifically of a new offering I hear is in the offing that is a major departure from the consumer’s general perception of solicitors, that being: office-based and charging by the hour. We know this view can and is changing further – I suggest 2010 will see that shift in perception accelerate.
If the consumers do adopt this new approach, then what of those firms that have not adopted the IT delivery systems? I would suggest they will have a tough fight to retain their clients.
What to do? Not surprisingly I would suggest that marketing management can provide the answers. Whichever side of the IT divide you find your firm on, you must develop a clear set of benefits that clients understand and can easily access. Whether you use IT and web delivery, or just telephone, email and the post is not so important. These are all tools for capturing clients’ needs. What does matter is that the clients you choose to serve know how easy it is to contact you and get a solution to their problem.
While this year the profession may be troubled by another IT debate, it will be the focus on servicing clients’ needs that will be the mark of success in 2010. Here’s to an exciting new decade.
Comments
Get connected
Interesting article Alastair.
Platform will become a key element of a law firms strategy. Why? Because the platform will point at the client and the client will engage with it. Clients will do this because it will suit their need, be they time poor, price sensitive or simply because they engage online in other areas. If technology has done one thing historically it has not necessarily turned things upside down it has actually taken an existing process and made it better.
As you rightly point out, it won't just happen. Law firms have to create the awareness. That may seem to be a challenge, actually it presents a huge opportunity. Go stake your claim!
So the 'big change' will not be whether a client engages with a law firm but how they engage and with who. They will be presented with the one thing clients like...choice. The client will choose whether to engage with a law firm in the traditional manner or whether they engage or even just commence online. Choice will dovetail into need.
The successful firms will be the fire starters of these new forms of engagement. They will reap the loyalty benefit of delivering the solution the client wants and other firms will be playing catch up.
Get Connected
A very interesting thread.
I am currently working hard to spread the "client platform" message through use of a cloud based client extranet and document management system.
Through meeting with well over 50 high street practices before Christmas,there are definately two camps as far as technology are concerned.Most see the benefit of allowing clients to view their files and case progress 24/7,however there are still some traditional practices that still are resisting to engage with clients electronically.I would suggest that probably some of the more traditional practices may feel they have an older demographic of client and therefore do not see the need to change.However my own parents (in their 80s) are already shopping online,requesting electronic statements and even using Skype,so I even see the silver surfing community will start to want to engage with their local practice in the same way (especially given the current weather conditions!)
Document sharing and retrieval by clients facinates me as one area that would reduce costs for most practices and improve the client experience,but why is there such resistance to change?
Early adopters of online solutions,are already will winning market share through their improved client experience,so I am sure that growth in this area will accelerate in 2010.
Connected? If you aren't already you are too late.
I fully agree with the need for law firms to offer legal services in the way their customers want them.
But I really do think that if law firms haven't already been fully IT set up for some time and now decide they want to be, they are way too late. Forget it. Training the firm's lawyers including the reluctant ones takes years to get anywhere near proper use and utilisation. We have been totally IT since 1996 and still train on the systems (which are not that complex) every month. som outline of how we are set up can be seen here http://www.family-lawfirm.co.uk
I am interested in clients viewing their files online etc but I just don't think there is a demand for it from them. Files don't mean much to clients anyway.