Can you imagine this scenario in your firm?

Client: Please could you change the way in which you write letters of claim on my behalf? You send them to me for approval and I have to keep changing the content in the same way each time. You: Well, I could do that, but it’s an enhancement to the service and I’m not sure I can devote the time.

Client: Actually, it’s not an enhancement. If you sent the letters out in the form you draft them each time, the content would be plain wrong.

You: Yes, but it’s not how we do it now, so it’s an enhancement.

Client: I’m sorry, I don’t agree, but could you do it anyway please?

You: Well, we’ll consider it, but first you have to complete this form.

Client: But the form asks me to write down again everything I’ve just asked you to do.

You: Sorry, but we can’t do anything unless you complete the form.

Client: I’m not very impressed with that, but I want the job done, so here’s your form.

Four weeks later…

Client: Any news on that ‘enhancement’ I requested?

You: It’s with our enhancement request committee and I’ll let you know when they make a decision.

Client: Oh. After four weeks I had hoped there would be a decision by now. Can you tell me when I am likely to hear something?

You: You can be assured that you will be told when a decision has been made…’ Et cetera.

I hope that the answer is ‘No way would we treat a client like that! They would walk out the door and tell everyone they knew what a shower we are.’ You might, however, recognise the theme and guess where this sort of treatment is not uncommon. Does your software company do this to you?

I hear from lots of clients and other contacts about their experiences with their various software companies, some good and some of the variety illustrated above (which is pretty much a replica of what happened to one client). The Gazette’s In Business editor, Rupert White, has written elsewhere about demanding more of your suppliers and I wholeheartedly support this.

The companies that supply the profession with software generally do a very good job, but client care is one area, as we all know, where any service company has to be on the top of its game, and it does no harm to remind them of this.