Four best practices for enhancing your client service so you can charge more
Simon McCrum, former managing partner and author of The Perfect Legal Business, shares his decades of experience helping SME firms deliver excellent client service that they can charge more for with Amy Bruce, marketing manager at Osprey Approach
Simon McCrum, former managing partner of the UK’s fastest-growing law firm and author of The Perfect Legal Business, recently joined Amy Bruce, head of marketing at Osprey Approach, to launch the independent legal software provider’s new interview series, Empowering Law Firm Leaders.
In this insightful conversation, Simon shares his decades of experience in helping SME law firms increase their competitive advantage and deliver excellent client service that they can charge more for.
The conversation covers how law firms can:
- Stand out from their peers
- Establish best practices on pricing models
- Run a high-performing team
- improve cashflow
Four non-negotiables of running a modern law firm
With the power of hindsight, and having learned from his own mistakes, Simon now works with several law firms around Europe to help them run a successful business and get the most out of their people.
The conversation begins with Simon sharing his four non-negotiables of running a successful 21st century law firm:
You need nothing but good people: “If you’ve got bad people, whether that’s attitude, behaviours, or performance, it’ll completely undermine your good people. I would be very militant about flying the good people flag.”
There has to be rules: “Everyone’s got ideas, we’re all ambitious, but there has to be rules.”
Say no: “Good leadership means having to be able to say no.”
It’s all about the cash: “If you take your eye off the money pool it changes everything for the worse, and quickly.”
Perfect firm of solicitors vs the perfect legal business
Simon debunks the myth of the ‘perfect’ law firm, highlighting that while SME law firms are meeting demands of higher salaries, their profit behaviours aren’t keeping up: “Billing targets are too low and it’s just not enough anymore. There needs to be a completely new approach to business efficiency to turn the passion and efforts of lawyers into cash.”
Four best practices for enhancing your client service
Simon’s blueprint for running the perfect legal business focuses on ensuring cash flow, but crucially it prioritises honing a law firm’s competitive advantage: client service. This enables firms to exceed client expectations, charge their true value and empower employees with aligned values.
To deliver quality client service Simon recommends:
- Committing to a service pledge
- Defining your pricing strategy
- Staying focused on your goals
- Increasing team productivity
The perfect legal business requires a high-performing team, a client-focused promise, and cash
Running a successful modern law firm demands a strong client focus from leadership that clears the way of distraction so employees can be dedicated to the goal. Simon highlights the importance of teamwork to create the perfect legal business, where everyone is responsible for driving in the same direction and can recognise the contribution of all roles.
When all of these parts work in harmony it improves efficiency, client service and ultimately, cash flow.
Watch the full interview with Simon McCrum now to discover more advice and insights on honing your firm’s competitive advantage and improving cashflow. You’ll also hear Simon’s exclusive advice to all SME law firms that, if not addressed immediately, could have a detrimental impact on your future success.
