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g a z e t t e
s e p t e m b e r 1986
The Heart of the Matter:
Client Relations
A La yman 's Vi ew*
Because many people seldom visit a solicitor's office
they feel "strange" — out of their element, and
therefore uneasy. They feel there is a mystique about the
law and its workings. The reaction of a new client is
often one of apprehension.
The solicitor's objective should be to ensure this
impression is dispelled as soon as possible. In this, front
office staff can be a help — too often they are abrupt
and show lack of concern for a potential new client.
They forget that it is clients who pay their salaries.
Solicitors should offer a pleasant greeting and project
a willingness to be helpful — an obvious start of a good
solicitor-client relationship. This is commonsense, but
too often the subconscious reaction of the solicitor is to
be "heavy with professionalism" — an "I know it all"
syndrome, an enhancement of the mystique.
Frankness in responding to clients and avoidance of
legal jargon in discussions establishes good communica-
tion. Solicitors are busy, but listening is often more
important than talking. When it comes to talking it is
important that the client is understanding what is being
said — not just nodding his or her head.
Give an outline time scale for the action required,
warning of possible delays — and the reasons for
them — and an indication of what the work is likely to
cost. Forthrightness dispels the mystique and instils
confidence in the client.
Part of the mystique surrounding the profession has
grown up through silence . . . the failure of solicitors to
communicate with clients. To solicitors, a client is a
case, approximating to the many others which the office
may be processing. To the client his or her case is
possibly the most important thing in their lives . . .
"What is happening? Why don't we hear fromi our
solicitor . . . has anything gone wrong? We don't like to
keep pressing, but we should like to know".
Silence to them is part of the mystique — it is also the
source of a number of complaints to the Law Society.
Tell clients of progress — or reasons for delays —
from time to time. A phone call is a 'human' contact.
Maintaining contact is an indication that you care, and,
after all, you are a member of a Society which prides
itself on representing a caring profession.
Communications is very much the " i n" word at
present. Do you, as a profession, wrap up your
communications in too many words? Unfortunately,
the use of dictating machines has encouraged verbosity
and verbosity leads to confusion.
Solicitors tend to use the jargon of the profession —
the verbal "shorthand" which is used in discussions
with fellow-practitioners. But it is this use of jargon —
or too much detail — in communication with clients
that tends to confuse and is yet another suggestion ot
the mystique of the profession.
.
. .
Simplicity is the keynote to good communications. ^
* This critique was presented .for publication by an informed
layman, who believes he speaks for many other laymen who haxe
occasion to deal with solicitors. For impact the contributor prefers
to remain
anonymous.
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