Lagniappe Giving Your Clients Value And Extraordinary Service

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers Lagniappe: Giving Your Clients Value and Extraordinary Service Want to stand out from the crowd of other law firms?  Give something to your clients, without expecting anything in return. Surprise a client by offering to spend 1/2 a day or a day off the clock helping with anything the client would find valuable. Why is this a good client development strategy? Because most lawyers and law firms over promise and under deliver. It starts with the firm’s website. If you go to any major law firm’s website, including your own, somewhere on the site you will find the firm’s commitment to its clients. The branding slogan on the Home Page of my old law firm’s website was the first statement: “The Jenkens experience… the experience you deserve.” On that same page we also stated: “It’s not about us. It’s about you. Your business. Your concerns. Your success.” And then: “experience the difference it makes for you.” I once asked our marketing department to explain to me what “The Jenkens Experience” was. I also wanted to know what the “it” was in the phrase: “experience the difference it makes.” I wanted to know because I wanted to make sure my clients knew when they were getting the Jenkens experience or it. No one could explain it to me. Frankly it was just a slogan for a webpage. The only time I ever heard about it from a client was when the general counsel was surprised by how much a bill was one month. He told me that he guessed his company had gotten: “The Jenkens Experience, the experience his company deserved.” What does your law firm website say about the firm’s commitment to clients? Are they just statements on a webpage or do your lawyers actually fulfill the commitment? You would think that since law firms all talk about their commitment to clients, their clients would be happy with their law firm’s  services. Business clients are not happy with their law firms and have frequently made that point. What do you suppose the problem is? Perhaps law firms are too focused on “profits per partner” and associates”getting their hours.” Have you ever heard the term “lagniappe? ” Click on the link to find out what it means. The term is used in New Orleans and other cities along the gulf coast. Just suppose that instead of focusing on “profits per partner” and “associates getting their hours,” your firm actually focused on lagniappe, giving something extra, or going the extra mile for your clients. I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.