Practice Management

What did your valued employees do for you this week?

By Dan Hull

Sorry. It's not primarily about employees. It's about customers, clients, and buyers. On customer service issues, come out of the woods swinging and angry--like a bad-ass preacher of the Church of the Final Thunder.

If one employee does not put clients first, you have a problem. You are running a business--so it's time to get off your knees.

--The Value Guy

Did they help you add value for your clients and customers? It starts in your shop with your employees--who are important and valued, but always "third". If you are training support staff, paralegals and associates properly, and giving them meaningful things to do, good for you. Make them part of your client work, and get them to "think like" (a) a client which wants problems solved and (b) you--the owner, shareholder or partner.

And on item (b), are they treating you like a client? What did employees do for you this week? How are they adding value? Do they advance things--or hold you back? Are they buying into the ethos of great substantive work, and 24/7-availability client service--like it's a crusade, a religion, and a way of life?

After all, you are only asking for the minimum there.

Practicing law correctly is hard. Learning it is hard. Client service is hard. And a job is a privilege--not a right.

Expect something great from employees. "Training"? To be sure, it is likely a myth. Good associates and other support people train themselves, jump into the fray with energy and resolve, and learn by doing. You can't teach it. So find them.

If you have to spend additional time "training" or explaining things to employees, and you still want to keep them, that's fine. (But maybe they should pay you?)

(Warner Bros.)

Full post as published by What About Clients? on June 11, 2010 (boomark / email).