By Elizabeth M. Miller bio
As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So it’s important to consider what judgment calls your clients are making about your firm’s efficiency and professionalism based on their first impression.
Balancing a client’s perception of your firm’s success, and therefore its competency, can be a double-edged sword. I remember back in the early 1980s, I asked a partner if he didn’t think it was time to replace his worn-out briefcase, because it was looking a little shabby. He responded that clients thought his worn briefcase meant that he worked hard and if he bought a new briefcase it might make clients think he was not very busy, since his briefcase looked so unused.
Somewhere there is a fine line.
There are several ways to leave a good first impression with your clients that will matter in a big way and affect whether you can attract and retain clients. Here are some of them:
- Clean up your desk. Disorganized stacks of paper everywhere and a lot of clutter will not impress a client. It will likely make them wonder how—if you cannot keep your desk organized—you can possibly manage their case. A client who is tech savvy may think the reason you have such a cluttered desk, besides being disorganized, is that you are not tech savvy.
- Take a look at the reception area. Make sure that your receptionist looks and acts professional. The way your receptionist speaks to clients on the phone and visitors to the office will leave a very distinct impression.
- Give your office décor a second look. Thirty or forty years ago, law firms had heavy mahogany or oak furniture, leather sofas and chairs, and art work with meaning that I could never figure out. Those days are gone. Your office décor needs to reflect that the firm is successful but not so successful that clients wonder how expensive it will be to hire your firm. But avoid the eclectic “I got my furniture at a yard sale or flea market” look.
- Show nothing. Confidentiality is very important to clients. If there are confidential client documents left out in the open and unattended, especially if the receptionist leaves her desk or if clients have to walk by work areas to get to your office conference room, the client will question whether their confidentiality will be protected by the firm. Make it a policy that papers and files are kept out of sight of clients.
- Dress for success. This applies to both your lawyers and your staff. While many law firms are now “business casual” make sure no one forgets about the “business” part. In some firms that means khakis and a jacket are acceptable business casual dress.
I worked at a law firm years ago in which the senior partner forgot that he had a client coming in and was walking around the office without his jacket on. His clients showed up for their appointment and, because they saw him, he greeted them and then said “Let me get my jacket.” The clients, of course, said not to worry about it and the partner replied, “No, you are paying me to be your lawyer and you are going to get a lawyer.” He came back with his suit jacket.
Conclusion
First impressions do matter. Even if a client does not outwardly react to a loud and messy reception area, a disorganized desk, and jeans and a polo shirt, they are subconsciously formulating an opinion of you and your law firm. I guess we can call it “lawyer profiling.” Should we judge a lawyer or his firm on appearances and relate that to the kind of service they will provide? Probably not. But when you are trying to attract and retain new clients, why risk it?
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