You’ve heard the term “Happy wife, Happy life” well the same applies to happy clients. Even the most junior-level legal assistant could tell you that client satisfaction is vital to the success of a law firm. After all, clients create revenue and drive referrals. When it comes to client satisfaction, being listened to, understood, and engaged with openly is the key. These are all part of effective communication.
Why is Communication with Clients Important?
The quality of your communication with clients has a major impact on whether you experience great long-term client-partner relationships or increased churn. 77% of respondents from a U.S.-based study stated good communication is critical to generating business- with 50% saying they will switch competitors after one bad experience. Unfortunately, it takes up to 12 good experiences to make up for one bad experience. 
In the era of higher customer experience expectations, businesses should emphasize communicating effectively. The success of your client-partner relationships depends on it.
Let’s dive into five proven ways you can improve client communication at your firm.
How to Improve Communication with Clients
1. Establish a Human Connection
The type of business you’re in is most likely B2B (Business to Business) or B2C (Business to Customer) but at the end of the day, many companies neglect to realize that every business is B2P (Business to People). Sure, digital automation has been growing throughout the years with many business processes being streamlined- but there is still a human element. 
As a business, you will always be dealing with people and establishing a human connection will help communication flow easily. Human connection can be developed by simply remembering and addressing your client by their name, being informal but still professional, and finding commonalities (i.e. talking about similar interests). By doing so, you are creating a more personal environment that allows your client to feel appreciated and comfortable.
2. Transparency
The ability to communicate with clients openly and honestly goes a long way. People that communicate authentically and with intent are often perceived as more credible and trustworthy. Transparent communication can also help manage expectations and avoid disappointment. For example, if the Q3 numbers for your client are undesirable and you sugarcoat them or beat around the bush to avoid conflict, you may only temporarily de-escalate the problem.
Realistically, when the numbers continue to decline and/or your client finds out, they may feel blindsided or betrayed by your dishonesty and leave for a competitor. In contrast, if you decide to communicate the numbers to your client with openness and complete honesty, you have now set the baseline to better understand the issue, develop a strategy to collaborate, and improve your numbers.
3. Use a Client Collaboration Tool
Not all client meetings are held in person. Since the onset of the pandemic, many businesses resorted to remote work which de-emphasized communication face-to-face. However, the transition to online communication was not easy and did pose some challenges: feelings of isolation, availability incompatibility, and overall miscommunication- to name a few. To effectively communicate, many law firms adopted intuitive communication tools, like TitanFile.
Client collaboration tools, such as Slack and TitanFile, allow users to effectively communicate online through one centralized location. With TitanFile, users can securely send and receive large files while simultaneously messaging clients. Firms, such as Crowe Soberman, have experienced improved communication firsthand through the platform. Crowe Soberman’s Director of IT states “Our firm has seen great improvement when it comes to client communication, deliverables, and experiencing quicker turnaround times”.
When it comes to effective communication, there’s no better tool on the market. Sign up for a free 15-day trial to see for yourself.
Conclusion
More than 65% of people have higher expectations for customer service than 3-5 years ago and with that expectation comes the need to deliver. To meet that expectation, businesses need to effectively communicate with clients to ensure their needs are not only met but exceeded. To do so, you must create a human connection with clients, have transparent communication, and use a client collaboration tool to be efficient. Synchronously, these tips will ensure your clients are satisfied and your client-partner relationships last long term.
If you found this article helpful, please feel free to share it with your network to help others learn!