Insights on Client Care and Appreciation
What advice or words of encouragement have you found resonates most with clients during difficult moments?
Clients naturally seek attorneys who are knowledgeable and skillful in their profession. Equally important, however, is knowing that their attorney listens, cares about their viewpoint, concerns, and issues, and gives sound advice.
To offer those words of encouragement, I believe I need to seek to understand the underlying factors that may influence my client and strive to help that client improve themselves throughout the process. This may involve learning better ways of overseeing their finances and organizing their daily tasks to encouraging an exercise routine. I compare the legal process to a rollercoaster ride and when necessary, emphasize the need for psychological or therapeutic support to aid with their emotional needs. I collaborate closely with therapists who share my personal improvement philosophy to ensure clients have a brighter future after the process is complete. While some individuals
may resist looking toward the future, I persist in moving the case forward while encouraging continued personal growth. So, my words of encouragement are focused more on my client’s growth and less on the current situation or their spouse.
Do you have any traditions or creative ways of showing appreciation to your clients, such as small gifts, handwritten notes, or follow-up calls after their cases conclude?
Yes, for ongoing cases, I send a “Month at a Glance” yearly calendar to my clients, accompanied by a handwritten note emphasizing the positive accomplishments thus far and the brighter future that the process will bring. Many clients appreciate the paper calendar and often send thank-you emails, texts, or handwritten notes of appreciation. I send a holiday card with a handwritten note for clients who prefer digital formats. Upon case conclusion, I follow up with a letter of appreciation, an evaluation form for my staff and me, and a closure “to-do” list. Some clients continue to send me emails, texts, or cards with pictures of their children, sharing their successes and new endeavors. I maintain communication through cards, texts, or emails.
Have any clients gone out of their way to show their appreciation for your work?
Yes, it seems that the more you give, the more you get in return. Some clients recognize when you go the extra mile and show their appreciation through cards, dinners, flowers, and even unusual gifts.
One client surprised me by preparing a Christmas breakfast buffet for our staff and decorating the conference table with Christmas decorations. Another client sent me a stuffed woodchuck that sings “I’m Alright” from Caddyshack, along with a postcard from Hawaii showing himself surfing! In a particularly bitter custody case, one of the children who went on to college and became an engineer sent me a graduation picture and a letter thanking me for advocating for her father, allowing her to pursue her dreams. I once received an Easter bunny figurine from a client after I successfully collected past-due child support through a QDRO. He humorously likened me to the Easter bunny.