January 26, 2006
Lawyers Hiding from Phone Calls and E-mail
A few weeks ago I was having lunch with several attorneys including one of the partners of a firm trying to establish itself in a major city. That firm was the afterlife of an earlier acquisition. Its founding partners had been the up and coming attorneys of a good size firm that was purchased by one of the mega law firms. After a few months of life in the mega firm environment, they bailed and started their own firm.
The attorneys were talking about handling e-mail and phone calls. The partner from the young firm bragged that he made a practice of always responding to e-mail the next day. His practice was not to read e-mail until the morning after and then to respond to it. He explained that it avoided interruptions to his work schedule during the day. It was clear that he considered a next-day treatment to be “very responsive” to his clients. The partner had given me his direct office phone number. Since our lunch, I have had the occasion to call the same attorney on several occasions. I always get his voice message system. He has never actually answered his direct number. As with e-mail, he consistently returns my calls the following day.
The tragedy is that he believes he is being responsive. What do you think? Do you believe that law firm clients are happy to have their e-mail and phone calls returned the following day? Do you think clients are happy to deal with someone hiding behind their phone system? Would they be happy dealing with someone who places a greater priority on their own efficiency than yours?
Over and over again, clients criticize attorneys first for failing to be responsive—for not returning their phone calls or responding to e-mail on a timely basis. Law firm clients have already moved to instant messaging and to push-to-talk while many attorneys are still hiding behind their phone system and from their e-mails.
Attorneys are in the service business. They just happen to be in the lawyering service business.
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