Where Have All The Viewers Gone?

USA Today had an article in yesterday’s paper that talked about the continuing decline in viewership for television.  But the statement that really grabbed me was this one:

• “Still other observers worry the shortfall may mark a tipping point as networks lose share to the Internet, cable and other media.”

The writing is on the wall.  Traditional mass media is becoming less and less effective.  Why?  Because decisions are no longer primarily made as a result of advertising.  They are made as a result of word of mouth networks.  That’s why I continue to work with attorneys to build systems that lead to a consistent stream of referrals.

I had lunch in a little tea house yesterday called Arianna’s and the friend that I was with relayed a story about a previous experience she had with one of the owners at the establishment.  It seems that her grandchild had accompanied her to lunch.  The child ordered milk with her meal and they were out of milk.  So, they sent someone to the store to buy her milk.  Now that’s extraordinary customer service and it’s great marketing!

How many times do you think that story will get told?  I assure you, the answer is many.  Arianna’s is getting talked about because they were perceptive enough to recognize an opportunity to stand out and creatively seize it.  The result?  Great word of mouth!

Let me ask you something.  Do you think anybody is talking about your yellow page ads?  I doubt it.  When your prospects talk about you they are most likely not talking about your advertising – they are talking about their experience with you.

That’s why it’s so important to create memorable experiences. 

So to answer the question we started out with – where have all the viewers gone?  They’ve gone to look for authentic and genuine companies that focus on customer service and creating experiences worthy of being talked about in a positive way.

Client Satisfaction

Research shows that the first 90 seconds of your clients perception of you and your firm will have more to do with their overall client satisfaction than anything that occurs after that initial point of contact….ever!

This whole area of first impressions deserves more of our attention than it generally receives.  You see, the fact of the matter is that your law firm is not judged primarily on the merits of your work but on the emotional connection that occurs during that first point of contact.   

In most cases, you as the attorney are not the one making those all important first impressions.  Instead it is your receptionist and intake operators.  Therefore, it is important that they are carefully trained to create the kind of emotional connections that your clients crave?  This is a hot topic in law firms around the country and because of that, last week my staff and I did a team training teleseminar entitled “Are You A Customer Service Hero?” 

We posited that your clients are in need of heroes.  Not superstars, but knowledgeable, caring listeners that are available to help them navigate what can be one of the most difficult times in their life.  

Are your front line people customer service heroes?  One way to assess this is to call our office about conducting a series of ghost calls.  We will help you evaluate what is transpiring during new case calls and then, if desired, work with your team to ensure proper training and implementation.  You can reach us at 610-692-3217.  Or email us at cindy@cindyspeaker.com.