What Changes Have You Seen in Client Expectations Over the Years?
Navigating the ever-changing currents of the professional world requires more than just expertise; it demands a shift in strategy and adaptability. From the perspectives of a Managing Partner and an International Marketing Consultant, the evolution in client expectations is dissected in revealing detail. The piece offers a journey of insights beginning with the importance of maintaining transparency and educating clients, and concluding with the strategic shift towards emphasizing long-term approaches over quick AI solutions – a total of five invaluable insights await readers.
- Maintain Transparency and Educate Clients
- Ensure Regular Client Updates
- Leverage Tools for Speed and Budget
- Provide Advance Notice of Price Changes
- Emphasize Long-Term Strategy Over AI Solutions
Maintain Transparency and Educate Clients
With information in the legal and consulting sector also being available freely through social media, blogs, etc., clients are a lot more aware of the precise and specific requirements of the services sought. Further, with increasing penetration of technology, AI, etc., clients are also opting to fulfill the lower-chargeable services directly through such tools, thereby affecting the revenue of legal and consulting professionals from add-on services.
We at Areness have always maintained utmost transparency with an emphasis on educating clients to better understand the nuances of the services sought. Further, to ensure competitive pricing, we have invested in tech and designed tools and utilities for our internal teams and clients to cut down drastically on overhead costs of paralegals and support teams.
Ensure Regular Client Updates
One significant change I've seen in client expectations over the years is the increased demand for transparency and consistent communication. Clients now expect to be kept well-informed at every stage of their case and have access to their legal team when they need answers. They want to feel heard and know their concerns are being addressed promptly.
To adapt to this, we ensure our clients are regularly updated, and we proactively answer any questions they may have. At Melmed Law Group, our clients have direct access to our team, and they know they can reach us at any time with their concerns. This personal approach helps build trust and ensures that clients feel supported and understood throughout the entire process.
Leverage Tools for Speed and Budget
Over the years, we've noticed a significant shift in client expectations, particularly around pricing transparency and the speed of service. Business leaders today face immense pressure to execute rapidly and cost-effectively, and they expect their legal counsel to keep pace. At Soloway, we've adapted by not only embracing these challenges but also by leveraging cutting-edge tools that allow us to deliver high-quality work faster and within budget. Our goal is to not just meet expectations but to stay ahead of them, providing the predictability and responsiveness clients demand.
Provide Advance Notice of Price Changes
I've noticed that some clients have been surprised at price increases, even those substantially less than inflation. In these discussions, they sometimes seem to have an expectation that my prices should not rise over time.
In these cases, I normally begin the discussion by asking, "When was the last time you raised your prices?" The answer is typically within the past two years and justified by their own rising costs. When I explain that my costs rise the same as theirs, I sometimes notice their surprise, as if they didn't realize I have costs to provide my services, just like they do! I am even sometimes asked, "What costs?" prompting me to start down the list: "Salaries, Office Supplies, Shipping, Travel, Meals & Entertainment, etc."
The lesson? I now make sure to get advance notice out about price changes with a detailed explanation months in advance. I include this in newsletters, post it to social media, and even in the comments field on invoices. This has greatly helped get client expectations in line with reality.
Emphasize Long-Term Strategy Over AI Solutions
What I’ve noticed over the years is that while clients have become more patient with long-term strategies, the rise of AI has introduced a new challenge. Many clients now think they can simply hand over their content to AI and expect quick results. However, what they often overlook is that SEO and marketing are not sprints, but marathons. Feeding and nurturing your digital presence has to be a priority, or you risk being buried by the competition. When clients trust us to implement the strategies we recommend, they consistently see stronger, more sustainable results for their business.
