It is amazing to me that another entire year has come and gone and once again I feel like we just started! At the same time, I reflect on all that has happened in the past year and I am totally overwhelmed. A Presidential election, the 2012 Summer Olympics, Superstorm Sandy…And those don’t even begin to hit on the events that have touched each of us personally. Which brings me to my point, as we begin to “wrap up” 2012 literally and figuratively, I find it is truly critical to focus on what is key to our lives and our success. For me that would be my faith, my family and friends, and then my clients. I have a feeling that the same could be said for most of you.
Well, since I am not in the business of talking to you about your faith, your family or your friends, you can bet I’m here to talk to you about your clients! Have you thought about what is most important to them at this time of year? Are they struggling with the same issues you are or are they more overwhelmed than ever, wondering how they are going to have Christmas at all? Do you have clients who still are without benefits, without work, without settlements and in pain? Do you have those who are even more concerned with how they are going to keep the lights on or even have heat? I don’t want you to think I’m suggesting that you take on all of their burdens as your own, but it might ease theirs just to hear from you during this especially troubled time of year. Can you make sure that you and your attorneys contact all of your clients during the month of December? Can you make sure that the case managers send out personal letters or even better handwritten cards to them all? Would it be possible for you or your firm to play Santa to one or two of your clients and their families with gifts for the children and maybe a few groceries? Perhaps you could make an offer to pay a few bills for them for the month of December to help get them through or even enable them to give their children a little Christmas?
Then as you get ready to” wrap it all up”, make a promise to yourself that in 2013 you will set-up a plan to help you and your firm to focus on your “client experience” and being more client centric in all that you do. Starting in January, make it a part of that plan for someone in your firm to contact your clients once a month over the phone, not just with a status of their case, but to check in and see how they are as a person. Put the notes from that conversation in their case file. These notes should be updated each and every month. This way when your attorneys and case managers speak to the clients they truly know what is going on in their lives – a medical procedure, a hospital stay or even something positive like the birth of a grandchild or the wedding of a child.
We all have more blessings to be thankful for than we can count. It is important that during this time of year, that we remember those who help fill our lives full with those blessings and to honor them not only now but all throughout the year. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season filled with much joy, love and laughter. I hope that 2013 brings you all of the blessings and the success you hope for!
Until 2013… Happy Holidays and all the best for a wonderful New Year!