It’s natural for clients seeking legal advice to factor costs into their considerations. Ensuring you can afford the legal support you need is important, but so too is choosing a solicitor you can trust.
In fact, the results of a new study suggest that trust and reputation are of greater importance to clients than costs, when selecting a solicitor. That’s according to one of the largest ever client experience surveys conducted in the legal sector.
Carried out by LawNet – a non-profit network supporting independent firms in the UK – the survey took into account the view of more than 75,000 respondents over a six-year period. According to the findings of LawNet, just 4% of people prioritise price over all other considerations when choosing a solicitor.
By contrast, trust and reputation are responsible for generating two-thirds of all new business UK solicitors secure. 30% of which comes from existing clients who return to the same solicitors, 19% from personal recommendations and 17% attributed to the character of the brand and the people behind it.
Quality and Clarity
It was also revealed that clients in general are less concerned with the actual costs of the legal support they need and more interested in how they are calculated – i.e. the overall fee structure of the legal firm. In addition, quality communication and clarity as their case progresses are a key priority for a sizeable proportion of clients, along with the capabilities of the legal firm to negotiate on their behalf.
The report follows a recent survey carried out by The Law Society, which found that while most clients struggle to differentiate between solicitors, only around one in four law firms provide valid arguments as to why they should be chosen.
Speaking on behalf of LawNet, member engagement & strategy director Helen Hamilton-Shaw had the following advice for UK solicitors.
“Many lawyers see negotiating as part of their core skill set, yet our research suggests there is often a skills gap when it comes to talking about costs with clients,” she said.
“But it is an issue that responds well to targeted action, once firms know they need to develop skills. Across the network, the way that walk-in enquiries are handled has improved by 24% in the past four years, and the way that staff handle a potential sales lead, by asking for permission to follow up on the enquiry, has shown a massive 41% improvement.”
Contact Aristone Solicitors
At Aristone Solicitors, we take pride in operating with a 100% clear and transparent fee structure. However, we also understand that costs are not the only issue of importance when choosing a solicitor.
We stand by our track record and have spent several decades building a flawless reputation in our field. We’re always happy to organise obligation-free initial consultations if you’d like to learn more about our experience, our expertise or the services we provide.
For more information or to discuss your requirements in more detail, contact a member of the team at Aristone Solicitors anytime.
