Delivering Behavioural Change for Successful CRM

---

By now most law firms are trying to operate some form of CRM programme or, at least, have recognised the need to focus much of their marketing attention on their existing clients. The primary objective of a CRM programme is to improve overall client care and client service resulting in increased client retention. In addition, through developing closer working relationships with clients, to enable the development of new lines of business.

Anyone who has tried to introduce a CRM programme will understand that it usually requires a fairly major shift in behaviour on behalf of all people who have contact with the client. Achieving any kind of behavioural change within a large organisation is a very long and usually difficult process and requires the participation and buy-in of everyone within the firm.

Assessing the factors behind successful behavioural change

When introducing a new marketing concept into a law firm, there are a number of steps to take to ensure people are engaged with the process and adopt the desired behaviour. CRM is so close to the interface with the client that it is essential to ensure that the right people are engaged and that, particularly where there is a large client team, behaviours throughout the team have changed in the same direction. One of the secrets to success is to work to a realistic timetable and to manage expectations within the firm.

Awareness and Understanding
The first step in the process is to raise the awareness and understanding of the CRM concept so that everyone involved knows why it is important and a crucial part of their everyday life. If not enough attention is paid to this part of the process and actions are introduced too early, no one will engage with the programme. Backing up the education process with facts and figures is a must. The introduction of our formal CRM programme, back in 2001, was linked with an address from one of our major clients on why client care was important to them and what aspects of client care were most important. It was also backed up with analysis of our financial performance with our top 200 clients together with independent feedback, face to face and web based, from many of our top clients who were on the programme. Without providing proper facts and figures it is merely a concept and not a reality.

Engaging Interest
As with every new concept, once the interest of a number of the key people has been captured, it is possible to proceed with a programme. It is sensible to assume that not everyone will get on board at the same time. The early objective must be to get some quick wins in order to convince more people of the merits of the programme.

Action
Always the tricky bit. Actually doing what you need to do is imperative, particularly in relation to actions arising from direct client feedback which, if it is not responded to, can become a negative marketing activity. If you ask clients for their opinions and then do not follow through their wishes, you are in a worse situation than if you had not asked. Lack of responsiveness is one of the biggest irritants for clients. In our experience this aspect needs constant work and constant monitoring to ensure it is pro-active and effective.

Ensuring consistency and discipline across the firm

Whilst the CRM programme is usually focussed on a small number of clients, the principles and process can be used on clients outside the programme.

Continual reviews of the programme are necessary. As discussed earlier, change takes a long time to achieve, therefore it is necessary to continually review the programme and adjust it, responding to successes and failures. We are in the process of undertaking our third review. From our experience so far, I would list the main challenges that need to be achieved for a successful programme as:

• Achieving real buy-in and active support at board level so that partners and assistants see CRM as a vital contributor to the firm's success
.


• Ensuring that CRM is not seen as a marketing department activity. To be effective, it must be adopted by the fee earning community and be an important part of their day to day activities with their clients.



• Systemising the programme but doing it in such a way that the system is usable and guides partners in their duties, providing them with suggestions and ideas but so it is not prescriptive. It is essential that each client be treated as an individual and that the programme works for them and their business.



• Ensuring that CRM is part of every practice area's business and marketing plan. It should provide a focus for their strategy.



• Defining a clear role for client relationship partners so they understand what is expected of them and the role they are fulfilling.



• Agreeing how client reviews will be done, whether using an independent organisation, by senior partners (not the CRP) or by the CRP. In reality there is a need for a number of different reviews throughout the year so the ideal solution may be a combination of all three options.



• Tying CRM in with the firm's policies and programmes for recognition and reward. If CRM if to become effective in an organisation it has to be part of the appraisal and remuneration system, particularly for partners.

If the above factors are addressed, there is a greater chance of getting consistent behaviour throughout the firm.

Developing an effective strategy

The first stage in determining an effective strategy is to decide how many and what types of clients will be included in the formal programme. It is important to stress that the CRM process and the tools can be used for clients outside the formal programme. The main difference is that the clients on the programme are subject to a more formalised approach to research, planning and monitoring.

There are various approaches to deciding which clients should be included in a formal CRM programme and indeed, how many. Some firms focus their programme on their top 10 largest clients, some cover as many as 100 clients. We currently have around 50 clients on our programme including 11 key clients. A client could be suitable for the programme for a number of reasons and I list below 4 potential reasons for inclusion.

1. Crown jewels clients: those who are crucial to the firm's business and whose loss would severely affect the business. These are typically the largest clients of the firm.
2. Strategic clients: those who fit with your own firm's strategic aim, for example, if a strategic aim is to grow a particular area of practice then a client who requires those services on a regular basis would fit this category.
3. Referral clients: those who are good to have on your client list and who would encourage other similar organisations to consider the firm as a supplier. These would typically fit with the type of firm that you are.
4. Growth potential clients: those where there is an opportunity to increase the amount of work done for them, either in the same area of work or by cross selling other services to the client.

These are by no means the only reasons to include a client on the programme but are a good starting point. The final list needs to be agreed either by the board or by a committee of senior partners of the firm to ensure buy-in at the top level.

Having determined which clients should be on the programme, appropriate Client Relationship Partners (CRPs) should be assigned to each client. The first stage of our process with any new client to the programme is an independent interview with the client to assess our service levels, uncover any issues and consider activities that are important to the client. This is also done on a regular basis with those already on the programme. An action plan is then drawn up for the client and implemented by the CRP and client team.

The marketing team assist CRP's with actions, offer training and coaching and monitor and evaluate the progress made with each of the clients on the programme.

There will be some clients on the programme who fall into the "key account" category, and for those, a more in depth approach will be required. For key accounts, we typically have workshops of all interested parties in the firm, consider the client organisation in detail, undertake a detailed assessment of our performance, consider issues that may need addressing and opportunities that may be available. From the workshop a client strategy is drawn up detailing actions required going forward. These plans need very careful monitoring and regular team meetings to ensure a co-ordinated approach across the firm. Key accounts tend to be the larger clients who are served by different practice groups throughout the firm so, by their very nature, need more careful coordination.

One of the essential elements of a successful programme, and an effective route to achieving buy-in throughout the firm, is constant feedback and communication of activity and, most importantly, of results. In our experience this needs to be formalised.

Implementing your strategy: practical guidance and lessons learned

We have worked out, and further perfected in our most recent review, a process that all CRPs can follow. This process is supported with documentation including a job description for CRPs, a checklist of activities that can be considered for any client, a discussion guide based on subjects covered by our independent interviewers that can be used for quarterly, bi-annual or annual reviews and an action plan template.

Overcoming opposition to change

Having worked in professional services for many years I have realised that, when trying to introduce something new or different, the mere fact that there is a need to influence so many people makes it imperative to understand and accept that, in order to achieve really effective change, it is necessary to work to a realistic and often long term timetable. It is, I believe, impossible to achieve lasting cultural change within a short period of time. There will be a number of fears and anxieties that need to be addressed. As an example, when presenting at external conferences on the subject of CRM, the question I am asked most often is "what do you do if the client asks you to change CRP or members of the client team?" This is an example of an issue that is very difficult to address and which causes much anxiety within any firm. Achieving a degree of confidence in the ability to make those changes is a very difficult aspect of CRM. In fact it sometimes takes something disastrous, like the loss of a client through failing to act, to make people realise that it is critical. Part of this issue is gaining an understanding amongst partners and assistants that not everyone is suitable to deal with every client. Clients are made up of people with varied needs and personalities and need to be matched with the profile and personality of the client partner and even of the team working with them. However, it is easy to understand that this can be a very difficult issue to overcome and why caution and patience is required. And this is just one example of an issue that could arise.

A coordinated approach

Because a formal CRM programme is usually concentrated on a small number of clients, it is important to ensure that any other projects taking place in the firm that relate to client care, are coordinated with the programme. Whilst everyone may not be involved with the formal programme there will be other clients for whom the process could be applicable, projects that work on similar issues, eg. training, coaching, targeting programmes and general marketing activity. It is very important that CRM is adopted throughout the firm and becomes part of every day life, part of how the firm works with its clients. It is essential that it is not isolated and seen as something that the marketing department does.

Gillian Khan
Berwin Leighton Paisner, London