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Client Questions---Death by a thousand cuts
I have a clause in my retainer agreement that says "nothing herein constitues my agreement to become your mother. Grow up you @#$%" Actually I think I took that part out. Hale is right. My life is so much better now that I have staff who can say "yes you still have to make your car payment. Yes you have to do that stupid counseling again. No the judge won't tell the bank to be more reasonable. Yes you have to move out after the foreclosure sale."
>
> Hire and train an assistant or receptionist who can answer process (not
> legal) questions. That covers the bulk of what clients want to know ("can I
> bring my passport to the 341a?"). Your time is too valuable to explain
> and/or follow-up with Form 23 questions.
>
> Another thing -- some people shop at and get educated at Best Buy for free
> and then buy from Fry's Electronics with slashed-low-prices. What I mean
> is, I find that setting an expectation that doing non-free consultations
> makes a difference. First, it helps get rid of the "help teach me how to do
> bankruptcy so I can finish it myself with Nolo" people. Those people never
> plan on hiring you and will gobble up hours of time a week if you let them.
> Second, for people who actually are seeking representation, it shows them
> from the very outset that your time is not "free." Even a nominal
> consultation fee registers differently in the human brain to show the value
> of your time. Experience has shown me that future clients treat me much
> differently once they retain my services after a free consultation than
> after they had a non-free one. (yes, you'll get the "yeah but so and so
> does free" ... so you can let so-and-so help all the Nolo or paralegal
> people.
>
> YMMV
> Just my .02.
> Blah yada etc.
>
> Hale
>
>
> _____
>
> Robert Vitt
> Sent: Friday, May 07, 2010 12:14 PM
> To: cdcbaa@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [cdcbaa] Client Questions---Death by a thousand cuts
>
>
>
>
> I would like to solicit feedback on a client management issue. Being a
> solo, I find an inordinate amount of my time is devoted to answering client
> questions. These are often repeat questions from clients, questions that
> have been already answered, or easily answered by following a link I send
> the client.
>
> Having worked billable hours in other areas of law, I know all too well
> those questions tend to disappear when people have to pay for your
> information and your time.
>
> How do you handle this? I am tempted to add some additional cost (hourly?)
> proviso to my retainer agreement which will allow me to recoup costs from
> clients with seemingly endless questions.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Robert Vitt
>
>
> --
> Robert S. Vitt
> VITT LAW FIRM
>
> 3200 E. Guasti Road Ste 100
> Ontario, CA 91761
> 909.275.7594 Office
> 909.275.7621 Facsimile
> www.bankrutpcy-ie.com
> www.vittlawfirm.com
>
> Any tax advice contained in the body of this e-mail was not intended or
> written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient for the purpose of
> avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or
> applicable state or local tax law provisions.
>
> Privileged And Confidential Communication.
> This electronic transmission, and any documents attached hereto, (a) are
> protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 USC
> 2510-2521), (b) may contain confidential and/or legally privileged
> information, and (c) are for the sole use of the intended recipient named
> above. If you have received this electronic message in error, please notify
> the sender and delete the electronic message. Any disclosure, copying,
> distribution, or use of the contents of the information received in error is
> strictly prohibited.
>
The post was migrated from Yahoo.
Hire and train an assistant or receptionist who can answer process (not
legal) questions. That covers the bulk of what clients want to know ("can I
bring my passport to the 341a?"). Your time is too valuable to explain
and/or follow-up with Form 23 questions.
Another thing -- some people shop at and get educated at Best Buy for free
and then buy from Fry's Electronics with slashed-low-prices. What I mean
is, I find that setting an expectation that doing non-free consultations
makes a difference. First, it helps get rid of the "help teach me how to do
bankruptcy so I can finish it myself with Nolo" people. Those people never
plan on hiring you and will gobble up hours of time a week if you let them.
Second, for people who actually are seeking representation, it shows them
from the very outset that your time is not "free." Even a nominal
consultation fee registers differently in the human brain to show the value
of your time. Experience has shown me that future clients treat me much
differently once they retain my services after a free consultation than
after they had a non-free one. (yes, you'll get the "yeah but so and so
does free" ... so you can let so-and-so help all the Nolo or paralegal
people.
YMMV
Just my .02.
Blah yada etc.
Hale
_____
The post was migrated from Yahoo.
I would like to solicit feedback on a client management issue. Being a
solo, I find an *inordinate *amount of my time is devoted to answering
client questions. These are often repeat questions from clients, questions
that have been already answered, or easily answered by following a link I
send the client.
Having worked billable hours in other areas of law, I know all too well
those questions tend to disappear when people have to pay for your
information and your time.
How do you handle this? I am tempted to add some additional cost (hourly?)
proviso to my retainer agreement which will allow me to recoup costs from
clients with seemingly endless questions.
Thanks again,
Robert Vitt
Robert S. Vitt
VITT LAW FIRM
3200 E. Guasti Road Ste 100
Ontario, CA 91761
909.275.7594 Office
909.275.7621 Facsimile
www.bankrutpcy-ie.com
www.vittlawfirm.com
Any tax advice contained in the body of this e-mail was not intended or
written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient for the purpose of
avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or
applicable state or local tax law provisions.
Privileged And Confidential Communication.
This electronic transmission, and any documents attached hereto, (a) are
protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 USC
2510-2521), (b) may contain confidential and/or legally privileged
information, and (c) are for the sole use of the intended recipient named
above. If you have received this electronic message in error, please notify
the sender and delete the electronic message. Any disclosure, copying,
distribution, or use of the contents of the information received in error is
strictly prohibited.
I would like to solicit feedback on a client management issue. Being a solo, I find an inordinate amount of my time is devoted to answering client questions. These are often repeat questions from clients, questions that have been already answered, or easily answered by following a link I send the client.
Having worked billable hours in other areas of law, I know all too well those questions tend to disappear when people have to pay for your information and your time. How do you handle this? I am tempted to add some additional cost (hourly?) proviso to my retainer agreement which will allow me to recoup costs from clients with seemingly endless questions.
Thanks again,Robert Vitt-- Robert S. VittVITT LAW FIRM3200 E. Guasti Road Ste 100Ontario, CA 91761909.275.7594 Office
909.275.7621 Facsimilewww.bankrutpcy-ie.comwww.vittlawfirm.comAny tax advice contained in the body of this e-mail was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax law provisions.
Privileged And Confidential Communication.This electronic transmission, and any documents attached hereto, (a) are protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 USC 2510-2521), (b) may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information, and (c) are for the sole use of the intended recipient named above. If you have received this electronic message in error, please notify the sender and delete the electronic message. Any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of the information received in error is strictly prohibited.
The post was migrated from Yahoo.