Client Questions---Death by a thousand cuts
Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:23 pm
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
>
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The post was migrated from Yahoo.