By Legal Futures Associate SOS Legal
In the world of legal technology, providing exceptional customer service is paramount. Law firms depend on their software providers not only for cutting-edge solutions but also for unwavering support to ensure these tools are utilised to their fullest potential. At SOS, the Client Success Consultants (CSCs) play a critical role in achieving this objective.
In a recent interview, Amy Nicholson, Probal Nath, Connie Pearce, and Natalie White shared their perspectives on the importance of good customer service and the impact of their roles in the legal technology industry.
Understanding the role of a client success consultant
Amy highlights that the primary function of a CSC is to ensure clients derive maximum value from their software. “We are their primary contact,” she explains, “using various methods to gather and provide information, including conducting health checks, and executive business reviews for enterprise clients.” Probal elaborates on this by emphasising that the goal of CSCs is ”to help clients run their legal processes efficiently and stay competitive in the market which involves monitoring user proficiency, offering necessary training, and ensuring clients are aware of the latest upgrades.”
Natalie highlights that the role of a CSC is distinctly advisory “It’s about building a strong relationship with the client,” she explains, “being proactive rather than reactive, aiming to understand and anticipate client needs to continuously provide value” Unlike account managers, who typically engage with clients during financial transactions or problems, CSCs serve as advisors. “We meet with clients regularly to keep them informed about new features and functionalities, ensuring they are always getting the most from our software,” she adds.
The importance of the CSC role
Connie believes the visibility that CSCs provide is crucial. “Clients might be using the software without realising there are updates or new features available,” she notes. By understanding clients’ specific uses and needs, CSCs can offer tailored advice to enhance their operations. Amy adds that being non-commercially driven ensures that the advice given is purely for the client’s benefit, helping to build trust.
Defining good customer service in legal tech
Good customer service in the legal tech industry, according to Connie, involves being knowledgeable and proactive. “Understanding the client’s area of practise and the unique challenges they face allows us to recommend the right tools and services,” she explains. Amy agrees, emphasising the need to understand each firm’s unique processes.
Building a rapport with clients is also crucial. “Being approachable and open allows us to deliver better service,” says Natalie. “On-site visits are particularly effective for this, helping us to connect on a personal level and better understand client needs.”
A focus on proactive engagement and relationship building is essential.. “Having an open and honest relationship with clients helps us to identify knowledge gaps or address difficulties without them escalating,” says Amy. Connie adds that being the client’s voice within SOS is essential for ensuring their needs are met and any concerns addressed promptly.
Measuring and enhancing client value
The health check service is a primary tool for measuring the value clients get from the software. “While we don’t have direct metrics, our health checks provide us with a comprehensive overview of client usage and proficiency, guiding our support and training efforts,” notes Amy “This detailed survey evaluates various aspects of software use and identifies areas for improvement. We create an action plan based on the health check results to enhance user efficiency and satisfaction.”. Regular touchpoints and careful listening to client feedback further refine and improve service delivery, enabling CSCs to tailor their advice to each firm’s specific needs.
From conducting health checks to advising on specific modules or apps, CSCs have numerous examples of how they’ve helped clients optimise their software usage. “Clients often see improved efficiency after adopting our recommendations,” adds Natalie “we also guide clients on which new modules to integrate or learning resources to follow.”
Representing clients and the feedback process
CSCs are perfectly placed to represent user firms, an advocate for their ideas, requests and concerns so to speak. “Whether it be to the help desk, product team, scripting team or executive team, being able to feed back to key departments at SOS on behalf of our clients is vital,” says Amy. This advocacy ranges from suggesting software enhancements to escalating urgent issues for timely resolution.
Effective feedback mechanisms are crucial for continuous improvement and rely on open communication as they enable the company to react quickly and take immediate action if necessary. Amy Nicholson highlights “ we are continually fine tuning our efforts and ways by which we gather client feedback so that we can stay aligned with client needs and expectations.”
The Ideas Hub: A platform for client innovation
One of SOS Legal’s most innovative customer service features, that has been launched recently, is the Ideas Hub. Accessible via an online client portal, the platform allows clients to submit their ideas for new features, improvements, and integrations. “The Ideas Hub is a fantastic way for clients to directly influence our product development. They can propose new ideas, vote on suggestions from other users, and see which ideas are being implemented,” explains Probal. This not only empowers clients but also ensures that the software evolves in a way that meets their real-world needs. “It’s a two-way partnership,” adds Natalie. “Clients are heard and valued, their input can lead to tangible changes in the software they use daily.”
In summary
In today’s rapidly evolving and competitive legal landscape, providing excellent customer service in the legal tech industry is about more than just solving problems; it’s about building partnerships, understanding needs unique to each client, and proactively enhancing their software experience. Through dedicated CSCs, comprehensive health checks, and innovative tools like the Ideas Hub, SOS Legal is working toward ensuring its clients receive the best possible support, helping them to achieve greater efficiency, competitiveness and success in their legal processes.
