CEO Update: Seeking and acting on client feedback

Our client feedback programme is one of Bartier Perry’s most important initiatives.

As we helped clients respond to the challenges of COVID-19 in the last 12 months and face to face meetings in particular became difficult, it was with some reluctance that we put it on hold.

In recent weeks either virtually or in-person, I’m again meeting with and seeking formal feedback from our clients.

In those meetings it is often gratifying to hear what the firm is doing well but also essential to have an open ear to what we can be doing better.

Not only listening but also acting on what’s being said.

We are by no means the only professional services firm that seeks feedback so when a client gives us their time it’s important that we respect and act on what they’re telling us. This valuable feedback helps us to learn from our clients, improve what we are doing and how we are doing it, and ultimately gives us the opportunity to work with our clients in a way that adds value to them and the outcomes they are looking to achieve.

This client-centric approach remains at the heart of our firm’s strategy.

It is the voices of our clients, whether regarding our service levels, the way we work, or our commerciality, that we look to amplify in feeding back to our team, in a format that is frank but respects the privacy of individual client feedback.

We also use a number of industry benchmarks and directories to see how we’re performing in the market.

In the last 12 months over 25 of our partners or senior lawyers have been independently recognised by their peers or clients as leaders in their field across 14 practice areas.

While the firm takes a measured, structured, and formal approach to our client feedback and benchmarking programme (we are a law firm after all!), I’d encourage all clients to provide our team informal feedback, especially at the conclusion of matters, transactions or hearings.

If there is any specific feedback you may wish to discuss, you can also contact me directly.

In an age when so much commentary is online, anonymous, partisan, inaccurate or unfair, respectful, direct and face to face feedback is more important than ever.

Author: Riana Steyn