133 episodes

What would a law firm built by the founders of Disney, Four Seasons, Amazon, and Zappos look like? Lawyers (and other professionals) aren't in the same "service" industry as those companies, but that doesn't mean we can't benefit from employing their rigorous service mindsets. We give you inspiration and tactics to smooth out your processes, bolster your reputation, and increase your revenue - every episode of Five Star Counsel has actionable tips for you to build the firm that clients rave about!

Five Star Counsel Podcast John Strohmeyer

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 23 Ratings

What would a law firm built by the founders of Disney, Four Seasons, Amazon, and Zappos look like? Lawyers (and other professionals) aren't in the same "service" industry as those companies, but that doesn't mean we can't benefit from employing their rigorous service mindsets. We give you inspiration and tactics to smooth out your processes, bolster your reputation, and increase your revenue - every episode of Five Star Counsel has actionable tips for you to build the firm that clients rave about!

    Spring Break! Plus, a Practical Guide to Come in Season 3...

    Spring Break! Plus, a Practical Guide to Come in Season 3...

    The Five Star Counsel podcast is prepping for a little break while we wrap up season two and prepare for season three, which will focus on the practical implementation of building a modern, high-level legal firm. 
    As we dive into the day-to-day nuts and bolts, we'll share a range of tools and methods, from budget-friendly to more costly options. We recognize that every firm is different, so we'll provide non-prescriptive guidance and explore various approaches that can be adapted to your practice.
    Stay tuned for the upcoming season, and let us know your specific concerns and interests by using the Typeform link below. See you in May!
    https://strohmeyerlaw.typeform.com/to/yNnu98Qg#episode=xxxxx
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    • 3 min
    Answering Our Show's Big Question

    Answering Our Show's Big Question

    Our show has tackled client service by framing it around one big question: "What would a firm created by the founders of Disney, Amazon, and Four Seasons look like?" 
    Today we try to summarize our Five Star Bootcamp by answering that question. Building a law firm requires starting with the business foundations of mission, vision, and values. The mission should be clear and consistent for both employees and clients. The values should guide the behavior of employees and drive the business forward.
    We need to provide results as a lawyer, but also humanize those results with great service  so that your firm can quickly recover from mistakes and build a strong brand. 
    Five star service isn't easy, but it will reward you, your employees, your clients, and ultimately, your firm's bottom line.
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    • 13 min
    Recovering From Service Mistakes

    Recovering From Service Mistakes

    How do you handle client-facing mistakes? As much as we try to avoid them, mistakes are inevitable, even for us perfectionist attorneys.
    And because they are inevitable, attorneys need to have a plan for how to respond when they happen. My experience working at the Four Seasons provided a great framework for how to deal with mistakes, using "glitch reports" to document errors and review them with our staff at regular meetings.
    There are three steps that attorneys should take when mistakes happen: apologize and take ownership of the mistake, empathize with the client by acknowledging how the mistake has affected them, and show how you will make it right.
    It's important to not apologize, but also give clients a concrete plan for how you will correct the mistake and meet their needs.
    I conclude the episode by repeating the magic phrase I learned at the hotel: "I'm sorry this happened, but there's nothing I can say right now that will undo what has happened. What can we do to make this better?"
    By following these steps and showing genuine concern for their clients, attorneys can recover from mistakes and continue to provide excellent service.
    Closing Exercise:  Consider the last client-facing mistake you dealt with.
    1. Magic Words: "There's nothing I can say that will undo what happened. What can I do now?
    2. What options are there to fix things for your clients? What's in your toolkit? Should you reconsider your processes?
    Find a PDF worksheet for each episode's exercise on the podcast page at https://strohmeyerlaw.libsyn.com/
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    • 9 min
    Making Service Improvements

    Making Service Improvements

    There's a common misconception and fear we see in attorneys. Attorneys can fall prey to thinking that becasue they're well-paid and well-respected, they don't need to think about making their service better. Many risk-averse, pessimist, perfectionist attorneys simply fear the potential failure that comes with change and growth.
     
    Neither of these is a good reason to avoid thinking about improvement. This episode, we discuss the ways you can approach gradual improvement, how to identify what needs to be improved, and how to get yourself started. 
     
    We'll even tell you how you can save a bundle in consulting fees!
     
    Closing Exercise: Ask yourself, "What can we do better?"
    What do you see out in the world that you've enjoyed? How can you implement or translate that to your own service? When do you ask employees for improvement suggestions? When do you ask clients for improvement suggestions?  
    Find a PDF worksheet for each episode's exercise on the podcast page at https://strohmeyerlaw.libsyn.com/
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    Ask a question and we'll answer on the show!
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    • 10 min
    Maintaining Your Service Consistency

    Maintaining Your Service Consistency

    Now that you have addressed your standards, and you've implemented processes that should lead to those standards being met, how do you make sure your firm is hitting your standards on an ongoing basis?
     
    Standards won't do much for you if they're never being met. I'll walk through the ways you can think about consistency in your service, ways to measure and track consistent service, and even what do when someone is regularly missing the mark or if your standard is just too lofty to begin with.
     
    You'll constantly be testing, measuring, and tweaking your service, with an aim to be as consistent as possible, and to deliver the same high standards, day in and day out.
     
    Closing Exercise: How do you test yourself? We're setting up the secret shopper program.  What could be tested?  How often will you be testing?  What will you do to be sure that people know and execute?  Determine training and scoring methods.
     
    Find a PDF worksheet for each episode's exercise on the podcast page at https://strohmeyerlaw.libsyn.com/
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    Ask a question and we'll answer on the show!
    Get our FREE client service whitepaper!

    • 12 min
    Setting Your Delivery Standards

    Setting Your Delivery Standards

    Now that we've discussed the components of our firm's service, it's time to think about how we measure successful service. Setting these standards not only helps you track that everything is happening correctly, but helps your employees know if they're doing a good job. Most importantly, it helps ensure a consistent and high-quality experience for your clients. 
    We'll discuss touchpoints - the places where you and your client actually interact - and how to start measuring there. We'll talk about what to do if you're not hitting your standards, and how to consider adjusting your standards as your business changes.
    I'll get into some concrete examples that I use in my firm, but you'll really want to come up with your own standards that work for and support your firm's values, vision, and mission (see how it all comes back to those?). 
    Closing Exercise: What adjectives do you use to describe the delivery of your physical and technical components? Delivery is the adjectives and adverbs used to describe delivery. Let's think of three (I use "Clean, Fast, and Easy," but make these your own).
          Now, how can we quantify the delivery so we can measure how it happens? Some examples:
    How long does it take to respond to an email? How long to get from initial meeting to draft documents?  How long to return a phone call?  How long to get an engagement letter out? Find a PDF worksheet for each episode's exercise on the podcast page at https://strohmeyerlaw.libsyn.com/
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    FiveStarCounsel.com
    Ask a question and we'll answer on the show!
    Get our FREE client service whitepaper!

    • 15 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
23 Ratings

23 Ratings

DHM 2013 ,

Wonderful advice for service professionals

John is an attorney and the podcast is geared toward improving efficiency and client service for attorneys; however, the advice is applicable to all service professionals and I am using several ideas in my practice.

Cminus1 ,

Perfect length. Interesting guests. Valuable takeaways

A lot of golden nuggets - especially for legs or other professional service providers on every episode!

Jdizzle1330 ,

John gets it

John just had a way of boiling down complex ideas into an easy to visualize/digest/and act upon way.

I consistently find myself drawn back to his podcast over and over again because between him and his amazing guests it’s an enjoyable listen and I learn a ton.

You should too!

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