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March 20, 2006

Are There BTI Consulting-type Studies Out Measuring Whether Clients Are Happy/Unhappy with the Client Service Performance of their Outside CPA's, Stockbrokers, Management Consultants, Financial Planners, Marketing Gurus, Banks, Ad Agencies?

Long title but you get the idea. We live increasingly in a "service-based" global economy. Any studies or stats out there on how good or bad "client/customer service by services" is? The BTI Consulting Study concludes that GC's have been, on the whole, alarmingly unhappy (52% allegedly sacked primary outside counsel) with their law firms over the past few years. Query: Is there reliable non-anecdotal data documenting client feedback on "services by services" other than lawyers?

If despite all the "total quality" rubric over the past 20 years real client and customer service in America is generally a cynical joke--from restaurants, your auto repair shop and that perhaps well-meaning but hopelessly lame Verizon phone person to lawyers, stockbrokers and financial planners--what about other service providers generally? And "professional" service providers? What about their clients? Are they happy with their "primary provider" for accounting, advertising, management consulting, mortgage broking, banking, etc.? Does such data exist? One working theory is--in case you're interested--is that "service for services" is bad everywhere and all service providers are more at risk than they might have thought.

J. Daniel Hull

Posted by JD Hull at 09:32 AM | Comments (0)

Oklahoma, You're OK Department: Blawg Review #49 Is Out.

Good mornin' pards. From his Oklahoma-based Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog, Jim Calloway has authored Blawg Review this week and Blawg Review #49 is here. Jim's #49 is a comprehensive one--and covering some great blawgs/blogs which were new to me--by a man on the vanguard of legal weblogs since day one and who cares about the quality of the blawgosphere. Blawg Review itself is a useful digest service if you write and/or read blawgs but like me you struggle to keep up with new blogs and good posts. You can see the previous 48 reviews at Blawg Review.

Posted by JD Hull at 08:45 AM | Comments (0)

Last Call: Asia Law Weblogs, Anyone?

Note the March 2 post here, which shows we still need more Asia law blogs (English versions) regardless of where they originate. So far we have only three--two China and one India--all linked to this blog if you scroll down to the right. We seek good active ones you recommend. Round I was western European blawgs and Round II Asia. Round III will be Australia.

Posted by JD Hull at 08:00 AM | Comments (0)

2 Must-Read Posts By Arnie Herz, Inspirer.

"Lawyering as Soulful Work" is a March 11 post by Wall Street lawyer and consultant Arnie Herz at Legal Sanity as well as part of a phrase I used in yesterday's lengthy post on client dissatisfaction and the BTI Study. And two days later Arnie posted "Law Firm Leadership Roundup". Arnie's notions of the joy of practicing law with everything good you've got inside you--and the right way for the right clients with the right team sharing common goals and values and even having fun--are always inspiring to read. And he describes and explains them as living, breathing ideas you can actually apply and use way better than anyone writing about lawyering and client service. He has no peers there. Importantly, Arnie's blog also regularly reaches for ideas about work and the workplace which come from non-lawyers. Professionals, and lawyers in particular, need fresh ideas to build healthy firms to serve the people who count: clients and customers.

Posted by JD Hull at 07:50 AM | Comments (0)