Effective communication with customers 1773

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Effective Communication with Clients

 Good communication is the foundation of a good attorney-client relationship. It is among the most important factors determining the volume of future referrals from your clients. With so much riding on the quality of your communication, you should be compelled to be the best communicator possible. This requires that you take 100% responsibility for all communication in which you are involved. That means having good command of both ends of the communication process.

Effective Listening Skills

The most significant of all rapport builders is good listening skills. It is extremely important to become a good listener. It will benefit your practice in the following ways:

1. Accurate Information - Good listening allows for an accurate exchange of information which is critical for you to serve the client properly.

2. Reduced Misunderstandings - Good listening helps eliminate misunderstandings, increasing client satisfaction with your services and enhancing their perception of your competence.

3. Increased Rapport - When clients feel you understand them, it creates greater trust. Good listening improves trust and rapport and maximizes the probability of getting referrals in the future.

4. Differentiation - Since most people are poor listeners, good listening skills will make you stand above the crowd.

Being an Effective Listener

There are two tests of effective listening:

1. Is the information being received and understood by the listener?

2. Does the speaker perceive that he/she is being understood?

By necessity, most attorneys are reasonably proficient at the first. Since they rely heavily on information the client provides, they listen carefully to get the facts straight. Many lawyers are not as good at creating the perception that they are receiving the information. This causes them to lose rapport with their clients.

Obstacles To Good Communication

Most people are not very good listeners. It is estimated that only about 60% of spoken information is accurately received. This is why there is such a preponderance of correspondence written to assure both parties understand what was said. There are a number of reasons the information doesn't get through.

1. The speaker is unclear or not specific enough causing the listener to make assumptions.

2. The listener is not paying attention due to lack of interest in the subject matter.

3. The listener is preoccupied with other matters.

4. The speaker is not saying what the listener wants to hear.

5. The listener is busy formulating a rebuttal to something the speaker said previously.

Most miscommunications are the result of poor listening, not poor articulation. Most people are passive listeners. Even when information is received and understood, the listener fails to acknowledge it. Neither do they verify that the information received is what the speaker intended to say. This can cause the speaker to feel he/she is not getting through. Passive listening also allows misunderstandings to go undetected.

Active Listening