What Went Right? Why law firms should spend more time learning from success
In CX, it's easy to focus on what went wrong. Poor follow-up. Slow responses. Missed opportunities. These are often the issues firms want to fix first, and rightly so. They can directly impact conversion rates, client satisfaction, and profitability.
But another side of customer experience deserves more attention: what went right?
Since 2013, insight6 has partnered with LawNet firms to help them see their business through their clients’ eyes, completing telephone, online and in-person interactions. They reveal many aspects that firms should feel positive about.
Because exceptional client experience is not built on processes alone. It is built by people. One of the strongest findings during 2024/5 was that 92% of researchers rated employees as either “Excellent” or “Very Good” in terms of courtesy and friendliness. That matters more than firms sometimes realise.
Clients may not remember every legal detail, but they will remember how they were made to feel.
Similarly, 81% of researchers said costs were explained clearly during the enquiry stage. In an environment where clients are often anxious about fees and uncertainty, transparent conversations build confidence and trust early in the relationship.
Digital experience also remains a strength across the LawNet network. Encouragingly, 96% of researchers found firm websites user-friendly and accessible across devices, while 80% were satisfied with the quality of response received through online enquiries.
Importantly, the firms delivering the best experiences tend to do a few things consistently well:
• They communicate clearly.
• They make clients feel welcome.
• They create reassurance during stressful situations.
• They ensure clients speak to the right person quickly.
• They treat every enquiry as the start of a relationship.
In fact, 81% of telephone calls were efficiently directed to someone who could handle the enquiry, helping clients feel listened to and supported from the outset. These may sound like small moments, but together they shape how clients judge your firm.
Small touches create significant impact:
For example:
• Genuine empathy during interactions.
• Ending enquiries with a clear next step.
• Asking or confirming the client’s name.
Omitting these details is not failures of expertise. They are often gaps in consistency, ownership or process. And importantly, they are fixable.
One of the biggest opportunities for firms is to spend more time identifying and replicating successful behaviours internally. Too often, feedback is only reviewed when something goes wrong. But positive feedback is just as valuable because it reveals what clients genuinely appreciate and remember:
• A team member who reassures a nervous client.
• A quick follow-up call.
• A clear explanation without jargon.
• A warm, friendly tone during a difficult situation.
In our wider Professional Client Journey research with Moneypenny, we found that only 6.8% of legal firms delivered what we classed as an “exceptional” experience at the enquiry stage. Yet firms that do get this right create a significant competitive advantage in a market where expectations continue to rise.
The legal sector is improving, but there is still a major opportunity for firms willing to focus on both performance and people. Because the firms creating standout client experiences are rarely the ones trying to be perfect. They are the ones building a culture where:
• Good behaviours are recognised.
• Teams feel supported.
• Curiosity is encouraged.
• Client experience is everyone’s responsibility.
As firms continue to invest in CX, it is worth asking not just: “What went wrong?” But also: “What went right, and how do we do more of it?” Because when people thrive, clients feel it.
Jonathan Winchester is Founder & Chief Executive of insight6.
As LawNet’s CX Partner, insight6 supports member firms in benchmarking enquiry handling, implementing structured feedback programmes and identifying practical opportunities to improve retention and conversion.
If you would like to better understand what your clients are really experiencing and where small changes could unlock meaningful commercial impact, contact your local CX Specialist today.
