Got client, will travel

by Rebecca Burn-Callander - Monday, 14th April 2008

“In this business, clients are usually expected to attend meetings at your offices,” says Cousins, founder of Cousins Business Law. “That means they have to travel, find your offices and wait in reception for 15 minutes and this tells clients that you believe your time is more valuable than theirs”

Cousins subscribes to the notion that customer is king. He’s turned the tables by introducing a rule that lawyers at his practice must always visit a client’s headquarters, at no additional cost.

The upshot of this is that the legal beagles forge a far stronger relationship with clients and ensure a more in-depth knowledge of any cases that arise.

Example: “I deal with dispute management and at the moment I’m working on a case for a large food manufacturer, concerning equipment for food processing,” explains Cousins.

“Most solicitors will look at paperwork, get experts to go to the site… But, by seeing the equipment myself, I know exactly what they’re referring to when they talk about different parts of the machinery, or possible oil leaks. It takes me much less time to get my head round the case, which means the client gets a better deal.”

Cousins gets a better deal too. By practising the law on the move, he doesn’t need to hire plush office space in the City. There’s also no need for a receptionist to man the phones and welcome guests. Instead, Cousins can work from home. A few train fares and travelcards is pittance compared to rent and energy bills.

The firm was founded on the 1st of April this year and should turn over around a quarter of a mill in 2008. With client retention at an all time high, “Once we work with a client, they’ll stick with us”, this virtual firm is guaranteed real-world success.

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Tags: cousins, food manufacturer, client retention, gary cousins, cousins business law, food processing, business law,