Advice: Consumers want visible progress more than emotional reassurance
Clients of law firms are much less likely than law firm leaders to believe that feeling valued or cared for matters most or that a personalised service drives loyalty, a report has found.
Consumers were also “less confident” than law firm leaders about interactions led by artificial intelligence (AI), unless they could “switch to a real person at any point”.
Censuswide, commissioned by outsourced communications provider Moneypenny, said there was “perfect alignment” between law firm leaders and consumers on the importance of issues being resolved quickly, with 35% of each group citing this as a feature that “matters most for a memorable service”.
There was also “broad alignment” between leaders and consumers on the importance of clear communication, with 32% of law firm leaders citing it as mattering most compared to 26% of consumers.
The “largest perception gap” appeared on “emotional reassurance”, with 27% of leaders mentioning it as mattering most compared to only 13% of consumers.
Researchers said: “Consumers are more likely to remember visible progress, straightforward communication and being able to reach someone when it matters than emotional reassurance alone.”
Only 9% of consumers believed that a “personalised or tailored service” drove loyalty, compared to 24% of leaders. A greater proportion of consumers cited “easy access to a real person”.
Censuswide gathered responses from 200 legal sector leaders and 5,000 UK consumers for the Moneypenny report, The Customer Experience Divide in Legal.
On AI, researchers said consumers were “less confident in AI-led interactions than legal leaders expect, particularly as situations become more sensitive or emotionally charged”.
Fewer than six out of 10 consumers believed AI dealt with general enquiries efficiently, compared to eight out of 10 leaders.
While 47% of law firm leaders said AI met expectations well overall, only a quarter of consumers agreed.
However, over two-thirds of consumers were comfortable with AI when they could reach “a real person at any point”.
Bernadette Bennett, head of legal sector at Moneypenny, commented: “What stands out in our findings is that legal leaders do value service. The sector scores strongly on empathy, expertise and managing expectations.
“But clients do not encounter those strengths first. They encounter the mechanics, the web form, the first call, the first reply, and how clearly the next step is explained… The opportunity is not to become more polished, but more accessible.”