Throwback Thursday! Back in 1996, in-house counsel were weighing how much "quality" they needed to pay for. Many still struggle with this today. I think part of the problem is language. What does "quality" mean to you? Is it "identify and remove every ounce of risk?" Or is it "figure out what needs to be done and do that extremely well?" I suspect your opinion depends largely on whether you practice inside or out. #tbt #withanewthoughtthistime
! Back to the future-present!
Interesting question about what constitutes "Quality," which one dictionary defines as "the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something." I want to suggest that in the legal profession 'Quality' cannot be measured except in the context of something's FUNCTION, which requires a function analysis. Such an analysis is at the heart of Value Engineering. If I'm remodeling my Kitchen, a function analysis suggests I need new floor covering. Whether I choose linoleum or travertine tile from Italy is a Quality decision, but it only takes meaning in the wake of a function analysis. But what will drive my decision between one or the other is the relative value one has over the other in relation to my goals and objectives. If I just need to get flooring down to rent this place out, then lesser Quality might prevail, but if I live in the house and entertain clients there, then more Quality might prevail. We need a better client onboarding process make sure we understand the context and relative Value the client places on a legal matter, and its clear goals and objectives. Otherwise, we might build a beautiful 'Kitchen' that the client doesn't want to pay for...
Jason Smith
5y
I love Beth's initial response.
Retired Digital Marketing Agency Owner & Author
5yThis is directly relevant to those in other service professions as well. I'll often get calls asking for specific prices for services; and obviously the disconnect is in perception as much as it is in terminology. You often get out what you pay for, whether monetarily or in effort. As it relates to marketing #lawfirms #lawyers or a single #lawpractice our approach has always been to approach the task as if building a military campaign so that it starts from the inside (identifying specific long-term objectives and factors needed to achieve them) then putting a plan in place with multiple strategies utilizing different assets to reach said outcome. Start from the inside and work to the outer. You can't win a case without thorough discovery and conversely you can't market a client to where most want to be without the same.