Using Data to Drive Better Client Experience

For years I’ve been telling law firm leaders: Client service is not a mystery—it’s a discipline. But disciplines need feedback, and feedback without measurement is just anecdote. Law firms invest heavily in client feedback programs, yet too often the data is underused or not translated into meaningful action.

The future of client experience in law firms will be driven by analytics. Not just collecting survey results or Net Promoter Scores but systematically measuring how firms interact with clients and using that data to strengthen relationships, improve service and differentiate in a crowded market.

Corporate legal departments are under relentless pressure to do more with less. They demand predictability, responsiveness and alignment with business priorities. Simply telling clients “We value your business” is not enough. They want evidence. Analytics provide that evidence. They allow law firms to move from gut instinct to objective, trackable proof that they are listening, learning and improving.

Every firm has a different resource set as well as different objectives for client growth and even satisfaction. Some firms use OKRs, others have KPIs and others simply set out annual revenue goals (often driven by rate increases). But you take the first step by aligning resources with client goals.

As the main character in the novel The Martian says: “You just begin. You do the math. You solve one problem. And you solve the next one, and then the next. And if you solve enough problems you get to come home [from Mars].” If you solve enough client problems, you win more work, you make money and the client raves about the experience of working with you.

Then you take what’s learned, do it at scale and learn from the data. Share that knowledge throughout the firm and bring those solutions to similar problems across clients.

Data without action erodes trust. The firms that stand out don’t just gather metrics—they close the loop:

1. Share results internally. Transparency builds accountability. When partners see where they stand relative to peers, behavior changes.
2. Respond to clients. If a client raises a concern, follow up with a plan. Even small changes show clients you are listening.
3. Track improvement over time. Continuous progress matters more than perfect scores. Clients notice when firms commit to evolving.
4. Integrate into training. Use analytics as case studies for professional development and coaching.

When partners and teams see that service excellence is measured, rewarded and aligned with firm strategy, the behavior sticks.

The firms that thrive in the next decade won’t be those with the slickest slogans about “client focus.” They will be the ones that can prove it with data, learn from it and continually adapt.

Analytics don’t replace relationships, trust or judgment. They enhance them. They turn the art of client service into a measurable, improvable discipline. And in today’s competitive market, that’s not optional. It’s essential.