ILTA White Papers

Client-Facing KM Strategies for Winning (and Keeping) Business the development of proposals. Thomas Eggar has gone through a huge exercise in developing the skills and expertise of their staff in responding to potential new business. Starting with an intensive training program for all partners, which includes coaching and one-on- one support, the BD team has led an ongoing initiative to make sure that sector know-how is embedded in all teams actively engaged in winning new work. This has meant developing a new sector team structure, which works across the traditional practice group structure, as well as setting sector targets for winning new business. This has, in turn, led to the development of new portal requirements for both management information and business intelligence. Keep It Winning new business is only effective if we have the right service to keep them coming back for more. Nowadays that means that clients need to be deeply involved with the firm so they clearly see they are getting excellent service and added value from the relationship. This has led to changes in the way that know-how is valued within the firm. Currently, the most valued KM materials are those that are specifically shared with and approved by clients. There has been a move away from the maintenance and investment in large banks of know-how and toward specific client-focused collections that provide clients with assurance that services are tailored to them. Automation and Process Streamlining Aligned with the development of client KM, we've seen a greater use of document automation and the streamlining of processes to ensure a consistent high-quality product is provided at competitive prices. This has often been linked to KM initiatives that manage risk and ensure that quality-checking is included in the process. One product that has helped Thomas Eggar in this regard has been the firmwide implementation of the LexisCheck product, which has helped with the maintenance and updating of all materials, allowing all fee earners to become part of the updating process. Similarly, the use of drafting tools and templates reassures clients of the quality, consistency and accuracy of the services provided. Hearing from Clients Client feedback has also become a strategic part of the business relationship. Thomas Eggar has developed an extensive client feedback program, which has had a huge impact on the business. Feedback from clients has been used to reinvigorate the brand and is now being translated into a redesign of both online services and the internal portal. It has also provided the catalyst for new and innovative initiatives to develop client know- how. From sending lawyers in-house to work in various roles in client businesses to changing the whole brand, our client feedback program has touched every area of the business. Training and Learning This all leads to a fresh look at the interaction between KM and learning and development strategies. At Thomas Eggar, our learning and development program has been closely aligned with nurturing the right skills to support client development and making sure that expertise is shared effectively. This has recently resulted in the implementation of a new online learning portal, developed with leading e-learning provider Kineo. The portal (or Online Academy, as it is known in the business), encourages informal and formal learning and gives personal and team views of the expertise being developed within the firm, along with new opportunities for knowledge-sharing via forums and personal learning blogs. Talk About It The final building block in a successful client KM program is to make sure that profile-raising activities are effective. Most firms have now mastered the development of ILTA White Paper 31

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