It’s a tired company line: we put clients first. It’s also the only way that Charlotte businesses ever get the privilege of sticking around or growing. Charlotteans recognize that Charlotte is still a small town wearing the suit of the big city. We love sharing referrals (or giving warnings), and we take pride in our local culture. In our town (and so many others), failing to put the client first is a guarantee to fail.

As city residents, we know the value of the client-first mentality. As business owners, we understand the necessity to operate with that mentality. As attorneys, we see the difference this modus operandi makes in successful case outcomes.

Here are three ways we place our focus on clients first (and the reasons why):

Be Proactive, Never Reactive

Our clients value their time just as much as we do. When we approach each phone call, email, or visit with a mentality of being proactive rather than reactive, we are able to optimize (but not rush) our time together. We are able to really listen to our client’s concerns and goals before presenting a plan that centers around those outcomes and has been explained with the lens of what’s likely and possible.

“Reactive people are often affected by their physical environment. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn’t, it affects their attitude and performance. Proactive people carry their own weather with them.”

– Stephen Covey, via Medium

We do not promise our clients results we know to be unattainable, nor do we encourage litigation in a situation where the client ultimately loses, even in a winning case. Sharing specifics with clients, even during the first call, helps them to proactively plan the next several weeks or months of their lives as well as understand exactly what they will be facing and what they should expect.

We continue that level of proactivity throughout our time with each client. Proactive communication, in any setting but especially in legal cases, reduces confusion, frustration, and disappointment while increasing effectiveness. Our clients don’t have to wonder when they will next hear from us or chase us down because from the beginning, they have the big picture plan laid out.

Hire the Right People

Another often overused corporate concept, but still true nonetheless: hire the right people. We are persistent in our quest to only hire and engage staff members who are totally committed to keeping our clients as the priority. If someone with a legal concern calls us after seeing our website, reviews, or social media and then has an unpleasant experience with the person who answers the phone, it doesn’t matter how available we might be – we’ve lost the potential for trust. In stressful situations, we must be empathetic, reassuring, and professional on each and every call.

Similarly, if a client has a pleasant first impression but then feels like just a case number during a consultation or feels abandoned at the close of the case, we haven’t done our jobs. Therefore, each and every member of our team must embody a true “client first” mentality.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

On more than one occasion, our attorneys have received praise in court for their thorough knowledge of changes to North Carolina laws or new mandates to hit the books. New precedents or approaches to cases are things our team of attorneys pays close attention to – if we aren’t the most knowledgeable we can be, we know we are doing our clients a disservice. Our continuing education happens on a daily basis, not just when required or convenient. Each member of the team holds others accountable and shares important information with everyone else at SeiferFlatow.

Nothing about our approach is patented or groundbreaking, but when it comes to our clients, we know the best approach is to keep them front and center and never treat anyone like a case number.

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