The Chief Justice of Western Australia was cited here not long ago with a video link, calling for attorneys to stop charging by the time unit as unfair to the client, and not representing their own value correctly. I sent him my book, Value Based Fees, with a note. He recently returned from a trip and kindly responded.
- Alan Weiss:Good!
- Richard Martin:Hi Alan, Very appropriate words at this point in time for me. Thanks, Rich Martin
- Graham Franklin:a question of hubris overcoming enquiry.
- Alan Weiss:Excuse me, but I don't care about your view. 1. I told you not to write me. 2. A client you never met has a need and
- Dave Gardner:It sounds as if your client wants to tell consultants what the solution to his problem is: CRM. Software alone is seldo
- Alan Weiss:That's a pretty good idea. Too many companies, particularly financial services, see their customers and clients as poten
- Tim Wilson:Alan, In reading this post I couldn’t help but think about how customer service has declined overall. It seems that t
- Alan Weiss:I've had three consultants to the dental profession in my Mentor Program, and they all make their money by improving the
- Jason Burke:Coincidentally, I just recently finished "The Art of the Examination" by Barry Polansky, a book written by a dentist for
- Alan Weiss:That works, too!
- John Martin:I sometimes need a bonfire under my chair, and this kind of input does the trick just right. Thanks Alan.
- Alan Weiss:Just received a form letter from a Noel Pearlman in charge of US Consumer Product Management at Bank of Montreal express
- Alan Weiss:The degree of actual contempt for customers in financial institutions is often amazing, but when you see such dysfunctio
- John Martin:'They are worried that customers might hurt them instead of how customers are important to them' And that has just hi
- Simma:Always thankful for these reminders
- Alan Weiss:It's arrant stupidity. The letter was offensive, their response was tepid and pro forma, their follow up letter obnoxiou
- Volkmar Voelzke:I think it is not a specific Canadian issue (even if there are many gaps to good customer service in Canada as well). St
- Alan Weiss:Except I told him that "elevator pitches" were useless!
- Aras Geylani:Hi Alan, Saw your name in Harvard Management Communication Letter article about how Barnett Helzberg of Helzerg Diamond
- Alan Weiss:American Airlines followed up based on my blogging, but I doubt BOM will do anything but wonder why so many clients are
- Philippe Back:I wonder what the follow up will be... there may be something as those posts usually have "interesting" side effects.
- Alan Weiss:Here's a comment from Kevin Pare, posted with his permission: You hit the nail on the head. I had the exact same expe
- Alan Weiss:Can you imagine, out of the blue, deciding you'll alienate clients who are the best kind because you're changing the pol
- Noah Fleming:That's a hilarious story. Congrats BMO! I'm Canadian - we are good polite people. I do my business banking with B
- Alan Weiss:I'm sorry, but if someone can undergo the grueling (and often absurd) demands of medical school and beyond, they can run
- Alan Weiss:You can't make it up!
- Lisa S. Griffith:Mr. Weiss, Doctors schedule patients back-to-back patients every day all week because their income is controlled direct
- Noah Fleming:On the money Alan. Great story about the $377k proposal. Thanks, Noah
- Alan Weiss:Aw....I get a lot of that!
- Alan Weiss:I was just asked that in a speech this week. Generalize as much as you can to maximize your range of buyers and to prote



Thanks for posting this, Alan.
While the response from the legal fraternity does concern me (but not surprise me!), it’s reassuring to realise that the Chief Justice in my state obviously thinks for himself and, more importantly for someone in his position, is prepared to speak publically about it. Maybe there is hope after all
Cheers
Gary
Lawyers are going to have to change their billing practices, that’s beyond any doubt. The only question is whether they do it on their terms and positively, or are dragged kicking and screaming. You probably need to remove a generation of partners who, for now, are also the biggest revenue generators, and therein lies the rub.