It is important for all law firms to be aware of the impact of a client’s first impression of the firm as it is much easier to establish and maintain an effective trusting client relationship when a first impression is a positive one. It is difficult, however, to determine what a client’s first impression is because this information is rarely asked for or voluntarily shared. If the information is shared, it is usually shared long after the attorney/client relationship has been established. Therefore, there is value in being proactive your efforts to have new and prospective clients develop a positive first impression.

First impressions are made as soon as a new or prospective client has walked through the front door, even before meeting with an attorney. The office decor, the absence or presence of a personal greeting, and the degree of professionalism demonstrated by the staff may significantly affect a client’s first impression. The following ideas will help in your efforts in this regard.

• Train staff to greet individuals as soon as possible, certainly within a minute of their entering the office. If staff are occupied, a simple statement of “Hello, I will be with you in a moment” will acknowledge the individual’s presence. Even a sales representative who is turned away today may be a prospective client tomorrow.

• Do not allow confidential or personal conversations to be overheard by someone in the reception area. Soundproofing may be a good investment for the office. If the sound is coming from an employee break area, kitchen area or conference room, consider moving that facility away from the reception area. Periodically remind staff and attorneys that confidential or personal matters should not be discussed within earshot of visitors. Give staff permission to briefly interrupt a client meeting if voices can be overheard.

• Do not allow visitors to view computer screens. The receptionist’s computer screen will often have confidential information on it and thus should not be visible to anyone coming in the office. If the computer screen can be seen by others, consider the use of a screen filter that will prevent anyone not directly in front of the monitor from seeing the screen.

• Occasionally check the waiting area during the day. This is an especially good client service technique. If clients seem bored or frustrated and they have been in the reception area less than ten minutes, look around at what is there for them. Do the magazines fit the clientele? Scientific American is probably a great choice for an intellectual property practice, but won’t win any points from clients in a family law practice. If you have families in the waiting area, make sure there are materials suitable for children. For a more positive impression, have current readable magazines rather than outdated ones with a home address label. In addition, keep the reception area clean and orderly. An unkempt reception area is too easily seen as a reflection of the quality of service offered by the firm.

• Client documents and information must be kept confidential. If client material needs to be in the reception area because the receptionist is working on it, make sure that only what is necessary is there and that the remainder is kept in a more secure part of the office. Be sure that no information stays there overnight and that a cover is placed on material there during business hours. Do not leave client file material, mail or anything else that might identify a client on the counter or privacy wall around the reception desk.

• Do not allow clients to wait longer than ten minutes. In general, clients are willing to be reasonable and wait a short time for the right lawyer. Do not expect them, however, to wait as long for their lawyer as they would for their doctor. While medical emergencies do arise, lawyers can rarely claim a legal emergency. If clients and prospective clients are waiting too long, consider altering your scheduling procedures. If a delay is unavoidable, have staff inform the client of the delay and discuss options. Some will wait and others may need to reschedule.

• Be mindful of the difficulties the receptionist faces if he or she is also assigned phone answering duties. Confidentiality can easily be breached in a law office when someone in the reception area overhears a phone conversation or a client name. The receptionist should have a way of notifying attorneys that someone has arrived or that a client is on the phone without being forced to breach client confidentiality. Statements like “You’re two o’clock appointment is here” as opposed to “Mr. Smith is here” should be acceptable. Viable alternatives might include the use of privacy glass, email notifications of a waiting call, or the moving of phone answering responsibilities away from the reception area.

• It is preferable to have visitor areas and work areas separated by a wall or partition. One never knows what impression visitors or clients may have when they observe people working. Some prospective clients may see energetic and busy staff members as a positive sign of a good firm, while others may see them as overworked and conclude the opposite. Isn’t a wall with a tasteful picture or two worth the investment?