Innovative Practice Management

Recently, Bob Nugent the Chief Financial Officer for Scolari’s Markets, a chain retail grocer in Northern Nevada and one of our favorite and most valued clients, gave our firm a compliment that created a HSD for me. (HSD is the acronym for High Satisfaction Day - a phrase I first heard from author Ron Baker.) We had recently completed several projects for Scolari’s, which had involved several of our team members. Bob, not known for lavishing unsolicited praise in the thirty years I’ve known him, told me how impressed he was with the knowledge, professionalism and service level he had received from our associates. After sharing his comments at a staff meeting, I reminded our management team of our published priority of putting our team members first. And then I was hit by the BFO. (Another Bakerism - Blinding Flash of the Obvious). Bob’s compliment had not only been about the quality of our people, but also the quality of our service. So what is more important? The engagement or the team members?

It certainly seems many firms sacrifice the welfare of their associates on the altar of client service, rationalizing that the client needs - the engagement - always comes first. Maybe in the short term that is manageable, but over an extended period the Firm runs the risk of losing valued experienced team members. Without experienced team members the quality of a Firm’s service is impaired, if not destroyed. But then what about the importance of great client service? Without great client service, a Firm won’t have quality clients, and without clients won’t need team members. So which is it?

The answer is obviously BOTH are critical. In his book Practice What You Preach, first published in 2001, David Maister points out the critical importance of recognizing ‘Reinforcing (not opposing) Forces’. “Caring about clients AND caring about employees”. Of the many books written by this preeminent management guru, this is one of my favorites. If you are involved in management, this is a must read. The lessons and characteristics needed for a successful firm to ‘create a high achievement culture’ listed in the last several chapters of this book are invaluable. It’s worth reviewing regularly.

So we attempt not to lose sight of the necessity of taking care of our associates AND our clients. It’s a challenge sometimes to do both simultaneously, but if every member of the team is engaged you can do both, and you’ll differentiate your Firm at the same time.