What It Feels Like To Be A Client Just Think Of Visiting Your Dentist

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers What it Feels Like to be a Client: Just Think of Visiting Your Dentist How are dentists like lawyers? Read on, you’ll get my take on the question. As you are reading this blog, I will be sitting in the chair at my favorite periodontist getting my second surgical implant done, and hoping I won’t need the pain pills he prescribed that I declined. A few years ago, a young lawyer I was coaching at the time and I met with Tyler, an associate who had worked for me. When Tyler’s wife became a permanent federal appeals court clerk in Kansas City, Tyler left our firm and went in house with a large construction company. During the conversation the associate asked Tyler a very interesting question: What do you know now that you wished you had known when you were practicing law with Cordell? Tyler’s answer took me by surprise. He replied: Even when you do a really great job handling a litigation matter, your in-house counsel will still not be happy. It is just the nature of litigation. I’ve spent more time in my life than I would have ever wanted seated in dental chairs. It all started with braces, then getting two of my teeth loosened beyond repair in a football practice, without pads or helmets. Our fullback went the wrong way and the crown of his head found my mouth. That, of course, made them look dark when the braces came off and that’s when the serious dental work started. I like to tell my friends that I could own at least one Mercedes Benz or BMW car for the amount of money I’ve paid to dentists. I believe dentists, thankfully not mine, can give you a greater understanding of Tyler’s point. No one get’s up in the morning and says: Oh boy, I get to visit my dentist this morning. I know I didn’t say that this morning. Even when they do a great job with your teeth, you hate paying them. Some dentists, again thankfully not mine, want feedback. I saw a question one time, with ratings from 1-10. How happy are you with your smile and the whiteness of your teeth? I don’t know about you, but if I had responded with anything other than “damn happy,” I’d probably not return to that dentist. Questions: If you need substantial treatment, do you feel like you are giving up control of your mouth and pocketbook to professionals you may not really know? (I’ve had work done by a dentist who was not very good. It cost even more to fix his mistakes.) Aren’t there about 1oo other ways you’d rather be spending the money? The truth is your clients feel the same way, only for you it is likely worse. You are like the dental hygienist telling your client they didn’t do something right. You are like the dentist telling your client how you can fix the problem. Then, you are like the “treatment coordinator” telling the client it will cost an arm and a leg and be money they would rather spend on at least 1oo other things. No one gets up in the morning and says: “Oh boy, I get to see my lawyer today.” Tyler was right. Your clients hate the cost, hate the time it takes, hate the uncertainty and fear they may not have the best lawyer for the job. One final thought: I recommend that you never tell a client: “If only you had not…”   I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.