Expanding Service to the Client

I have beaten this drum before but will do so again.

Once upon a time, you would buy blankets in one store, aspirin in another, and a radio in still another. Now, we are not surprised to find all of those sold in one place.

As a management consultant, I often think of that precedent. Some law firms employ management consultants but most do not. A client with a management issue that goes beyond the legal questions may get a referral and yet that decision to refer is only as good as the gate-keeper. Consultants, on the other hand, often refer clients to attorneys.

A challenge arises because workplace problems that require an attorney, a psychologist, a management consultant, and an HR professional are not that unusual. In some cases, an accountant might be tossed into the mix. A SWAT team of such professionals could be helpful and yet it is rarely assembled.

Simply saying "That's the way we've always done it" is hardly an adequate response. By failing to broaden and coordinate the way we offer services, are we harming the client?