Let me start by saying that I am as big a fan of digital communication as anyone. Email, instant messenger, SMS text messages — I like it all. It’s good to have options.
That said, I know a lot of lawyers out there struggle with digital overload, particularly in their email in-boxes. (As an aside, Getting Things Done has been a life-saver for me in terms of managing my in-box. I can’t recommend it highly enough.) Many of us receive hundreds of emails a day, and at times it feels like all we do is send and reply to email.
Patrick J. Lamb posted a good article on In Search of Perfect Client Service, referring to the practice of U.S. Cellular to keep Fridays email-free. Patrick makes a good case for incorporating email-free Fridays into your law practice, as well. Fundamentally, digital communication lacks the human touch of a face-to-face meeting or even a phone call; and it is that human touch that allows you to let your clients know how much you care about them. It’s hackneyed and cliche, but still true: your clients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Try going email-free this Friday. Well, this Friday is the 4th of July, so stay home and spend some time with your family. But next Friday, go email-free and instead pick up the phone or even go and meet with some of your clients. Show them you value their business.
Your email will still be waiting for you on Monday.
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