The 2010 Law Technology News Vendor Satisfaction Survey is the first survey of its kind to take a neutral look at how law firms rank technology vendors. The survey incorporating respondents of all firm sizes and most positions, provides feedback on vendor satisfaction by product category, as well as ranking specific factors, including customer service, price for value, and brand reputation. Monica Bay’s overview serves as an excellent Executive Summary. Here’s my takeaway:

Customer Service, Customer Service, Customer Service

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to legal technology vendors that customer service was the highest ranked factor among survey respondents. The survey reports that 77% of respondents considered customer service the highest priority.

There’s no doubt that technology makes us more productive, but it can also be the source of great frustration. Why do users call help desks and tech support lines with an ‘angry, ready for a fight’ attitude? Because technology has the ability to make us feel inept, even stupid, and more than a little lost, when things don’t go well. What happened to the promises made before the sale…24/7 support and a real person to talk to?

Vendors large and small must deal with customer service and support as a priority service. If support is merely a necessary evil, or a primary revenue center, how do you balance your priorities with the expectations of your customers? Bringing your support team into the sales and marketing process, and clearly defining expectations can extend the honeymoon period after the sale.

The Inevitable Training Question

Training was eighth on the list of nine factors at a paltry 39.8%, and it should come as no surprise that it ranked so low. Why is it that ‘easy to use’ equates to ‘no training necessary’? Several opinions are shared in the article, and all are valid:

Legal professionals have busy schedules and it’s hard to find the time for training

Vendors over promise ease of use

Providers need to develop training options that fit into work styles

In my own anecdotal experience, about a year ago I switched from using Visio to SmartDraw and while I found it easier to use, like most users, I worked my way through my task at hand with little thought for how some product knowledge might help me. Last week SmartDraw offered me a 1-hour, free training webinar. What an ‘AHA’ moment! Although it wasn’t intended as a thorough product training, I quickly learned that SmartDraw was much easier to use and filled with shortcuts that improved my experience.

Product literature may not be as important as we thought

Ranked the least important consideration was vendor literature. We spend weeks and months developing product brochures and feature lists, should we eliminate them? Absolutely not, they are an important part of any integrated marketing program, but don’t rely on your collateral to make your sale for you.

How would your company stand up to this survey?