Many stores and business owners now give you a guarantee.
Don't like the product you purchased? Simply bring it back and we'll refund your money immediately, no questions asked.
That's a great guarantee. It's a great customer service benefit. It eliminates all the risk of buying a product and not liking it.
Well, what about for professional services?
Do you ever see doctors giving you a 'money-back guarantee' if their treatment doesn't work?
Have you ever seen a surgeon offer a 'money-back guarantee' if his surgery doesn't work or if you get a complication? No?
I didn't think so.
Have you ever seen an accountant offer a 'money-back guarantee' if his calculations were incorrect and the IRS now comes knocking on your door? No? Neither have I.
How about a 'money-back guarantee' by an attorney? I've been in practice here in NY for more than 26 years and I have NEVER seen a single attorney offer a 'money-back guarantee'.
Why is that?
Why is it that these professionals don't offer a 'money-back guarantee' but many business owners and stores do?
It's because the attorney can NEVER guarantee a particular result.
It's because the doctor can NEVER guarantee a particular outcome.
It's because the accountant is using his best skill and judgment.
Ok, you think, but they are all providing a level of service in exchange for some form of payment from you.
If you're unhappy with the result, why can't you get your money back?
Ah...now that's a perfectly good question.
Let's take a look at a case involving an injured patient who decides to bring a lawsuit against his doctor for violating the basic standards of good medical care.
That injured patient who hires a New York medical malpractice attorney to represent him only pays for results.
Let me say that again...
An injured patient who is determined to seek compensation for the harms and losses they suffered because a dcotor was careless ONLY PAYS IF HIS ATTORNEY GETS A GOOD RESULT.
If the attorney is unable to get any money for the patient, then the patient PAYS NOTHING.
If the attorney gets less than what the injured patient feels his injuries are worth by negotiations, then the patient has the right to reject that offer and take their case to trial. Then it will be up to a jury to determine if the injured patient is entitled to a verdict in her favor and if so, how much compensation she is to receive.
There is no attorney in NY who can ever guarantee an injured patient a particular result. Ever.
However, there are some really smart trial attorneys who do offer guarantees...
But these guarantees have NOTHING to do with the ultimate result.
Instead, these guarantees have EVERYTHING to do with customer service. These guarantees have EVERYTHING to do with how you, the client, is made to feel.
Here's a few examples of some great guarantees...
- "We guarantee to teach you and educate you about how your medical malpractice case works here in New York."
- "We guarantee to call you each and every month to check in on you and to update you on your case, even if nothing is happening."
- "We guarantee to give you a free copy of our consumer action book that will help you understand what will happen in your type of case."
- "We guarantee to return your call within 24 hours as long as we're not on trial."
- "We guarantee to have your calls answered by an attorney and not a paralegal or a caseworker."
- "We guarantee to give you our attorney's cell phone in the unlikely event you have an immediate pressing question."
- "We guarantee to give you an educational newsletter each and every month."
Notice the difference?
These guarantees have nothing to do with your outcome. Instead, they make promises about how the law firm will respond to you as a valued and trusted client. It has everything to do with customer and client service. It has everything to do with how you are made to feel.
As an injured patient you have already experienced enough indignity when you were injured. You want a law firm that is highly considerate of you. You want a firm that treats you well and explains to you what will happen, step by step.
These are the guarantees that really smart law firms provide.
As you are deciding which law firm is right for you, make sure to ask them what guarantees they provide to you. If they don't provide ANY, ask them why not. The answer will surprise you.
