This webinar explored how Hogan Lovells has established client listening as a strategic growth pillar over 10+ years, evolving from small-scale beginnings to a sophisticated program explicitly named in firm strategy with regular executive board reporting and firm-wide communication. The program prioritizes deep-dive in-person (now Zoom) conversations conducted independently by trained marketing/BD team members rather than lawyers, enabling candid client feedback, supplemented by systematic capture of informal feedback from emails, meetings, and pitch debriefs to create comprehensive client intelligence. Critically, Hogan Lovells continuously adapts discussion guide questions to reflect evolving strategic priorities (ESG, digitalization, brand positioning) and distributes insights across multiple internal teams including pricing, L&D, DEI, and client solutions groups to maximize value extraction and create an "exponential success story." The firm uses technology to centrally house all feedback in a database that enables tracking opportunities by practice area/sector at both individual relationship and strategic levels, measuring success through commercial impact metrics (revenue growth opportunities, share of wallet, revenue at risk), engagement measures (interview/survey volume, response rates, partner participation), and action tracking (percentage actioned, time to close loop). Key success factors include making participation light-touch for time-poor partners by handling all legwork, sharing success stories to build cultural buy-in and eliminate fear of feedback, approaching nominations from creative angles (client program, pitches, lateral hires), and maintaining a relentlessly client-centric approach that makes conversations feel personalized rather than generic discussion-guide driven.
Over 10+ years, built from small-scale start to sophisticated program with criteria-based interviews, mid/post-matter reviews, post-pitch debriefs, and informal feedback capture. Foundation built on deep-dive in-person (now Zoom) conversations prioritized over surveys, conducted independently by trained marketing/BD team rather than lawyers to enable candid client feedback.
Client listening named explicitly in firm strategy with regular exec board reporting and firm-wide communication, creating business-as-usual culture with partner buy-in. Program questions periodically realigned to reflect evolving firm strategy priorities (ESG, digitalization, brand positioning) and client needs, avoiding ossification through continuous adaptation.
Beyond structured reviews, systematically capturing rich feedback from partner day-to-day conversations, pitch debriefs, emails, and meetings—recognizing wealth of untapped insight sitting in inboxes. All informal feedback centrally housed in database alongside formal interviews to create comprehensive client intelligence picture.
Client feedback data shared with multiple internal teams including pricing, learning & development, DEI, ESG, and client solutions groups to maximize value extraction. Creating "exponential success story" by finding diverse uses for insights across firm, increasing engagement whilst delivering more value to clients.
Technology enables comprehensive tracking of opportunities by practice area/sector at both individual relationship and strategic levels. Program criteria includes commercial impact metrics (revenue growth opportunities, share of wallet, revenue at risk), engagement measures (interview/survey volume, response rates, partner participation), and action tracking (percentage actioned, time to close loop).