The purpose of this report is to firstly discuss the benefits that customers of a hypothetical law firm may seek.
Secondly the importance of branding to law firms will be explored, employing the ideas of search, experience and credence goods.
2.0 Report.
2.1 Customer benefits.
The buying process is initiated by an underlying need. The customer is motivated to seek a solution, which satisfies the need or deprivation, be it physical or psychological, and restores a sense of self harmony. Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' (Maslow 1943) describes an order of needs as applied to society. The needs state can be a complex issue which, as society develops and becomes more sophisticated, is no longer focused on basic psychological needs.
An individual's needs, aside from the basic physical or psychological needs, are influenced by their environment; socio-economic status, health or age can have significant effect on the customer's buying behaviour. In lesser developed communities the needs of individuals to seek out nourishment is to satisfy the basic physical needs of the body, perhaps in order to keep on working and gain reward. The individual in a more developed community may source food in an effort to fulfil a need for social interaction, rather than the basic physical need.
The customer, having identified a need, will seek to collect information on providers offering services that will provide the required solution and in turn satisfy that need.
There are many reasons why an individual would need legal services, each one having a psychological effect until closure is made. Preparation of a will is normally carried out when security for dependants is needed; conveyancing when purchasing the family home to ensure all contracts are in order; family law perhaps due to divorce proceedings; personal injuries and insurance litigation due to damages to persons or property or criminal law when defending against criminal charges.
