Firms rate themselves higher on service than customers, survey reveals

New research reveals that across every form of contact, law firms scored themselves significantly higher for customer service than customers did. 

A survey of 200 law firms and 5,000 consumers discovered the gap between business and customer perceptions. It revealed an almost 30 percentage point gap between how law firms meet customer expectations on social media. The results also showed a 24 point gap in how UK consumers viewed web form communication as opposed to how law firms saw it.

The survey showed that 70% of consumers say they’re likely to choose the business that responds first.

It also showed that 76% of law firms believe a customer will try a company again if they don’t receive a response to an enquiry, yet only 23% of consumers said they would.

When asked what matters most on first contact, both law firms and consumers rated clarity, professionalism and speed of response as important, but there was a big perception gap in the importance of personalisation, with 83% of law firms rating it as important, compared with only 68% of consumers saying this.

The survey showed that 39% of consumers say support between 9am and 5pm would best meet their needs, while 26% would prefer early evening support between 5pm and 9pm.  

The survey was conducted online by Censuswide, on behalf of Moneypenny, in January 2026.

“Many businesses believe they’re delivering a high standard of service, yet clients are telling a different story,” said Jesper With-Fogstrup, group chief executive officer for Moneypenny.

“In today’s on-demand world, where clients are driven by speed and convenience, responsiveness and real-time communication are no longer a ‘nice to have’ – they are fundamental to winning trust, securing appointments and driving growth. Those that fail to respond quickly risk losing clients before the conversation has even begun.”

How different business communication channels meet customer expectations:

Source: Moneypenny