Many industries have adopted total quality management (TQM) and similar processes to continually improve internal operations and provide the best possible experience for end-users (i.e., customers). For many reasons, law firms have been slow to take the same approach. However, it would provide significant benefits without requiring an enormous, disruptive effort.

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What is TQM?

TQM is essentially having policies, procedures, and standards for how a company gets work done, manufactures products, interacts with customers and clients, and resolves disputes. It's a way of ensuring that the end product a company produces meets quality, safety, and other standards and that every customer or client experiences the same level of service. TQM also helps eliminate inefficiencies that lead to lost productivity or unnecessary costs.

There are many different approaches to TQM, including ISO 9000 or Six Sigma, but these are likely more prescriptive than a law firm would require. In the legal context, TQM is really about maximizing efficiency and productivity while increasing client satisfaction and plugging revenue leaks.