In Search of Perfect Client Service

Does anyone else think that clients are getting lost in all the discussion about the impact of the latest increases in associate salaries?

Uber-blogger Bruce MacEwen has a terrific post addressing the economics of the issue from the standpoint of the large firm.  So the debate rages about whether there are good, or at least sane, reasons for the increase.  One proffered reason is the desire to retain talented mid and senior associates, but Bruce offers an approach that would better accomplish that objective.

Bruce's post, and other pieces I've read (several of which are linked through his post), present the issue from the law firm's perspective, but I haven't seen anyone focus on this issue from the client's perspective.  More interestingly, I haven't seen anyone from any law firm that has suggested that their clients believe that salary increases are right way to solve the firm's business problem.  I wonder what firms would do if they had in-depth discussions with their clients about the issue.  My strong suspicion is that clients would urge the firms to try non-economic approaches.  I mean, after all, haven't some of the storied CEOs built immense employee goodwill and loyalty by steps other than mere salary increases?

By the way, don't the accounting and consulting industries face the same issue--growing demand and a static labor supply?  How are those industries responding?  I don't hear about the same salary issues in those industries.