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There is a common aphorism that often gets applied to life that goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. And it’s true in many cases. In good times, many businesses can see great returns, and the economy and emotional spirit of both large and small groups or populations of people can be elevated. But these past few years have been different. We are coming out of a really trying time, but something we have heard reiterated time and time again is that through challenging times, a firm's branding and marketing efforts become critical.
More importantly, when the going gets tough, the need to heavily rely on data to gain insights and direction becomes even more important as well. To be able to gauge trends and monitor consumer patterns is how firms will thrive through the chaos. For example, law firms that were marketing in 2020 saw a big drop in revenue in Q2, similar to firms who did not market, but, their leads and overall numbers were higher than they were in 2019 prior to the pandemic. And then into Q3 and Q4, they remained ahead of their previous years' numbers. The idea here is that although there were fewer people searching for legal services during the height of the pandemic, the jobs won went to firms that were consistently marketing.
The way people are finding law firms, especially via their websites, is significantly more fragmented than it has been. This fragmentation is primarily the result of the omnichannel environment we live in today. On any given day, you have people surfing Facebook, Google, local newspaper listings, online newsletters, podcasts, radio, the list goes on and on. The bottom line here is your potential clients are finding your firm in a lot of different ways.
Traffic from social media almost doubled in that second quarter during the pinnacle of quarantine, and surprisingly enough, it stayed almost 4% higher throughout the rest of the year than it did in 2019. We are seeing more traffic come from people on social media than ever before. And not only are these people spending more time on social media, but they are also actually taking the next step and going to law firm websites. The strategy here indicates that you need to be in more places online and the easiest way to achieve this is by producing content. Some of you may have read that and felt a wave of panic but don’t worry! When you begin thinking about this content, think about the content your firm would be best at producing; the areas of expertise your attorneys, firm administrators, paralegals and the like possess and capitalize on that! And utilize your ability to repurpose that same content in other areas as well. For example, if you have a blog, consider using that material and making it a video.
Another thing to think about in terms of your content is highlighting and marketing all the technological advancements you have at your firm. If you utilize practice management software, publicize your ability to take online payments, publicize your client portal, automation capabilities, easy intake process, etc. All of those things are advancements that potential clients will look at and cross-compare against other firms, so use it to your advantage! Being able to highlight your customer experience improvements will only serve to benefit you.
Search engine optimization is not going anywhere, in fact, it is driving more and more traffic to law firms. If you think about all the effort you put into gaining referral partners, whether it’s getting on the phone with potential businesses, sending thank you gifts, those couple rounds of golf, all the things you do to establish those relationships. Now think about how much time you're putting in the largest referral partner you have, which is Google? The benefit of Google is that most users are searching for something already. They are looking for an answer or help so not only will they be more reliable, but they will be more willing to work with you to get their problem solved.
Let’s walk through a hypothetical example. Take an estate planning firm, typically, they do a lot of in-person events to drive potential new clients and they really emphasize the need and highly encourage clients to come in for consultations. Well, in almost the blink of an eye, the world shifted to operating online. And now, the first consultation is a Zoom meeting, and those in-person events have transformed or disappeared entirely. So what happens now? In this case, the firm would need to change their website to support online intake and then direct the potential new client to a calendar scheduling tool to seamlessly book the meeting. With this shift, you can now market the efficiencies of this new online process and emphasize the benefits of putting time back in your client's day by reducing commutes and streamlining the intake process.
Ultimately, all the things you are doing to help your law firm be more efficient and effective are also the way your clients want to work. So remind them of the pain of doing things the “old” way and market your services as ones that meet their new needs.
Now that we have gone through some marketing strategies, let’s think about the ways that you can connect and hopefully get those new clients to contact and hire you. The next challenge that many firms face is how to manage the intake process. How do you manage the volume of calls and digital messages coming in? The issue that arises here is that there is a finite number of hours in the day, but clients don’t care about that, they want a response as soon as possible. And the sad reality is, people are impatient, if they don’t hear back on their time frame, they will find another firm who will.
The pandemic has obviously caused a lot of disruptions. But what has that meant for attorneys and firms? What solutions have been implemented to improve the client intake experience and ensure that responses are efficient and uniform?
Overall, the best way to maintain an elevated client experience is to be system-dependent and not owner or operator-dependent. Think about the lack of availability you may have on a day-to-day basis, between your personal and professional life, handling operations, HR, administrative tasks, everything that you have on your to-do list leaves very little time to handle those inbound inquiries that come to you. You still want to be responsive to both your existing and current clients, but also to your potential new clients and referrals. It is really critical that you set up systems that can be responsive for you, and bring in the technology and the talent that is on your front line. What we saw last year was a lot of people quickly added new technologies that acted like a bandaid or patch. And now what we’re seeing today is as people begin to recover, they notice the holes that they patched and they want to make it look better. They want to make it look great because after all, it is the reputation of their firm that is at stake.
Making it easy for PNCs to select an available time for a consult without disrupting your day-to-day is the easiest first step to enhance your client experience with minimal effort. Not only will this calendaring automation speed up that first initial contact with the client, but it frees up your staff and it is easy to manage with minimal training in the case that you do need your receptionist or team to step in and intervene. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone faced disruption this past year. So while you’re working hard throughout the day, your clients are too. Sometimes, it isn’t until 10 PM at night when a PNC will come home and have the brain space to think about those divorce papers, mergers, settlements, etc. So giving people the silent comfort of choosing availability on their time is priceless. And we are not saying that you have to answer your cell phone and email at all times of the day, but you do have to be responsive.
The next piece of this intake process revolves around legal workflow automation. The reason why legal workflow automation exists is that law firms needed to find a way to reduce the administrative tasks their attorneys take on and give them more time to focus on creating billable hours. Let's walk through some examples... when a PNC gets created, you can use a workflow to automatically alert your team that work needs to be done. You can automatically schedule a conflict check, confirm that the PNC's data is entered correctly, and verify that your attorneys can take on the workload. Not only is this eliminating inefficiencies, but it is increasing team communication, and enhancing your client services. You can also eliminate the monotonous task of creating letters of engagement or other documents with document merge. This allows you to automatically generate a document based on fields within Centerbase instead of manually typing each document and filling in the respective detail. You can create the initial template and set which information fields you want to be pulled to populate the document.
Legal workflow automation is meant to help create efficiencies and reduce human error. If you're not adopting these technologies or working with software that enables your firm, you're doing yourself and your clients a disservice. If you’re curious to learn more about this, check out this video.
The ways we are consuming and interacting with each other as consumers and businesses have changed a lot in response to the disruption of the pandemic.
A lot of what has changed in the last two years has been expectations. Today, clients are fully expecting that you guide and steer the process. So you must ask yourself, how do you make sure that you’re delivering on what the client needs? How are you producing content and answers on all the channels that you operate and are publicly available online? Every platform your brand is listed on needs to uphold the same level of responsiveness. And it’s not just about the speed, it’s about the quality of content. One of the main reasons clients won’t move forward with a firm is because they don’t get the answers they’re expecting. Easily combat this by proactively anticipating the commonly asked questions. Time is thin right now, and if you think about the importance of lead screening and qualification, not everyone is going to be a good fit for your firm. So it is one thing to get out in front and be responsive but you also don’t want to be taking consultations with just anyone on the internet who finds your firm and books your time.
So after all of this, what are some of the most successful law firms doing when it comes to their intake process? Well, two things come to mind… the first is when you’re system dependent, you have to be constantly checking and monitoring those systems. That is simply a good habit that is just a matter of professional responsibility. It may not say it very specifically in the bar rules, but triple-check that when someone calls your firm the phone is answered and to your liking. Make sure that when someone sends an email and you have generated automated responses that the email is being triggered how you want it to, that it is being received, and that it also reflects the brand and voice of your firm. There are a lot of systems that are only being set up once and then forgotten and never checked again. Because of this, a lot of business is lost because no one has been assigned to that voice mailbox or that email account. If you don’t check them, that is a blindspot that is aiding a loss on investment for all your marketing efforts and all the other energy you’re putting into promoting and advertising your firm.
The second thing that successful firms are doing is following up with those individuals who reach out. This step can often distinguish the haves and have nots. What happens is the more you follow up (to a certain limit), the higher the payoff. Six points of contact are about the threshold here. Statistically, if you’re following up only once, we know that about 50% or slightly less of your inbound calls are being answered. There is so much distraction and noise these days that if you’re not following up multiple times, your message won’t be heard. It’s as simple as that. Depending on the practice area that you operate in, that will also really set the cadence. So when you ask, “How often should I follow up?” You have to take note of who your clientele is. If you are in personal injury, high-end estate, or intellectual property, you should be following up a lot sooner. Don’t give up and throw in the towel until the person has told you they have made the decision one way or another. That type of chase is incredibly beneficial to the bottom line.
We all know it is easier to keep an existing client than to obtain a new one, yet many firms fail to focus on practices that will ensure their clients receive a consistently positive experience with their firm. Some intentional effort in your firm’s practices can make a world of difference for your clients and for your firm. The common mistakes below can be easily addressed in your firm to create a more positive client experience.
The client experience begins before an individual ever steps foot in your door. By focusing on creating a positive intake experience, you will set the stage for a successful client engagement.
The individual in your firm who is processing your potential client calls should not be just anyone answering the phone. It is important that those who take the calls are trained to do so. Be sure you have the right person(s) in this seat, individuals who are capable of listening, allowing the caller to tell their story, and showing empathy. They need to understand the importance of the questions they have been trained to ask. If they have to leave a voicemail for the caller, they should have a script that leaves the potential client with a positive impression that is professional and knowledgeable.
Your practice management software should have the ability to input information received from potential clients. Your staff should use this format so that there is consistency in the information gathered and nothing is overlooked. This will allow you to track critical data and understand conversion rates. (Do you know how many leads you need in order to land a client?)
It is important that someone respond to the potential client quickly once the initial information has been gathered. If you wait too long, they will have moved on to someone else who is more responsive. Set appropriate expectations by giving them a timeline for a callback and stick to it.
We all know you only get one chance to make a good first impression. With a little effort, you can ensure your firm gives a professional impression consistently.
Conference rooms should be clean and tidy. Staff should be professional, offer a beverage, and make the client comfortable while they wait for the attorney. Once they have been settled, don’t make them wait. We all know how we feel when our doctors keep us waiting well past our appointment time – our clients feel the same. Don’t give the impression that your time is more valuable than theirs.
Communicating doesn’t just mean talking – it also means listening. Attorneys are trained to prepare their response while listening to the other party. Work to avoid that here. Make eye contact and listen. If possible, have an assistant join you in the meeting to take notes so that you can fully focus on the potential client.
Once you have been retained, it is important to communicate with your client to set realistic expectations. Failure to do so can result in a dissatisfied client who will not only fail to provide referrals but may also share negative feedback about your firm.
This starts with the engagement letter, which should be clear as to the expectations of both the firm and the client, with the scope of services to be covered and the fees that will be paid in return for those services. You should also let your client know how often they should expect to hear from you, and under what circumstances.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Use an assistant to track all of your deadlines and timelines for client touchpoints so that you can focus on practicing law, knowing your assistant will keep you apprised of your deadlines for reaching out to clients. By having a good practice management system, your assistant can keep track of these for you with little effort.
Things don’t always go as planned when it comes to the law. When you can see things won’t go as planned, be sure to have honest communication with your client so that there are no surprises.
The #1 Bar complaint is that clients do not feel their attorneys keep them well informed. If you have set appropriate expectations during the client onboarding process by explaining your policies and you follow through with those promises, you can avoid expectations not being met. If you have trained your assistant well, you can feel comfortable in allowing them to reach out to clients with updates where there is “no change” or “nothing new to report,” so that they are hearing from you and not wondering what is happening with their case.
Clients want to know you care about them, not just the case(s) you are handling for them. Set up Google Alerts to stay abreast of what is happening with them and have a protocol for capturing that information and reaching out to them when you see something noteworthy.
Understand life from your client’s perspective. Take a moment from time to time to make a non-billable phone call to check in on them. Differentiate yourself by providing stellar client service, making them feel truly taken care of. By using your practice management software to track when you should reach out to someone again, your assistant can set these short calls for you around your schedule so that it does not feel like a burden but will go a long way with your clients.
Providing your clients with invoices that show the value of your services is more important than ever. Think of your invoice as a marketing tool. By using a time & billing software that allows you to create templates that meet each client’s needs, you can send an invoice that is not immediately met with rejection.
Explain explicitly the purpose of each task. Saying “t/c with opposing counsel” does not fully convey the value of a time entry that took .8 hours. Your client may be wondering whether you were asking OC about his family instead of making progress in the case for almost an hour.
Communicate with your client by phone before sending a bill that is going to be unusually high. There should be no surprises if you want to both keep your client satisfied and also be paid in full. If you have an especially high workload in a case, it may help to bill that matter every 15 days instead of monthly.
Send bills regularly – at least every 30 days. Waiting too long results in a high bill that is less likely to be paid in full and gives the impression there is no urgency to be paid.
Today’s clients are technologically savvy, and they expect their attorneys to be as well. Practice management software allows you to work efficiently. It allows you to:
With some effort on creating protocols and training your firm staff, you can quickly have systems in place that will ensure your clients have a consistent, positive experience with your firm.
If your firm doesn’t have a proper intake process, you could be losing a lot of billable time working on administrative and organizational tasks. In, Business Development 101: Online Communication Strategies to Increase Your Billable Hours we discussed how properly utilizing the various communication forms (phone, email, text, and website) can make a huge impact on your productivity and future revenue generation.
Today, we are going to dive deeper into the client intake process and learn how you can not only improve your process but retain better clients.
To start, let’s do a little refresher on how potential new clients are handled.
Potential clients can be handled by you and your in-house staff or through remote and virtual services like paralegals, bookkeepers, and receptionists.
With software, you have access to resources like call routing and tracking, client intake automation, and calendaring management. All of these tools exist for you to reach as many people as possible with the least amount of leg work.
When you think about the form and function of the content and materials that you use to draw in PNCs, you need a combination of human and machine intelligence.
For the human intelligence side, ask yourself these questions:
How you handle these questions all contribute to your firm’s brand. Not to mention the answers also set the tone for the initial impression you give a PNC.
On the other hand, machine intelligence is necessary to take care of the monotonous, orgnizational tasks. Consider these questions:
Where the human intelligence is used to capture emotion and connection, the machine intelligence is used to speed up your back end logistics and take away some of the manual labor involved in capturing new leads.
Combined effectively, you will achieve fast, friendly, and accurate responses from PNCs which will lead to more qualified leads and a better experience for new clients. If you can keep them happy off the bat, you’re one step ahead of the game. Not to mention, if your current clients are satisfied, they are more likely to refer friends and family.
Now that you have a firmer grasp on contact methods, let’s take a look at lead sources. Referrals make up a large source of new clients for firms, but what about cold leads? Where are those people coming from? Let’s take a look:
Now, once a lead has contacted you, spoken to whomever you have in charge of the response methods (whether the response is via a receptionist service, in-house, or directly from an attorney), you qualify that the lead is ready for a consultation, your next step should be scheduling a meeting to collect more information.
This process looks different for firm-to-firm, but at its core, you need to be able to track data efficiently and access it whenever you need it from wherever you are. We have created a great downloadable checklist attached to this blog for you to use as a guide, however, here is a high-level framework outlining what you should be tracking (at a minimum):
Now if you decide this person is not a good potential client, are you making referrals systematically? Referring out clients who are not a good fit with your firm not only highlights your good will, but it also gives you an opportunity to inform people of what your firm does so that in the future they can call reconnect with you. Additionally, if you refer clients to other firms in your area, they will be more likely to reciprocate that business when a PNC who isn’t a great fit for them walks through their doors. Huge takeaway here - don’t underestimate the power of a good first impression.
Set up your phone so you’re not using your personal cell phone number. A huge push back for texting clients is the lack of privacy. Although you would like to be available for your clients 24/7, you don’t necessarily want to give them access to your personal information.
Some software offer services where they will provide you with your own private number. Through this you will have the ability to track text and call communications that will automatically be converted into billable events for you.
Once you have a private work number set up and ready, make sure you establish a professional greeting and menu. If a PNC calls you and wants to leave a message, that voice recording is the first form of communication they will experience with you. Don’t set a bad tone with an unreputable sounding recording.
Next, consider blocking spam calls. In today’s age where solicitors are around every virtual corner, it is important to protect your number as much as possible. You have no idea when or off what number PNCs will call you from, so if you have spam calls blowing up your phone in between client calls, this is a problem.
Keep in mind that PNCs have no boundaries when it comes to respecting your time. So make sure your phone is routed during holidays, vacations, schedule adjustments, and any times throughout the day when you are not available. You will miss out on PNCs if you do not have an action plan to capture their calls or messages when you are unavailable. Also consider having a separate after hours voicemail. For these messages, ask for more specific information and give them a time frame for when you will get back to them. This will encourage a relationship versus a one-off missed call. But, if you promise a call back during a specific window you better keep your word. Nothing will lose you a new client faster than unreliability.
Lastly, track performance! Where did the calls originate from? Did the source yield high quality leads? This information may not seem important in the immediate, but it is. Track this information so you know where your clients are coming from. Having this information will help you determine where to spend your advertising and marketing dollars. The best way to increase non referral based leads is to hone in on target demographic and geographic information. Additionally, know how many answered and missed calls you have. Monitor the number of rings it takes to pick up and keep note of the duration of your calls. It is also important that you have call recordings for performance monitoring. Track what goes well and things that don’t. Your first job is to be an attorney, but your second has to be a business person.
The very first step here, and this is incredibly important, is to have your criteria identified. First think about who the potential clients are that you really want and maybe also the clients you have worked with in the past that you want to avoid. Additionally, who are the clients you missed? Who are the PNCs that you wished you had captured sooner or the people who may have not experienced your best foot forward.
Use this thought process to identify the criteria and systematically put in place either a form or a list of questions which you can then use to screen PNCs. When you determine if the PNC will make a good fit, implement workflows for qualified leads and incorporate new-client call-back or appointment procedures. Think about what form these call-backs will take place in, do you prefer phone call or email, and will you have a template for what you say that will encourage these people to use the most detail in their response?
For initial meetings, determine the policy on consultations. How long will they be? Twenty minutes? An hour? Will you charge for them? What format would you like to host them in? All of these details should be ironed out prior to speaking with anyone. Obviously customer service is important so if you have to make a special accommodation for someone, make it happen! You have no idea who they could be connected to or who they know, so always lead with kindness and consideration. It is important to note here that everyone has a different comfort level, video is very intimate, but not everyone is comfortable with it. Also keep in mind that some video software requires the users to download the app (like Skype). That is not always convenient for people who are either not very tech savvy or who simply don’t want to download it. If you are to conduct in-person consults, consider the time you will lose in the commute and any potential traffic delays or last minute schedule conflicts that could occur.
We all know that attorneys charge for a finite number of billable hours each day, so ensure you’re utilizing your time by automating the monotonous outbound tasks. For example, if you have people completing a contact form on your website, you can automatically forward those to the appropriate team members so that the call-back communication happens immediately. Set up workflows to make data collection and tracking easier for you.
Following lead capture, begin completing the client intake process. Before you begin, it would be prudent of you to ask them how they heard about you or your firm. This is valuable data! Don’t overlook it. (Your marketing team can thank us later)
Depending on your firm, your intake process may occur before or after booking your first appointment. And similarly to Step 2, identify the required questions you will ask and standardize this process across your firm. Aim for 5-10 questions and make it easy for these individuals to fill out the information.
Some software today will allow you to customize your intake form and when a PNC fills it out and submits it, the information will automatically populate in your system. Not only is this process efficient, but it is professional and allows you to capture the specific information that is pertinent to your firm.
The most efficient and effective way to book appointments is by having a public-facing booking page directly on your website. The idea is to remove the amount of barriers between when a PNC first reaches out to you and when they become a client. Integrate this calendar with your own and make sure once a client submits a time that you are sending them the subsequent next-step information that they need. The sooner you can get this information to the client after they hit “schedule,” the more likely it is that they will not only be on time, but that they will come prepared.
Utilize technology to also trigger workflows for your staff. Once a PNC requests a booking time, what does that mean for your staff? What needs to be done in preparation and who will be involved?
As mentioned in Step 2, consider whether or not you’re going to charge a PNC for the consultation. The upsides to a paid consult include: reduced no shows and more guarantee that the person is a fit for your firm. However, some people see the cost and may raise an eyebrow. These are all things for your firm to consider, there is no right answer!
If you generate a list of PNCs who are not a great fit for you, but could be for another firm, utilize that to your advantage! However, some state Bar rules will not allow you to monetize referrals, so make sure you review the rules before getting started.
Your firm should have an implemented process for “bad” leads. Think back to potential client qualification criteria and use that to identify unqualified leads to save your time. Make a list of all attorneys and firms you recommend by practice area and share that list with your staff or receptionist service including instructions for identifying the correct firm to recommend to the “bad” leads. This could be based on location, practice area or cost. Think of referring “bad” leads as a service. Systematically earn good will in the community and educate future potential clients and referral sources.
As much as possible, integrate as many of your communications into your existing practice management software as possible. Every text and call should be logged with pre and post consult notes. Activity logs on new appointments need to be documented, and triggered workflows should be assigned as action steps for your staff as a PNC flows through your intake process.
Use project and document management tools to integrate your emails and documents into your system seamlessly and automatically. With some software, you have the ability to build out document templates that can be automatically populated with new PNC information. This not only saves you time but reduces human error as well.
Having robust records of everyone you talk to will not only allow your firm to improve your intake strategy, but pinpoint what is working well for you so that you can continue capitalizing on it.
Now that you have all this information, utilize the attached outline to start solidifying and building your intake process. Define what will be standardized across your firm and make it as easy as possible for PNCs to retain your firm!
The core of conducting good business lies in placing customers at the forefront of everything you do. However, COVID-19 has caused considerable disruptions when it comes to delivering exceptional customer experiences in the ways firms are accustomed to. Most likely, in-person interactions have become scarcer at your firm to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, inevitably making initial first impressions with clients rather different. This is especially true if your firm depends on building rapport and trust that often comes from face-to-face interaction.
That said, delivering the best client experiences is still very much possible; the way it’s done has simply changed and shifted with our digital-first world.
One way to keep them happy? Implement a client portal. Client portals help your staff keep real-time interaction with clients while creating a secure spot for any communication or questions. This also remediates phone tag and lets them know you’re still right on top of their case with regular updates and information readily available.
Here are some tips on how you can execute on delivering great client experiences through a client portal:
For long-standing law firm partners out there, you may be wondering what’s causing so many firms to move their operations to the cloud versus storing things on local hardware. The rapid need that erupted for remote work has created even more urgency around the conveniences of a cloud-based software solution – so everyone’s on the same page and able to access client information safely and securely.
The ability to keep client data in one place creates alignment across your staff and makes information retrieval and updates doable in real-time. Plus, with so many fully integrated capabilities, you can keep track of billing, securely share files, and any notes from calls they have with other staff members all at everyone’s fingertips. That agility is much-needed in today’s hybrid work environment, and a valuable asset when it comes to delighting clients and fostering a client-centric approach to your operations.
Read more: Here are 10 mistakes to avoid when choosing cloud-based software
Now that you better understand the value of cloud-based practice management software, let’s jump into how to best implement client portals to deliver exceptional experiences for your customers so you get more referrals and continue to outdo your competition.
In order to improve client communication and create a client-centric approach to your day-to-day tasks, here are some priorities you should keep in mind when setting up a portal:
Most client portals come built-in with file storage attributed to each matter at your firm. The key is to make sure everyone uses the portal from the start of the case, so all paperwork, notes, and updates are logged for clients to take advantage of whenever it’s convenient. It’s a two-way street – a spot for clients to access things they may be wondering about in their case, but it’s also a tool for staff to easily share files when used with law management software.
Between all the digital phishing and security breaches, hacking emails has become way more common. It’s not worthwhile to risk your client’s sensitive information from being compromised when a portal is a perfectly viable alternative to holding all their data in one place. The nice thing is they won’t need to download anything additional to access – any internet-enabled device will be able to log on to view updates, and they’ll receive a simple notification email whenever any new information becomes available. Security should always be at the forefront of your firm’s mind so clients feel secure when interacting with you; it will create a smooth, positive experience that they’ll be sure to recommend to others.
Depending on your area of law, with a client portal, distance won’t be nearly as much of an issue. Whether a client has temporarily relocated or your firm is currently working remotely, for the time being, everyone can be logged in and have access to all the necessary information on both sides. Not only is this more convenient, but it also creates a better place for client-centric interactions on an ongoing basis. Smoother communication and collaboration leads to better efficiency for everyone.
While there are many law firms out there, there aren’t many that successfully deliver a client-centric model for a superior customer experience. Having a synchronized staff empowered to always deliver and update clients in a way that keeps them feeling top-of-mind can be an essential, distinctive aspect that sets you apart from other firms. Client portals are a vital part of maintaining and nurturing that relationship – from the first conversation to the final bill, every touchpoint is of equal importance to maintaining a client-centric model.
This “always on” model is going to delight your clients. Anytime they’re wondering about the status of their case, or if there’s anything you need from them, they need only check the online portal. And if they’re still uncertain about the status of something, contacting your firm is only one quick message away through the chat function. With readily available billing and documentation, there’ll be no more need for constant calls or emails. Much like the rapid development of chatbots on sites, this instant communication creates the very best experience for clients throughout their case.
Client portals aren’t a magical remedy to all client communication, but it certainly takes the back and forth out of emails. In order to build ongoing trust and exceed expectations, it’s up to you to set the standard for client updates and communications. Consider sending out a weekly or bi-weekly update to your client, or having important dates of theirs (like a birthday, for instance) placed into your software so you can send nice, thoughtful messages instead of a strictly business transaction every time you talk. It’s building these relationships – that you see clients as people deserving of empathy and care – that will let you use client portals to bring exceptional experiences to them every time.
One of the longest processes during the lifetime of a client’s case is the initial steps of onboarding. Despite modern advancements in digital technology, the intake paperwork and setting up their file can take a bit of time after their initial consultation. However, you can expedite this process considerably by spending less time having them sign on the dotted line and more time actively listening and talking them through the difficult parts that come with a legal matter. Most people are distressed and in need of guidance – so be that guidance, and use client portals instead to gather any other information that may be needed (with the exception of what’s required to represent them, of course).
On the client end, it can feel like there’s a long time spread out between updates on their case. With a client portal, you can help ease some of their uncertainties by sending them a message that will alert them via email on any updates that come through. Even if it’s a quick message, this communication can go a long way in demonstrating you’re willing to go the extra mile for them, even if it’s a minor update. With these convenient communication tools, attorneys can easily get support from staff to schedule an update call without all the back and forth emails of “does this day work?”
One of the biggest pitfalls that can occur when a client-attorney relationship starts is the lack of discussion around billing cycles. Before any official paperwork is signed, it’s vital to set expectations on what billing schedule has been agreed on. Once that’s established, a confidential and secure billing statement can be sent and updated for clients through the portal itself. This is a much smoother way of sending a statement that clients will appreciate being able to access rather than waiting on a bill in the mail. Plus, you’ll get paid that much faster by having integrations that offer credit card payments through the system (how’s that for ultimate convenience?).
When everyone is on the same page about what’s happening, clients are happier and staff is able to deliver (and sometimes even overdeliver, in a perfect world). Things are always going to be busy, which is why now more than ever it’s so important to set up a system and customer portal that encourages a secure way of sharing information and data around a case. A real-time system streamlines everything for added efficiency and peace of mind in light of many uncertainties currently happening. Everyone’s happier, and things aren’t forgotten about in a file or lost. It’s all backed up in the cloud and available to view whenever desired. It’s the true key to working smarter, not harder.
When it comes to creating an exceptional customer experience at your firm, look no further than a client portal that keeps them up-to-date 24/7. Even when society goes back to in-person interactions more frequently, the benefits of a secure online portal will continue to be a useful tool for delighting customers at your firm throughout their case. This “new normal” has created some lasting changes – and firms must adapt to meet the demands of the modern customer.
If you’re interested in the other benefits client portals to have to offer, please feel free to contact us for a no-obligation chat. We’re passionate about helping firms enhance experiences with clients to truly set them apart from the competition.
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There’s no limit to people in need of legal counsel at any given time. In fact, according to a U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey, 74% of prospects searching online end up contacting a firm by phone. Is your service going to reassure them you’re the right fit for their case? That’s why a client-centered law firm is so important in today’s world.
In a customer-centric, get-it-now world, it’s no surprise the expectation for a client-centered experience at law firms has become a bigger conversation in recent years. What does it actually mean to create a meaningful client journey in today’s digital environment? While you may be thinking – “of course we’re client-centric at our law firm!” – this is about more than prioritizing clients or sending them an update. It’s about baking client-centricity into everything you do. In day-to-day interactions, from onboarding to closing out their case, they need to know you’re there for them.
In this blog, we’re going to discuss ways to support a client-centered law firm in every aspect of your business, and why it’s important to do so moving forward to stay competitive and profitable.
Understanding a client-centered law firm is more of a line of thought versus a single line item to check off your list. Think of a client-centered model as a shift in the way you approach processes in your firm and how it’s run to be about the client in everything you do. While you may think you already do this, it’s a pretty big shift when it comes to your people and technology. It’s thinking about their experiences before making big decisions and adapting your technology to create a smoother, more transparent time during their case.
The purpose of a client-centered law firm, and why many firms have moved toward it, is to set themselves apart and be more competitive. In a world of thousands of attorneys in any given area, this can be the “wow factor” that’s the difference between a client going with you vs. someone else.
In the age of instant gratification brought on by same-day grocery delivery and Amazon Prime, people want what they want – and fast. Waiting for status updates by mail is no longer a feasible option to stay competitive in lieu of the internet and other legal services instantly available. People get answers right at their fingertips in seconds for their bank statements, credit cards, Uber rides, and more. That expectation has, by proxy, bled into the legal industry, creating the need for a client-centered law firm.
Think of yourself as a customer for a moment. You expect ongoing communication and respect. You want to be treated like an equal. Apply those same principles to your legal services, and you’ll check all the boxes of what a client is looking for. Most times, clients are under duress and are coming to you for guidance and help. Rather than being callous or pristine, show them they’re heard and actively listen. After all, they know their case best. As an attorney, that initial contact via phone or in-person can make all the difference in whether they choose to hire you or not. The same can be said for your staff.
So, this all seems great in theory, but how exactly can this get implemented in between all the bustle of daily operations?
The most effective way to implement a client-centered law firm is to zoom out and see the entire journey of a case from the client’s perspective. Running through this from start to finish can identify where you may have gaps or get muddy in terms of the communication and mindfulness we previously mentioned.
Here are a few tips to help:
From the origin of a client’s legal issue to paying their bill at the end, your client’s journey is defined as every step of their case from their perspective. There’s usually a substantial difference between what you see of their case and what they’re experiencing and living while everything is unfolding.
Is there a workflow anywhere in your legal tech outlining the client's journey? This can be a great starting point to help you assess where there may be shortcomings or delays.
No law firm is perfect – there are always ways to run a client-centered firm and improve upon existing processes. While it may never feel like the “right time,” consider blocking out an hour a week to push aside distractions and focus solely on putting yourself in your client’s shoes. Over time, this can create massive improvements in their experience or all the touchpoints concerning their case.
To refine your customer experience, ask yourself a few questions about your firm, such as:
Smoothing out the process can boost satisfaction and faith in the process itself.
You can implement everything you want to help clients, but if there’s no way to measure success or gauge satisfaction, you might as well be working blind. Using a Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customer satisfaction can be invaluable if you’re stuck in the previous step of “I don’t know what I don’t know.”
For clarity, a quick survey or matrix can be 3-5 questions asking for recommendations and a 1-10 sliding scale for satisfaction. Finding the average of responses, and measuring this over time, can give you a KPI on how a client-centered approach is moving the needle.
Now you know why client-centered law firms stay competitive and are an important part of the changing landscape in the legal industry. Now you need to know the actual structure and pieces needed for it to work: the people and technology aspect. After the plan and big picture, steps are in place, now it’s about running and maintaining the system. It takes a strong, communicative team to make it all happen, so remember – how you treat your team will reflect and trickle down into how clients are treated.
Isolating your thoughts can quickly become an echo chamber. If you’re a managing partner or attorney, be sure to ask for feedback from your other employees regularly since you’re not on the ground level working with clients most of the time. Every month or quarter, send your employees a survey or meet (digitally or otherwise) to hear their thoughts. Chances are, they’ve been itching for an opportunity to voice concerns, especially when the day-to-day can take over.
It’s easy to have short-sightedness when it comes to goals – everyone wants the low-hanging fruit and the small wins to come quickly. But that won’t help when clients feel unheard, or you’re not able to return calls and help increase onboarding as goals, for example.
Building a client-centered firm means always thinking “how does this affect the client?” first and foremost will help keep them top of mind when it comes to the customer journey. Tie that into its own KPI, or verbal note during every budget meeting. Have a few minutes baked in for suggestions and ways things can be improved.
When it comes to client centricity, as you’ve learned, they’re at the core of every business process and decision. That means during in-person meetings, make them feel comfortable and, if possible, carve out extra time in case you need to listen to clients for longer than the allotted time. These little gestures can show you’re committed to going above and beyond them long after they’ve signed the dotted line.
The legal industry, at its heart, is a people business, built on helping others and bringing to justice for those who have been wronged. Remind them of that with every update and movement of assistance you provide.
This may feel daunting like there’s never enough time in a day to get it all done. We get it. That’s why many firms have turned to practice management software to do some of the legwork for them. By using expedited billing and workflow automation, you can get minutes back in everyone’s workday that adds up to something incredible: the ability to offer exceptional service to your clients.
Centerbase can do all of the above and more for your firm.
To recap, by mapping your client journey – or their perspective of a case from inception to their last bill payment – you can stay competitive and create a positive reputation that earns more referrals and business. By keeping an open line of communication between your staff and clients and rating the satisfaction over time, you can pave the way for a truly immersive, client-centered experience in all your big business decisions. How’s that for staying competitive in a digital, software-dominated industry? Staying profitable and efficient are the two hallmarks of a client-centered experience that all work together to bolster success
Staying efficient with updated software can give you the secret sauce to ensure all of it happens every day. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to contact us or read our resources library for more about how Centerbase can change the game for your firm.
If you missed it, check out part 1 to this blog, The Business of Law Part 1: In the Age of the Consumer.
Who doesn’t love a little history refresher? You like it too?! Perfect.
So, fifty-one years ago, the first ARPAnet (later to be known as the internet) was created. Fast forward to 1989 and you have a proposal from a man named Tim Berners-Lee for a program called “Mesh” (also later to be known as the World Wide Web). The advent of both the network infrastructure (the Internet) and the software infrastructure layered on top of it (the Web) paved the way for a growing dichotomy between the centralization and decentralization of resources and knowledge, and one-way versus two-way consumer consumption patterns. Now, fast forward again to 2020 and we see the proliferation of content that simply did not exist even a mere few years ago.
An astounding 59% of the global population is connected to the internet. Do you know what that means? It means that consumers now have access to so much information that the power that brands and corporations once held has completely shifted. The asymmetric balance that sellers held only a few years ago is now virtually non-existent.
We are now living in a digital world. Leading companies know that in order to keep their competitive advantage, they must align with their customers. They don’t view this alignment as a chore on their laundry list of duties that they'll get to eventually, they're actively pursuing it. They are reimaging every aspect of their business and how the consumer experience and journey are affected every step of the way. In 2020, this alignment is the bedrock upon which successful businesses are built on.
How does any of this news relate to you and your firm? To start, it should be noted that the legal space drags behind other industries. The primary cause of this polarity is a result of a divergence between the profession and the industry as a whole. Put simply, it is the divide between lawyers and the myriad of technology and business management expertise that make up the entire industry. There is a notable difference between the two, where we have the profession, or lawyers, who are shackled to paradigm and resistant to change, matched against the industry that is compelled by the new principles of customer demand.
For a very long time, the profession has clung to structural and economic models, and self-regulation has been a critical part of the formula to remove any and all competition. In the past, firms have been able to minimize the impact of cultural, economic, and sociological trends that have disrupted many industries, but in this new digital age, things have changed. Since the turn of the millennium, we’ve seen a shift between legal practice and the fundamental business behind delivering those services. This shift is due to the fact that law is no longer just about the lawyer. Over the years, we have seen a significant volume of work has drifted from law firms to corporate legal departments. The 2017 Georgetown Report cites, ‘erosion of the traditional law firm franchise,’ a euphemism for ‘clients no longer need large law firms to handle many legal tasks. ’
When you look at how a lawyer becomes a lawyer you will see a few things: risk avoidance, trained perfection, proactiveness, and the delivery of creative solutions. Throughout a lawyer’s education and professional training, critical thinking is reinforced, but the business side of their professional services is not. Because of this, we have seen a rise in legal service providers who aim to provide law firms with more data, process management, technological advancements, training, cybersecurity, the list goes on and on. Their mission is to provide solutions to business problems that will hopefully create efficiencies and stimulate customer engagement and alignment. However, digitally advanced companies have taken to solving these problems on their own. They're redefining their target markets, tracking competition, committing to a capital shift from buyer to seller, and they're monitoring customer satisfaction. Highly informed decision making is now defining the gap between competitive and non-competitive firms.
With today's access to the internet, consumers can now decide for themselves when, where, and at what price point a licensed attorney is required. The law industry is being disrupted and systemic changes and customer-centric models are forcing the balance of power to shift from the firm to the consumer.
The marketplace of all industries, including legal, is now composed of consumers who expect a customized delivery, one that entails the involvement of project managers, design engineers, data analysts, and the like. When you look at the practice of law, specifically, trained experience, specialized skill, expertise, and judgment, you’ll come to find that it has been intricately woven into the broader picture of the legal service industry. The practice of law, as traditionally defined, is being eclipsed by the business of law and everything else required to deliver legal services. In order to remain dominant in the legal space, firms must differentiate, scale, and align with customers.
The question remains, how do law firms do this? How do law firms differentiate themselves, scale, and align with customers? As we ponder this, it is important to note that operating in a consumer-centric world does not mean the law profession will be eviscerated. The unique characteristics and intricacies of attorney-client relationships are pillars of legal practice that will remain standing for the foreseeable future.
Consumers-not lawyers- determine what is ‘legal,’ whose skill is required, when it is required, how it is delivered, and at what price point they’re willing to pay. With the internet only a click away, building trust with your customer is paramount. Change won’t happen overnight, but building a strategy around your goals, investing in technology, and viewing your client's journey with your firm as a customized experience, all encompass the steps you should be taking in order to build a successful consumer-centered business. Optimize your firm, be receptive to change, and invest in technology that will not only maximize your client experience but drive your revenue too.
In 2020, law is not only about selling legal knowledge. Practice area expertise must be leveraged by technology in order to provide consumers ‘faster, better, cheaper’ and quantifiable results on a transparent, real-time, and customer-centric basis.
Still intrigued? Check out part 2 to this blog, The Business of Law Part 2: Running a Client-Centered Law Firm.
