ENGAGING MINDS
Client engagement for the legal sector has evolved greatly. We continue to see the methods used to obtain and maintain clients improving through the use of a more considered and joined-up approach. Now, more than ever, firms must pause and look at the environment around them to see how client-centred operations can create new and exciting opportunities to gain that all-important competitive edge.
All too often clients get the short end of the stick owing to a firm’s inability to handle the ever-increasing daily volume of client administrative tasks and – let’s face it – everyone is under pressure to deliver more while ensuring that there’s no compromise on quality. However, now there’s help at hand with cutting edge technology in ‘intelligent’ automated forms that allow fee earners to dramatically speed up their workflows as well as minimise errors made when filling out forms manually. An increase in streamlining data, thus saving days of admin time, will ultimately free up fee earners’ time so they can focus on giving the client better service – and ensure that the client stays loyal to the firm. A wide range of automated forms that focus on a number of services – such as family proceedings, property, police station forms and more – are becoming available in the legal industry. It’s vital that firms don’t overlook the options available to them; investment in these areas can demonstrate to clients that your firm is working on making their ‘legal journey’ as easy and stress free as possible.
Establishing the main elements of building a resourceful culture of client engagement can be challenging, especially when expectations are being set by new client behaviour every year.
Aside from automated forms, consider and explore software that allows your firm to become more agile and mobile – a big trend in legal that is set to continue as everyone looks to be more progressive and efficient.
Sophisticated software technology that pairs your actions on-the-go with your practice management system (PMS) is now available. For example, taking notes in court and meetings and then having to spend hours typing them up afterwards, resulting in wasted time for you, the solicitor, and slow updates for clients. Technology now allows you to scan your handwritten notes and file them straight into your PMS and client folder in either typed or easy-to-read writing – optimising the time of the fee earner plus constantly keeping the client in the loop.
The future of mobile apps is bright, but many firms seem reluctant or ‘cash-strapped’ and are slow to adopt. But without a doubt, mobile technologies and a data-driven PMS-centric environment are the future. These apps and the data captured provide great marketing opportunities, which allow bespoke branding for your firm’s requirements and direct contact with your clients – keeping them informed about their case every step of the way.
Firms need to understand the behaviour of a client and be able to effectively monitor and track prospects from the moment they enter the firm’s website. Gaining valuable insights and demographic data is important for future growth. As we all know, manually following up leads, measuring the volume against conversion rates plus calculating your return on investment can be time consuming and costly. This is why it’s so vital to have on your side sophisticated web forms and tracking software on your side, which not only deliver all of the above but go the extra mile in providing valuable intel about your lead – all delivered straight into your PMS.
Integrating technology to boost client engagement capabilities can be a complex transition for many firms. Being able to link all of these factors using intelligent software offers major benefits – providing deeper customer insights, far greater accuracy with data capture, faster means of communication and that all-important competitive advantage.
This article can be found in LPM February: Connecting clients
