We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—not all call centers are created equal.
If you are searching for a call center to handle your legal needs, know that an average answering service just won’t cut it.
For the best return on investment, you can only trust a quality answering service for attorneys to handle your intake. Here are some questions to ask when shopping around to ensure you get the best bang for your buck.
Reputation Matters
Does the answering service for attorneys have awards from industry organizations attesting to its high service-levels?
Credibility, credibility, credibility. Enough said.
Does the service have experience and referrals in your industry?
Make sure the service is legal only since call centers focused on a wide array of industries probably won’t be well-versed in the legal industry.
An answering service for attorneys will be specifically specialized and fully-equipped to support your law firm, so look for testimonials from other attorneys when browsing websites. If you come across a referral from a doctor, keep shopping.
Safety and Security is a Top Priority
Is the service secure and HIPAA compliant?
This means the answering service for attorneys should redundantly secure, protect and backup data to guarantee all of your leads are protected. They should have a full-site power back up and a carrier back up in case one service goes down.
Equally as important, make sure the service is HIPAA compliant, meaning all personal client data you send to the service is protected by a standard that is set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
If the service doesn’t live up to these criteria, move on. Your invaluable leads will be safer somewhere else.
Is the service solely based in the U.S.?
This is a big one, and it has everything to do with your law firm’s safety, along with the safety of your potential clients and clients.
When incoming calls and web leads are sent to other countries, your law firm becomes open to the risk of mitigation because cross-border communication is no longer overseen by U.S. law.
This leaves your leads at risk since they are most likely disclosing sensitive information. It will also leave you at risk of lawsuit—a lose-lose for everybody.
Excellent Customer Service is a Must
Does the company offer services 24/7/365?
Part of providing superb customer service is simply being available all the time, no matter what. Not to mention it’s the point of looking to an answering service for attorneys for support.
A superior answering service for attorneys will live-answer calls in fewer than three rings (15 seconds) and respond to web leads with an outbound call immediately no matter the time of day, week, or year.
If the service doesn’t offer call, intake and contract services around the clock to support your overflow, after-hours, weekends or holidays needs, keep searching — this one’s non-negotiable.
Does the answering service provide Spanish support?
Using a service that doesn’t provide Spanish support to your potential clients and clients could cause you to miss out, and there’s no reason to lose leads due to a language barrier.
A large majority of Americans speak Spanish today. If you can communicate with the growing Spanish-speaking consumer group, you will get more business, period.
Do the agents answering calls have proper training?
A quality answering service for lawyers should have expert intake specialists in place to immediately live-respond to your leads while building rapport and trust through active listening skills.
These specialists should be thoroughly and continually trained in legal terminology, psychology, and empathy to create outstanding and professional potential new client experiences.
Find the Right Answering Service for Attorneys
For an even more in-depth guide to help you choose the right answering service for attorneys, check out our Service Comparison Checklist on our downloads page. Feel free to contact us for information.