Do you feel like your law firm is losing leads due to poor call answering habits?
We can’t stress enough the importance of picking up the phone in a timely manner and having the right phone etiquette. It’s your firm’s first opportunity to develop a relationship with a prospective client. If you are having doubts about your ability to create strong connections right off the bat, it might be time for a change.
Partnering with a specialized legal inbound call service is a great option. Here are some features that could make a huge difference in the number of leads you connect with, capture and convert into clients, solely because somebody was there to respond (the right way, of course).
Call Answering
First things first— a legal inbound call service will help you by picking up the phone when you can’t.
The task of answering the phone at a law office is often left to busy, multitasking receptionists, paralegals, office managers, attorneys or voicemail.
Lack of bandwidth is common, especially among small and medium law firms where resources can easily run thin. Attorneys and legal staff are typically busy attending to current clients, providing quality representation, going to court, attending meetings and depositions, and other daily tasks—meaning, the phones are seldom answered. In fact, 35% of the time, phone calls are not answered at all.
Unfortunately, unanswered phones are lost leads. If your firm cannot hire additional staff to answer calls, it’s time to consider outsourcing your call answering to free up your staff so they can focus on only the most urgent matters.
Expertly-trained legal intake professionals answer calls in three rings or less. They are well-versed in legal terminology, skilled in call control, and highly empathetic, so your callers will feel comfortable and taken care of. Most importantly, they are dedicated to answering your phones, which means more leads will be nurtured.
Overflow, After-Hours, Weekend and Holiday Coverage
24/7/365, or whenever you choose, legal inbound call services can take your calls.
For instance, if you aren’t staffed to handle the amount of calls that come in each day, the service can take over your overflow using a call-forwarding feature that forwards calls to the inbound call center after a certain number of unanswered rings at your firm.
Or, if you don’t need extra bandwidth on a day-to-day basis, but you are running a large campaign and anticipate an increased call volume, an inbound call service can step in at any time.
Additionally, you can take advantage of after-hours, weekend and holiday coverage, since all lawyers know accidents and injuries don’t just occur during office hours.
An inbound call service can provide off-hours coverage so you never miss a potential connection with a new client. They will complete the intake process to qualify leads while you are away and send them to you for a follow-up when you arrive back at the office. You and your team will then be able to sort through all of the leads that were qualified while you were out.
English & Spanish Support
There is no reason to miss out on future business due to a language barrier, but not all firms are equipped with a bilingual staff.
Partnering with a Spanish-speaking call service can help you to connect with the Hispanic population in your area. Like we mentioned before, the first correspondence you have with a potential client can impact the rest of your attorney-client relationship.
Bilingual intake specialists are on call 24/7/365 to answer incoming inquiries from your Spanish-speaking clients. They will help explain your intake process, your business philosophy, and what the client can expect when they retain your services.
It is important that all of this is described in their native language so they can truly understand the process and how you are going to help them with their situation. This establishes trust, which is vital when cultivating lasting relationships.
Alert can help you Create Connections
Alert knows a missed call is a missed opportunity to foster a long-lasting attorney-client relationship.
We can support you with our answering services for law offices while you focus on the crucial task of advocating for your clients. We can cover your overflow, after-hours, weekends, and holidays—whenever you need us. Our expert bilingual intake specialists are sure to make a great impression on all of your potential clients. For more information, contact us.
