How a Legal Answering Service Can Make Sure Your Clients Are Never Turned Away
Even the most seasoned receptionist can find working at an attorney’s office challenging. The phone keeps ringing and every client imagines that his or her case is foremost on his or her lawyer’s mind. Balancing multiple projects while keeping each client satisfied is not an easy task.
As a law practice gets busier, the workload increases and handling queries from clients may require the help of a dedicated service. Fortunately, a legal answering service can help ease the pain and improve overall productivity. By enlisting the help of such an answering service, an attorney can be assured that his or her clients’ calls never go unanswered even during the busiest periods or on weekends.
It may appear simple to hire a junior staff or intern to man the phone lines. However, handling clients, many of whom are already stressed, takes skill and understanding. Having someone merely answer the phone is not enough. Typically, legal answering services have personnel who are trained to process legal and sensitive information and ensure that any communication with a client remains confidential.
Many answering services allow you to manage how calls are processed. You can either have calls transferred directly to your office or have the operator go through a defined script to understand how a specific query can be handled. Not all calls may be emergencies and having a system that can filter out calls that need immediate attention against those that can wait can save your staff’s time and allow them to focus on more important paperwork and research.
For many lawyers working on sensitive cases, time is money. When a client calls with new information that could significantly affect his or her case, it is important that they are able to reach you no matter what time of the day it is. Having this information on time could make or break a case and a lawyer’s reputation.
Many legal answering services also offer additional options such as providing extra phone lines and contact numbers during very busy periods when the normal lines are overloaded and jammed.
Your clients’ satisfaction determines your long-term reputation. A law firm that deals with cases successfully but has no means to engage with clients efficiently can lose its sheen pretty quickly. When a client feels that his or her needs are being attended to and that systems are in place to handle unexpected situations and emergencies, they are more likely to recommend you to others and bookmark your firm for future assistance.
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