Are you looking for ways to improve how you communicate with your clients, build trust, and create lasting connections? For law firms, having good client communication can be one of the most important factors for success. Whether you’re updating a client on a matter via email, sending an invoice, or taking on a new client, how you communicate will shape the client’s perception of your firm. In this blog, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about client communication.
Why is Law Firm Client Communication Important?
To start, let’s look at why law firm client communication is one of the most important parts of your practice. These are the top 3 reasons you should take client relationship management at your firm to the next level.
Retain Your Existing Clients & Grow
Naturally, businesses that deliver better client experiences will be much more likely to retain their existing client base, while attracting others through recommendations, reviews, and word of mouth. Streamlining your customer lifecycle management will help you keep your clients happy and make it easier to onboard new clients while maintaining consistency in customer relationship management.
Build & Improve Your Firm’s Reputation
We all know how important your reputation is in the legal field. When competing with other firms, your level of expertise and experience is extremely important, however having strong customer relationship management will help you stand out from the crowd and could mean the difference between success and failure.
Protect Your Firm & Your Clients
When you have ongoing open and clear communication with your clients, you avoid ethics violations and malpractice claims. This also prevents your client from taking bad decisions based on lack of information or understanding from your end.
What Tools Empower Law Firm Client Management?
Many attorneys already know the importance of fostering strong client relationships but are still failing at it. Whether this is due to overly complex communication methods, improper management, or lack of time, there’s a lot of room for improvement. Here are some tools you can use to bridge the gap and improve your client communication.
Emails
Email communication can be an extremely effective way to communicate with your clients. It’s important to note though, that it can get messy. Make sure you’ve customized your email settings to highlight and categorize important emails, so nothing falls through the cracks. Additionally, Lexzur offers Outlook and Gmail™ integrations that allow you to log and streamline communication via email on a whole new level. Learn more about that, here.
Text Messaging
The use of text messaging has become increasingly popular for law firms. The formal, slow methods of communication are often regarded as outdated. Clients seem to prefer texting, quick, specific and short replies. So, make sure to explore tools you might need to manage this stream efficiently.
Client Portals
This is a significantly more secure and effective way to communicate with clients. The Lexzur Client Portal, for example, is a great way to share data or news updates, send contracts or documents for review, collaboration, or signature, follow up on requests, invoice, provide permission-based access to information, and so much more. Learn more about that, here.
CRM & Client Intake
First impressions are extremely important. During and leading up to the intake process, make sure your clients have an overall positive and satisfactory experience. This is something that can make or break your reputation. Having the right tools for client intake can hugely impact your client’s impression of your firm and determine the level of professionalism to expect in your services. Lexzur Core offers CRM embedded within its software, learn more, here.
How to Enrich Client Relationships?
So, now that you understand why law firm client management is so important, and you’re equipped with the proper tools and applications you need, let’s get into best practices;
1. Perfect First Impressions
Prospective clients prefer to connect with real people. So, if you’re using an automated system to greet callers during your working hours, you’re liking losing prospects. If possible, have a receptionist or lawyer answer the first call. Having a friendly voice to take their information and listen to their story will greatly impact their choice and is a great way to make a lasting first impression.
2. Quick Response Time
Half the time, lawyers can take up to 3 days to reply to their client. Rise above your competitors and aim to answer in the same day. If you can’t give them an answer on the same day, you can simply let them know when they should expect to receive this information.
3. Setting Reasonable Expectations
The more your clients know what to expect from you, the less likely they are to be dissatisfied with your service. Make sure your clients know when and how you’ll be communicating with them; for example, preferred channels of communication, or typical response time. Additionally, when you deviate from a plan or schedule, make sure they’re well informed ahead of time.
4. Thoughtful Communication
Saying please and thank you goes a long way. Showing enthusiasm with words like “Absolutely” instead of “Ok” really makes a difference. Additionally, and this one is important, be understanding and reassuring. Clients seeking your services are likely in a stressful situation, and in need of some moral support. Your “bedside manner” counts as much as your credentials.
5. Follow-up Emails
Get in the habit of sending follow up emails after any phone conversation or meeting. This can be a summary of what was discussed, next steps to be taken, resources your client might find helpful, or even a quick thank you email for taking the time to meet. It’s always a good idea, even if it’s just a few words.
6. Templates for Repetitive Topics
Do you find yourself answering the same questions over and over again? A great solution for that is to keep templates on hand for frequently asked questions. This way, you can copy-paste for the most part, with minor adjustments, and save a lot of time.
7. Proper Use of Phone Calls
Sometimes the best way to respond to a text or email is to call the client up. While the overuse of calls can often cause frustration, the strategic choice to call rather than simply email back can make a huge difference. If you’re worried about how your message will come across in an email, or if you need to say “no” about a specific matter, opt for a call.
8. Innovative Use of Technology
If you have many clients and you’re looking to offer them even more, choosing to use legal technology to boost relationships is a great idea. Lexzur offers robust tools, features, and modules that empower clients to make and follow up on requests instantly, and collaborate in real-time on matters, cases, contracts, and otherwise. Learn more about Lexzur products, here.
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