Legal technology can be a highly beneficial for law practices. In fact, most now rely upon it in some fashion. Practice management software, appointment scheduling software, time and billing software, client portals, and digital contract management are all common forms of legal tech.
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Yet, there are some forms of technology, such as a law firm chatbot, that still cause quite a bit of fear in the legal industry. However, much like more commonly adopted options, a law firm chatbot could mean more money for your law practice because it can improve efficiency.
Law Firm Chatbots Can Answer Common Questions
Think about the questions you, your legal assistant, or your receptionist answer over the phone. Think about the time the caller often takes to get to their question. Think about the basic follow-up questions. It’s 2019. Think about how people find you to call you. Do your social media accounts refer people to your website? Does your website tell people to call your office?
Now, think about the time that someone takes out of their day to call your office. They have to find or make the time to do it. They have to consider whether it’s something they can call about in front of others. There’s the general feeling of anxiety that most people get when they contact a lawyer over the phone.
Since potential clients most likely found your contact information online, why not take advantage of that atmosphere? People are used to getting answers while they’re on the Internet. A law firm chatbot can be used through Facebook Messenger and on your website. It can be designed to provide answers to the questions your law firm answers most often when people call. This can be anything from the hours your law firm is open, retainer amounts, information about payment plans, where people may be able to secure low cost legal aid, and basic questions about your area of law.
A law firm chatbot can save you precious time and make the initial contact with your firm less intimidating.
Related: The Non-Technical Intro to Chatbots
Make Intake Easier for the Law Practice and New Clients
Is your first consultation free or do you charge for it? Regardless, think about the amount of time used during the consultation that involves the intake process. Do you or your assistant ask questions and help clients complete a paper form? Does the client sit in the waiting room and complete the form before they talk with you?
If the consultation is free, the additional time necessary to complete the intake process means that the you could be losing more money (in the way of time). You want to make sure that you balance the line between managing your time and ensuring the potential client feels heard and valued.
If you charge for consultations, clients may feel cheated by spending some of that time completing intake forms. They may expect you to spend additional time with them. That, in turn, could cause you to run behind for the rest of the day. And if you don’t make the client feel heard, that can create a problem within the attorney-client relationship.
A law firm chatbot can be created with the intake process in mind. The client can access it online before their appointment. They will answer questions asked by the chatbot. The information is transferred directly to the intake forms. This type of automation has the potential to save your law practice time, money, and frustration.
Learn More about How a Law Firm Chatbot Can Help Your Practice
If you’re ready to learn more about how a law firm chatbot can help your practice, schedule a demo. We’re happy to show you how LawDroid can make your law office life just a little bit easier!
Official Social Media Wizard, LawDroid.com.