A Law Firm Answering Service: An On-Call Receptionist can Increase Your Profits

According to a 2010 market research survey, 88 percent of businesses would not pay for an answering service, and the remaining 12 percent that would pay for one is composed of mainly medical practitioners and attorneys.The reason for the difference is the nature of the work that the medical and legal professionals conduct that requires sometimes handling urgent cases.

Using a professional legal answering service can bring a new level of peace to your clients as well. When they know that they can talk to someone, a real person, they feel relaxed and like they will have thier needs met. A potential client may need to wait to discuss sensitive information outside of standard business hours, and an important case may need your attention on an unpredictable schedule. Being available 24 hours keeps you on top of your "A" game.

If a law firm answering service handles or forwards you calls that allows you to be consistently available for those clients that require attention during outside hours, over time you will build a trusting rapport and a stronger client base. This type of commitment will elevate your service to that of a top attorney rather than one that meets only the basic requirements.

Financial Benefits

The media perpetuated image of an answering service as a basic telephone operator is no longer valid. Today, a service's features are dramatically more extensive and customized for individual client needs, particularly for those in the professions that employ them the most frequently, such as the legal field.
Special legal services include:

• Delivering to prospects or clients basic legal information allowing them to answer frequently asked questions about cases and your firm
• Screening and prioritizing calls according to your specifications that will allow them to effectively help you run your business.

These, along with standard services, such as scheduling an appointment and taking non-urgent messages are traditionally completed by a receptionist, however, the added expense of payroll and benefits may be impractical for a small firm or solo practice. An attorney may also hire an answering service as an adjunct to a receptionist to handle the same tasks outside of normal office hours, but at a reduced cost.

The Benefit of a Human Voice

If client is calling from a list of attorneys that have a similar specialty area and fee structure, the one who speaks to them first would likely be hired. This principle is an extension of the patterns established in the search engine optimization field. The top ten search results in Google are clicked on the majority of the time, and the one that makes contact with the client first, has the advantage.

Even today, when technology's influence is so prevalent, when people make a phone call, people prefer not to leave a message on voicemail. Particularly if the client is experiencing stress due to an important legal matter. A person answering a call can relay a personal connection, which is a stronger step in the client conversion process for new clients, and can assuage any concerns

About the author

Tara C. is a freelance writing professional with more than seven years of experience developing web content with a specialty in travel and legal. She is willing to perform even the smallest task to deliver client satisfaction, and positive feedback persuades her she that she is helping businesses succeed.