You might already know the benefits of creating a mass tort campaign. You likely invested money into digital marketing and advertising platforms. However, a high call volume doesn’t necessarily mean more clients. If a potential client experiences challenges during the intake process, they could take their business elsewhere.
It’s critical to streamline your intake process to avoid unnecessary delays and complications. You need to turn your leads into actual paying clients as quickly as possible, so they don’t go to your competitors. Below are the stages of an effective intake process that can help increase your client base and revenue.
Create an Intake Department
When someone gets hurt and wants to pursue compensation from the negligent party, they want to get someone on the phone the first time they call. If they’re forced to leave a message, they might wait a few hours for a callback. However, if no one responds to their inquiry, they will likely reach out to a different firm.
An intake process can’t be effective if you don’t have an intake department. Designate staff who will only answer incoming calls from potential leads. It can be employees in your main office, a call center, or a marketing team. However, it should not be a paralegal, case manager, or any person with other responsibilities. An intake specialist’s primary job should be to answer calls, so they don’t miss out on speaking with prospective clients.
If you provide legal services in a diverse area, hire bilingual staff. This expands your reach and allows you to take on paying clients from various backgrounds.
It’s also crucial to train everyone in your intake department. You can’t have a successful intake process if no one knows what they’re doing. Inform your employees of the steps they should take during the intake process, including which paperwork clients need to sign to retain your services.
Provide 24/7 Customer Service
Many law firms have call centers that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you only operate your intake department during your regular office hours, you could miss out on clients.
An effective intake process requires immediate attention. Your staff should be available all day, every day. This includes weekends and holidays. You need to prioritize communication with new leads, so they don’t seek legal services elsewhere.
It’s never a good idea to rely on voicemail. When a call comes in, someone in the call center should answer on the first or second ring and gather all necessary information regarding the case.
Consistent follow-up is also vital. If the caller says they need to decide whether they want to hire a lawyer, your staff shouldn’t wait for a decision. They should continue to follow up with the potential client. Staying in contact keeps your firm in their mind, and if they decide to move forward with legal action, they will likely choose you as their lawyer.
Streamline the Contracts Stage
One of the best ways to turn leads into paying clients is to make the contracts stage as convenient as possible. If you have to send documents by regular mail, it could take days or weeks before your prospect becomes an actual signed client.
You need to utilize methods that are easy for your intake team and callers. Once someone decides to hire you, they should be able to sign all the necessary paperwork instantly. That means you should have the means to send contracts to them through email or text for an e-signature.
Track Your Leads
You won’t be able to convert your leads into clients if you’re not tracking them efficiently. Without an efficient tracking system, you can’t keep track of every call, text, and email.
An efficient lead tracking system allows you to follow every stage of the intake process, from the potential client’s initial call to the moment they sign the contracts. If you take the time to handle this process correctly, you can meet your prospect’s needs during each step, increasing the chance of converting them into a client.
Contact Intake Conversion Experts
At Intake Conversion Experts, we have experience helping law firms streamline the intake process to convert leads into actual paying clients. We understand the importance of providing quality customer service, so callers don’t take their cases to someone else.
Our intake team uses state-of-the-art software to track every call, email, text, and other forms of communication, so you never miss an opportunity to sign a new client.
If you’re interested in setting up a new call center or restructuring your current one for better efficiency, call Intake Conversion Experts right now at (855) WITH-ICE. We’re available 24/7 to speak with you about our services. Do not hesitate to reach out to us and learn more about how we can help you grow your firm.