Once you’ve decided to enlist the help of a lawyer answering service, the next step is to determine which one you want to hire. Each company has different strengths that may work well for your business, but there are certain things attorneys need to look for to offer the greatest benefit to their law firm.
1. Lawyer Phone Availability
When someone contacts a lawyer, it’s often because they need help right away. If they aren’t able to get a hold of anyone, they’ll likely move on to a different attorney, costing you potential business. This can happen at any time, day or night. For this reason, you need to have a receptionist service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The best options will include weekends and holidays at no additional cost.
2. Answering Service & Cost
Most lawyers utilize a live answering service because it is less expensive than paying a receptionist to be available 24/7. Only enroll services from a company that saves you money by charging less than it would cost you to hire someone to work in-house at your law firm. Take a look at our simple pricing plans and see the value you will get when choosing our services.
3. Bilingual Legal Answering
While you will obviously want to hire a company that utilizes English speakers to answer calls, you should also choose a company that is bilingual. The United States Census states that Spanish is the second most common language spoken, coming in at several million more speakers than any other language. For this reason, it is imperative you select an answering service that is capable of handling Spanish speakers, meaning you won’t have to miss out on any clients, no matter what language they speak.
4. Legal Secretary Training
Not all answer services are structured and managed the same, which is why it is important to find a company that only allows highly trained employees to answer your calls. VoiceNation has a designated legal division that handles calls for law firms, making them capable of understanding specific terms and situations other remote receptionists may be unfamiliar with. The answering service may be the first impression a client receives from your company, so you want to make sure the person picking up the phone is carefully trained and managed.
5. Call Efficiency
A good call center will have a specific plan in place in regards to what to do with messages and urgent phone calls. Having a system that includes the input of the person’s name, phone number, time of call, and needs, and having all information stored in one place means you won’t have to worry about clients slipping through the cracks.
6. Account and Script Customization
In addition to having an organized approach already laid out, the best companies realize each law firm is unique and will likely have specific preferences. Using a company that has several options for attorneys to choose from means you will be able to select exactly when and how you receive messages, phone calls, and any other communication. You should also be able to set your own parameters concerning which calls need forwarding and which can wait.
7. Law Firm Size
Many clients who call and reach an automated message service will hang up and try a different attorney, which is why it is important to hire a company with plenty of receptionists so you’ll never have to worry about whether or not your clients will be taken care of. Choosing a company of sufficient size ensures there will always be someone available to take the call.
Keeping these things in mind as you sift through the many companies to select your service can ensure you hire a company that will help your business grow. Making an informed decision can mean less stress so you can relax and enjoy the benefits of a live answering service. This is VoiceNation’s sweet spot! Give us a call or test us out with our 7-day Free Trial trial today.