As
technology reshapes all of modern personal and professional life, the legal profession
is no exception.
In
fact, proactive communications with clients may be an effective marketing tool,
such as an alert to a client about regulatory actions that are about to affect
their business.
—
Michael J. Riley, Sr., Attorney in Louisiana
Emergency management covers a broad range of
issues that can be better managed with software and other technologies. Emergency Management in the U.S. is
surprisingly broad. A lawyer in this area will encounter issues as diverse as
Grant Management and Administration, Public Assistance Program, Environmental
and Historic Preservation Requirements, Hazardous Materials, and Project
Funding. Incorporating technology into a law practice in this area can make the
practice more efficient and increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology
may enable the practitioner to exceed client expectations.
In
this third article in a series, Emergency Responder and attorney Michael
J. Riley, Sr. discusses the advancements and impact of technology upon the
legal profession, and how it is being utilized to enhance the client experience
in terms of satisfaction and customer service. As technology reshapes all of
modern personal and professional life, the legal profession is no
exception.
The
complete article will be published on the blog of Michael J. Riley, Sr. at https://michaeljriley.blogspot.com/
Technology
is advancing, and the legal profession must keep up with these technological
and societal changes. Many of us still remember when they first saw a personal
computer, when cell phones became widely available, and when cell phones turned
into smart phones that have become indispensable for many.
Incorporating
technology into a law practice can make the practice more efficient and
increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the practitioner
to exceed client expectations. Here are a few, simple-to-implement options.
Phone
Systems
Phone
systems have advanced greatly. A wealth of call forwarding technologies enable
clients to call a central number to reach an attorney anywhere. Skype enables
you to conduct video conference calls during which you can share a screen and
exchange documents.
But
with phone forwarding, you may even have a remote answering such as Ruby
Receptionists (www.callruby.com), which then takes a message or forwards the
call to a specified phone number. Other services with great flexibility include
Ring Central (www.ringentral.com), Ooma (www.ooma.com) and Jive (www.jive.com).
Suddenly
a physical office or geographical distance are less important. It has become
almost normal for clients to work with law firms at a greater distance from
their home or business location. Having an office close to your clients (or
close to the courthouse) is suddenly not as critical.
Michael
J. Riley, Sr. notes that this also benefits clients, as they may decide to hire
an attorney whose office is not nearby. It affords clients access to much
greater legal talent and improved access to quality representation than was
once available to them in smaller towns/markets.
What
used to be an in-person consultation can now be done by email or a video
conference. Since the number of in-person meetings is reduced, the cost to
clients is reduced as well.
Virtual
Meetings
Getting
together for face-to-face meetings with clients can sometimes be difficult,
especially when it includes travel. Skype (www.skype.com) and EZ Talks
(www.eztalks.com), www.GoToMeeting.com and other video systems allow
you to offer the experience of a live meeting, which can be much more productive
and stimulating than a simple phone call, since human beings communicate to
large extent non-verbally, through gestures, facial expressions, etc. Numerous
Web-conferencing tools provide such visual and human elements of a live
meeting. They allow attendees to communicate, collaborate on documents and even
give presentations in real time.
In
fact, there are free (or almost free) services with a lot of functionality that
are useful for sharing and discussing on-screen documents, giving a
presentation, recording and chat capabilities.
Client
Portals
Online
Client Portals are an option especially for a high-volume practice such as
bankruptcy or immigration law. Instead of answering innumerable phone calls
with questions such as “What is the status of my case?”, the firm offers access
to a Portal where clients can see their exact case status in real time. In
fact, password-protected portions of a law firm’s website may be a more secure
alternative to email. Clients can access their case information day or night,
comment on drafts and get updates on court dates. Examples include Practice
Panther (www.practicepanther.com) and One Hub (www.onehub.com).
Still
somewhat expensive due to the cost and complexity of implementation, client
portals will undoubtedly proliferate further as the technology matures.
Social
Media
Whether
you like it or not, Social Media has become inescapable. Review websites like
Yelp! or Avvo list Attorneys regardless and allow anybody to post reviews and
comments about one’s practice. Further, Facebook creates “inofficial” Facebook
pages for professionals, which in effect may force them to set up actual
Facebook pages and join their platform. In many cases, the best option for the
legal practitioner may be to embrace Social Media and claim the profile to use
and control it to their advantage.
Google
Maps - Locations
In
past, even small problems like “I cannot find your office” could interrupt a
client relationship. No more. Today you can put “Directions” on your website to
ensure that all clients can find your office easily when they have to. Google
Maps can be customized for clients, and also shows the way to related locations
to one’s Practice (i.e. Courthouse, Government Offices, etc.). Google
Streetview also can show clients what your office building looks like from the
outside.
Case
Reminders
Everybody
is busy. We all receive too many emails. Thus, many messages get lost in the
shuffle. Providing communications or updates via email, text message, or
voicemail can remind clients of upcoming appointments, deadlines, court dates,
etc.
Sharing
Information with Clients
Here
at our law firm, at the commencement of services, we fully discuss
communication preferences with clients. This includes discussing methods for exchanging
confidential information and their preferences for receiving other, general
communications.
In
fact, proactive communications with clients may be an effective marketing tool,
such as an alert to a client about regulatory actions that are about to affect
their business.
To
be continued.
The
complete article will be published on the blog of Michael J. Riley, Sr. at https://michaeljriley.blogspot.com/
Disclosure & Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this
publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the
opinions or views of FEMA or any government agency.
About Michael Jerome
Riley, Sr.
Trained as a lawyer, J.D., University of Tennessee-Knoxville (1980), Michael J. Riley,
Sr. currently serves FEMA as an Emergency Manager, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, Operations Division Supervisor. Expertise
includes Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, contract compliance, procurement, and
Civil Rights. He has served the American people and international community in
various different locations affected by natural disasters, including Puerto
Rico and Haiti.
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