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Case Management
Systems Help Client Service & Case Acquisition
Thu, 12/08/2011 - 10:10 — admin
What is a system? Systems are consistent processes put in place to bring about efficiency. The advantage of systems from a marketing perspective is their ability to truly test and evaluate your programs. There are simple systems firms can put into place, which will help efficiency and growth.
Intake
Intake by nature is a system, but some firms do not treat it as one. Make sure the process to collect COMPLETE information is consistent. Frequently utilize secret shoppers to ensure your intake process is consistent and thorough. Collecting information in order to remarket to leads is just as important as qualifying a lead in a new case. After all, you’ve paid for every lead, so you should cultivate each contact for potential future business.
Email Campaigns
Ideally this can be done through your advertising agency, who makes it absolutely seamless for your own firm. If you have the capacity and would like to do it on your own, simply create 12 intriguing email topics, utilize a reputable email marketing platform and make sure to review the results/analytics on a monthly basis. Reviewing the open and click-through rates gives you an opportunity to test and improve your email marketing campaigns.
Exit Interviews & Leave Behinds
Clients are happiest when they receive their check. Why not take this opportunity to obtain a video exit interview (a potential client testimonial). Then follow up with a thank-you packet of goodies. To get an idea of what should be presented within this thank-you packet, check out our blog post on “leave behinds.”
Do not over-complicate the idea of implementing processes or accountability within your firm. Just make sure they are being used consistently in order to determine their effectiveness. If you need help putting systems in place, contact Network Affiliates today.
No Case Management System is Really Set Up to Do GREAT Intake. What is it Costing You in Lost Cases?
Tue, 08/31/2010 - 18:28 — Clay FrickeyIntake. The mere word can send shivers down the spine of any personal injury lawyer. It's an essential cog for any law firm, especially one that deals with diverse cases and markets through multiple mediums. But intake can also be the biggest source of frustration in a law firm.
A lot of the frustration with intake can be attributed to one thing: intake software is not designed for marketing. Intake software is designed to house information in a consistent format and manages your case files. While most intake software is great at its primary function of housing data and keeping your case files, none of them are designed to make your life easier as a marketer.
A step most lawyers take to make marketing to your database easier is developing a script for your receptionist to follow so that information is always consistent from record to record. This will make it so that your database is clean and mistake free. However, this does not solve all of your intake issues. One main issue is that the script may not line up with the way your case management software is set up. This issue makes it so that receptionists are taking the information in twice. Once when they are talking on the phone with the prospect on a pad of paper and a second time when they are off the phone and have to put the information into the database. This introduces human error, as mistakes are common when having to enter that data back into the case management system.
Another common issue with case management software is the lack of marketing centric reports. If you can't pull a simple report, it can de-rail your database marketing efforts. What this can lead to is a lack of follow-ups. Your database marketing has to be consistent. If you are not following up with clients, you are losing cases on a regular basis.
Luckily, there is now software that works in front of your database that handles information the way your firm handles it upon intake. These pieces of software contain fields for basic demographic information as well as fields for how they heard about your firm and the nature of their case. This software then dumps this information into your case management system and you can follow that case from start to finish.
Obtaining all of this information accurately is paramount. The old saying goes garbage in, garbage out. If you aren't putting accurate information into your database, you won't get useful tracking data out of it. This makes your life as a lawyer more difficult because your best cases are referral cases. How can you solicit referrals when you don't have a database that has complete information? Contact Network Affiliates today if you need assistance with your database marketing efforts.
Dunbar’s Number: How it pertains to your law firm and how it can help you increase your business
Tue, 07/20/2010 - 08:46 — Clay FrickeyA hot topic recently in the social media sphere has been that of Dunbar’s Number. Dunbar’s Number is 150. Dunbar postulates that a human can maintain a social relationship with only 150 people. While this theory has certain applications in the social media circle, I was thinking about how this relates to your law firm.
Customer service used to be an option. If you were the only game in town, you could get away with having less than stellar customer service. Now, it’s not an option. It is absolutely necessary to treat every client like they are your only client.
In speaking with many of you and having recently digested the results from the 2009 KPI Survey, I understand most PI lawyers handle a lot of pre-lit cases. In some firms, your lawyers handle over 200 cases a piece at any given time. If you believe in Dunbar’s Number, what are you doing to make sure that every client you represent is being taken care of? Granted, not every single one of those 200 cases requires your lawyer to know all of their clients’ children’s’ names, favorite restaurants and mother’s maiden name. However, what sets many firms apart is their attention to detail and the fact that their clients feel like they are being represented by not just a lawyer, but by someone they trust, someone who genuinely cares about them.
How do you ensure every client is getting the personalized service they deserve? There are a number of ways to cut into Dunbar’s Number. Most include making sure you have a database system and a communication mechanism to help you interact with all of your clients on a more personal basis. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a very important aspect of marketing. The best cases that come into your firm are cases that come from referral clients. Mastering the art of CRM can elevate your customer service, differentiate your client focus and improve your client relationships.
Need help with CRM or ideas to help manage your clients’ cases more efficiently? Contact us today.
eCase Status – Keeping in Touch With Your Clients Digitally
Mon, 05/17/2010 - 05:52 — Clay FrickeyOne of the biggest and most common mistakes law firms make when it comes to attorney-client relations is failing to communicate in a timely fashion. Some clients have an insatiable need for handholding, and will never be satisfied. Most, however, just want to stay abreast of their cases and need verification that things are moving along. Even those who want more personal attention feel better if they have updates at their fingertips.
eCase Status is a powerful tool that can automate a large portion of your communication with clients, minimizing the need for phone conversations and satisfying your clients’ need for access to information about their cases.
There has never been a time when clients liked having to wait for information and updates on their cases, but there used to be a time when waiting was just part of the process. With today’s technology, waiting is unnecessary, and most of your clients know that. Those who haven’t caught on yet will very soon. Instant access to information is a key factor when people are choosing who they will do business with. Law firms, no matter how successful or highly recommended, are not immune to being judged by this standard.
The beauty of a system like eCase Status is that it is a win/win setup.
Your clients can access the latest information on their cases, as well as old information they may have forgotten or simply do not have on hand, at their convenience, any time, anywhere, without having to wait for you to respond or be available to talk to them.
You can spend your time actually working on the case rather than on the phone giving your client updates, without causing your clients to worry about your lack of communication. You will be more likely to return calls in a timely fashion and improve the quality of your conversations, by cutting down on unnecessary calls. Even though you are spending less time on the phone each day, your clients will feel like they are getting more attention.
To learn more about keeping in touch with your clients digitally, please contact the legal marketing professionals at Network Affiliates today.
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