Introduction
As the premier lawyer-client matching service in the US, LegalMatch understands the challenges faced by lawyers when it comes to communicating effectively with their clients. However, some lawyers either delay in responding to communications, or fail to communicate altogether. That brief but crucial encounter plays out as clients choose the lawyer who will work on their case.
Communicating with a quick response is an essential aspect of any business. Most especially in the legal industry where the exchange of personal information and confidential details constantly takes place, the timely response should be maintained regularly. As a lawyer, one of the best ways to improve communication not only with clients but with fellow lawyers as well is to evaluate how much time it takes to respond to a message.
This graph shows the decline of retained rate with clients as the lawyer’s response time increases. Sending a reply to a prospect in less than 5 minutes has 8.14% hired rate, which is higher compared to the 6.15% retained rate when the response time is 5-14 minutes. Higher retained rate gives lawyers more leads that may be converted into paying clients.
Here are 4 important insights to consider why sending a quick response builds a better working experience with the client.
Lawyers Who Respond Within the First 5 Minutes Have Higher Chance of Retaining the Client
LegalMatch encourages lawyers to quickly respond to the cases posted in the app because the first lawyer who reaches out makes an impressive mark. Clients sense the knowledge and expertise of the lawyer who readily offered help upon receiving the case. Reaching out immediately shows your confidence in your abilities to provide legal solutions.
Clients Feel the Need to be Updated with Their Case
As clients pay for your legal services, they expect you to keep them up to date about their files. A client who is kept informed and educated about his or her legal situation and the services you are providing has a greater feeling of satisfaction.
Documenting Your Response Organizes Your Communication Process
Try to stick with the communication plan you developed with your client, but recognize the value in being flexible – some matters are best addressed by a quick call, where others require a letter. Document your communications either way. You should be aware of all incoming communications that require your professional attention and maintain records as to how each was dealt with.
Send a Response to Manage Client Expectation
Analyze the importance of the incoming communication and identify any matters that require immediate attention. In such cases, you have to respond promptly to the client. Your retainer letter should specify an appropriate response time for client inquiries. This will ensure that the client’s expectations are reasonable and realistic.
Oftentimes, clients look for verbal and nonverbal responses to find out how the lawyer approaches their case. If the lawyer gets back to the client in the quickest time possible, the client may feel that the lawyer is ready and willing to help resolve the legal concerns. Consequently, a slow response may show a decreased interest to help the client. It may also mean that you have so much on your plate that taking another client would be unmanageable for your schedule.
A lawyer’s response can be taken as an acknowledgment that the case was received and is being acted upon. A response can be in the form of a message through chat, email, or phone call. When a person posts a case, lawyers can ask a question, request additional information, redirect or change the focus of a conversation to verify that the received message matches the intended message. If you’re struggling to retain paying clients, we suggest taking a pause to evaluate how much time it takes you to reply to a case. Replying faster and within the first 5 minutes results into a higher conversion rate.
